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Temporary #1
A Temporary Situation
an alternate cover edition can be found here
Please note that this is a re-release. Only the cover has changed. There are no major revisions to the story.
Personal assistant Dominic is a consummate professional. Funny then, that he harbors such unprofessional feelings toward Tristan Maxwell, the CEO of the company. No, not in that way. The man may be the walking epitome of gorgeousness dressed up in a designer suit. But, Dominic's immune. Unlike most of the workforce, he can see through the pretty facade to the arrogant, self-entitled asshole below. It's lucky then, that the man's easy enough to avoid.
Disaster strikes when Dominic finds himself having to work in close proximity as Tristan's P.A. The man is infuriatingly unflappable, infuriatingly good-humored, and infuriatingly unorthodox. In short, just infuriating. A late-night rescue leading to a drunken pass only complicates matters further, especially with the discovery that Tristan is both straight and engaged.
Hatred turns to tolerance, tolerance to friendship, and friendship to mutual passion. One thing's for sure, if Tristan sets his sights on Dominic, there's no way Dominic has the necessary armor or willpower to keep a force of nature like Tristan at bay for long, no matter how unprofessional a relationship with the boss might be. He may just have to revise everything he previously thought and believed in for a chance at love.
Please note that this is a re-release. Only the cover has changed. There are no major revisions to the story.
Personal assistant Dominic is a consummate professional. Funny then, that he harbors such unprofessional feelings toward Tristan Maxwell, the CEO of the company. No, not in that way. The man may be the walking epitome of gorgeousness dressed up in a designer suit. But, Dominic's immune. Unlike most of the workforce, he can see through the pretty facade to the arrogant, self-entitled asshole below. It's lucky then, that the man's easy enough to avoid.
Disaster strikes when Dominic finds himself having to work in close proximity as Tristan's P.A. The man is infuriatingly unflappable, infuriatingly good-humored, and infuriatingly unorthodox. In short, just infuriating. A late-night rescue leading to a drunken pass only complicates matters further, especially with the discovery that Tristan is both straight and engaged.
Hatred turns to tolerance, tolerance to friendship, and friendship to mutual passion. One thing's for sure, if Tristan sets his sights on Dominic, there's no way Dominic has the necessary armor or willpower to keep a force of nature like Tristan at bay for long, no matter how unprofessional a relationship with the boss might be. He may just have to revise everything he previously thought and believed in for a chance at love.
430 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 19, 2017
132 people are currently reading
584 people want to read
About the author
H.L. Day
48 books498 followersH.L Day is a teacher and a writer. She enjoys writing far too many different sub genres to stick to one thing so writes everything from rom-coms to post-apocalyptic sci-fi. It's just the way her brain works. H.L Day lives in the UK with her elderly black cat that she accidentally stole from her next door neighbour.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
July 20, 2020
**Reread 7/18/20-7/19/20. I reread this because the author said she had read a review recently that called Tristan weird. My reread confirms this. He is weird. But for me that’s a compliment! I still adored him in all his weirdness. Still wasn’t a fan of the 85% drama. But my love of Tristan again took over and I powered through that part.
I do have two complaints about this book but I’m giving it four stars because the good definitely outweighed the bad.
The Good:
I absolutely enjoyed the majority of it. It had witty banter, lots of snark, delicious sexual tension and Tristan was a big puppy who I fell for big time. I loved him and Dominic together so much. I can’t wait to read Paul’s story.
What I didn’t like:
It’s a peeve of mine, especially in a gfy type story, when the author makes the woman (if one of the characters is dating a woman) absolutely terrible. For me it kind of takes away from the story. Just my two cents. She doesn’t need to be a saint but the women in this one was such a caricature. I didn’t like it. There’s no cheating in this if you have concerns.
I also was not a fan of the drama and misunderstanding at the end. Oh I’m all for the angst sometimes but this felt very contrived and manufactured. It didn’t work.
Overall, with the exception of the two things, I’ve got lots of love for this book! 😍
I do have two complaints about this book but I’m giving it four stars because the good definitely outweighed the bad.
The Good:
I absolutely enjoyed the majority of it. It had witty banter, lots of snark, delicious sexual tension and Tristan was a big puppy who I fell for big time. I loved him and Dominic together so much. I can’t wait to read Paul’s story.
What I didn’t like:
It’s a peeve of mine, especially in a gfy type story, when the author makes the woman (if one of the characters is dating a woman) absolutely terrible. For me it kind of takes away from the story. Just my two cents. She doesn’t need to be a saint but the women in this one was such a caricature. I didn’t like it. There’s no cheating in this if you have concerns.
I also was not a fan of the drama and misunderstanding at the end. Oh I’m all for the angst sometimes but this felt very contrived and manufactured. It didn’t work.
Overall, with the exception of the two things, I’ve got lots of love for this book! 😍
October 19, 2017
I really freaking loved this. The only thing keeping it from being 5 stars was the cliched last quarter of the book.
Ok on thinking while trying to sleep, I can see this book not being for everyone. For one Tristan was wildly inappropriate as a boss. For another, there was the typically shrewish fiance, and I never, not even before Tristan seemed to have fallen for Dominic, figured out WHY Tristan was engaged to Maria. There seemed to be nothing between them, at all. They barely spent any time together, and everything Tristan said about her just made it seem like he was just going through the motions. I also didn't like how, near the end, Maria Just too typical. This was also very much a "gay for you" story. There was no mention of any previous attraction to men, or any bi-curiousity, which I would liked to have seen. No, this was totally a story of a guy suddenly falling for another guy, with absolutely no apparent angst on Tristan's part, which was a bit unrealistic. Might have been nice to get a bit of his POV there.
But other than those things, I definitely enjoyed this book a whole lot. I think I had a smile on my face the whole entire time that I was reading. Tristan was like two different people- the competent, serious CEO, and the happy go lucky puppy, who doesn't know how to take no for an answer(not in a bad way!) It was hard sometimes, putting those two together as one person, they were so wildly different. Dominic blew hot and cold, but he was only trying to protect himself. Tristan had never been with another man before, after all. I don't blame Dom for being wary. But Tristan was just so sweet and funny, and I loved the banter here. I'm giving this book 4 "hell yes" stars, even though it had some issues, because I enjoyed the hell out of the time I spent reading it. Enjoyed it enough that I read it all in one sitting, in spite of it being WAY past my bedtime! Loved it!
Ok on thinking while trying to sleep, I can see this book not being for everyone. For one Tristan was wildly inappropriate as a boss. For another, there was the typically shrewish fiance, and I never, not even before Tristan seemed to have fallen for Dominic, figured out WHY Tristan was engaged to Maria. There seemed to be nothing between them, at all. They barely spent any time together, and everything Tristan said about her just made it seem like he was just going through the motions. I also didn't like how, near the end, Maria Just too typical. This was also very much a "gay for you" story. There was no mention of any previous attraction to men, or any bi-curiousity, which I would liked to have seen. No, this was totally a story of a guy suddenly falling for another guy, with absolutely no apparent angst on Tristan's part, which was a bit unrealistic. Might have been nice to get a bit of his POV there.
But other than those things, I definitely enjoyed this book a whole lot. I think I had a smile on my face the whole entire time that I was reading. Tristan was like two different people- the competent, serious CEO, and the happy go lucky puppy, who doesn't know how to take no for an answer(not in a bad way!) It was hard sometimes, putting those two together as one person, they were so wildly different. Dominic blew hot and cold, but he was only trying to protect himself. Tristan had never been with another man before, after all. I don't blame Dom for being wary. But Tristan was just so sweet and funny, and I loved the banter here. I'm giving this book 4 "hell yes" stars, even though it had some issues, because I enjoyed the hell out of the time I spent reading it. Enjoyed it enough that I read it all in one sitting, in spite of it being WAY past my bedtime! Loved it!
September 27, 2017
A Temporary Situation by H.L. Day is a book that I was attracted to simply by its cover. I have not read anything by this author before, so I really don't have anything to base a comparison. When I read the blurb and noticed it was going to be an office romance between CEO and personal assistant, I cringed a little - because, I feel like this setup has been done so much lately. Still, I went into this story with an open mind and ready to meet some new characters.
I will say this book was entertaining. Even if I wanted to reach into the book and strangle one of the MC, Tristan. I have not had a character that rubbed me the wrong way as quickly as Tristan did, in quite some time. Tristan is the head of a large company. The author alludes to its wealth and notoriety, not to mention Tristan and every other major person in the company have personal assistants. However, Tristan acts like a besotted teenager throughout most of the book instead of a university educated corporate bigshot. His behavior was such a turn off for me that I almost walked away from the book. Then the other MC Dominic is so stuck on something from the past that he gets in his own way of happiness.
The other characters in the book range from a busybody mailroom clerk, a pushover manager, and family members that are too good to be true. Then there is Maria. Tristan's fiance throughout most of the book. Yes, he is engaged and *cough* "straight" for a large part of the book. Maria, she is a bit unstable and acts very outrageous. Between her behavior and Tristan's personality, it would have been a toss-up as to which was the bigger drama queen in their relationship.
Despite all of this, the author does get our characters to an HFN ending and the story did keep me entertained. The chemistry between the two MC was not off the charts but they did have some fun, especially with Tristan being new to man-on-man lovin' -- he takes to it with his typical "man in charge" attitude and has no hangups about exploring another man.
Overall, 3 Stars - a light read with characters who drive you a little crazy!
I will say this book was entertaining. Even if I wanted to reach into the book and strangle one of the MC, Tristan. I have not had a character that rubbed me the wrong way as quickly as Tristan did, in quite some time. Tristan is the head of a large company. The author alludes to its wealth and notoriety, not to mention Tristan and every other major person in the company have personal assistants. However, Tristan acts like a besotted teenager throughout most of the book instead of a university educated corporate bigshot. His behavior was such a turn off for me that I almost walked away from the book. Then the other MC Dominic is so stuck on something from the past that he gets in his own way of happiness.
The other characters in the book range from a busybody mailroom clerk, a pushover manager, and family members that are too good to be true. Then there is Maria. Tristan's fiance throughout most of the book. Yes, he is engaged and *cough* "straight" for a large part of the book. Maria, she is a bit unstable and acts very outrageous. Between her behavior and Tristan's personality, it would have been a toss-up as to which was the bigger drama queen in their relationship.
Despite all of this, the author does get our characters to an HFN ending and the story did keep me entertained. The chemistry between the two MC was not off the charts but they did have some fun, especially with Tristan being new to man-on-man lovin' -- he takes to it with his typical "man in charge" attitude and has no hangups about exploring another man.
Overall, 3 Stars - a light read with characters who drive you a little crazy!
November 29, 2019
This didn't go quite as well for me as the second novel in this series. It was entertaining at times and I really enjoyed Tristan's character and thought he was a real sweetheart.
My main problem, though, was Dominic.
I didn't really like him. And where Paul's stubbornness and idiocy was, for the most part, understandable for so long until near the end, I never really understood Domonic's, and he felt more ridiculous to me.
So first he hates Tristan because of an article he read in which Tristan supposedly said bad things - never taking into account that magazines can totally lie about shit people say for their own ends - even though no one else seemed to hate him and Dominic didn't take a clue from that. Even his PA who Dominic has to temporarily replace only says glowing things about Tristan.
And sure, Dominic could be weary at first, but outright hate? And without asking Tristan himself right when he meets him to get clarification? Annoying and stupid and it made him "hate" Tristan for far longer than he needed to and treat Tristan like shit for no goddamn reason for weeks.
This wasn't like with Paul, who while he wasn't nice to Indy as well, had an understandable reason at first. A completely human reason and reaction.
Dominic? Not so much. At least not for that amount of hate. And then part of it being that he's actually very attracted to Tristan and can't have him and so he makes up a reason to hate him is something Dominic vehemently denies all the time and it gets tiring.
Then he pushes Tristan away at every turn and that got annoying AF. Admittedly, Tristan's dogged persistence at first was a little much and got to be too much at times, so Tristan wasn't perfect either. He pushed at times he should have backed off. But then we also go Dominic's POV and knew he was attracted to him and was just being a twat about it all. Once he knew Tristan wasn't engaged anymore, I mean. Even though soon after that they have sex, Dominic was clearly in the denial stage.
He pushed Tristan away so much and denied so much that I had a hard time understanding where any "feelings" were coming from beyond some surface level attraction. The sex scenes left a little more to be desired as well, unlike with book 2, which made it even more difficult to get Dominic's feelings for Tristan to come across for me.
Which is so weird because we didn't even get Tristan's POV and I felt his feelings for Dominic way more than Dominic's for him.
And then what that stupid AF "misunderstanding" i.e. Dominic making choices for others, in this case Tristan, and not seeing anything wrong with it and not even talking about it with Tristan before breaking it off, not even hearing Tristan's side, you know, the man Dominic seemed to already know what he wanted, like he was somehow inside his head and able to read his thoughts and desires without even talking to him about it, and after a talk with Tristan's ex who was clearly a grade A asshole? Like Dominic came off as stupid, idiotic, and a major asshole.
And then he has the audacity when Tristan points out this flaw of his to be like "That's harsh, I don't think that's true" and I'm sitting there like BITCH! You have not even talked to Tristan about what your problem is! He asked for one reason why you were dumping him and you didn't even give it! Then you proceeded to avoid him and his messages! You acknowledged he was right in saying he didn't deserve to be treated like that, and yet you still persisted in breaking up and not talking to him, NOT ONCE.
When Tristan tried, Dominic was just all "it's for the best" bullshit, mind already made up about how someone else should feel, even though he doesn't get to say how other's feel.
And then when they finally talk and get it sorted out, Dominic faces like no consequences. Tristan is a little hurt and he gets exasperated with him, and he gets one comment from Tristan's mom as well, and that is basically it. When Dominic admits to loving Tristan, Tristan is just overjoyed and happy again.
No talking about how Dominic's behavior could hurt them in the future if he didn't learn from his mistakes, if he didn't try to grow and do better, nothing. Like oh okay so Dominic is just cured of not talking about shit - even though he makes a promise to Tristan's mom (and not Tristan himself) to talk to Tristan about things, which I didn't buy - and making decisions for other people without their consent and avoiding people like crazy - something else Dominic does - and he and Tristan can just live HEA? Nuh uh, not buying it.
In the end, even with some enjoyable parts - Dominic wasn't always unbearable, I swear - and overall a cute Tristan who was the sweetest guy, I couldn't get pasts Dominic's bullshit. It wasn't like with Paul at all. Who yeah, was an idiot near the end before he pulled his head out of his ass, but when he did he was perfectly loving toward Indy as he should have been and all in. Also, if I remember correctly, he apologized for his behavior. Dominic didn't - he did to Tristan's fucking mother but not Tristan himself as far as the text tells us.
Also, he still felt standoffish with Tristan even after they sorted things out, and I just didn't like him, overall. He was an asshole, plain and simple. And I wondered why Tristan even fell in love with him in parts. Like what was so appealing about him? Idk, and it was from his damn POV.
I just...I'm glad I read the other book first, or else I wouldn't have read more of this series or this author, I like well enough.
This one was just, overall, a miss for me because of the main character. Could have been written SO much better. Even with these faults I talked about, just him apologizing, trying to do better, and being a little softer and more vulnerable with Tristan would have gone a long way with him.
Better luck next time, I suppose.
My main problem, though, was Dominic.
I didn't really like him. And where Paul's stubbornness and idiocy was, for the most part, understandable for so long until near the end, I never really understood Domonic's, and he felt more ridiculous to me.
So first he hates Tristan because of an article he read in which Tristan supposedly said bad things - never taking into account that magazines can totally lie about shit people say for their own ends - even though no one else seemed to hate him and Dominic didn't take a clue from that. Even his PA who Dominic has to temporarily replace only says glowing things about Tristan.
And sure, Dominic could be weary at first, but outright hate? And without asking Tristan himself right when he meets him to get clarification? Annoying and stupid and it made him "hate" Tristan for far longer than he needed to and treat Tristan like shit for no goddamn reason for weeks.
This wasn't like with Paul, who while he wasn't nice to Indy as well, had an understandable reason at first. A completely human reason and reaction.
Dominic? Not so much. At least not for that amount of hate. And then part of it being that he's actually very attracted to Tristan and can't have him and so he makes up a reason to hate him is something Dominic vehemently denies all the time and it gets tiring.
Then he pushes Tristan away at every turn and that got annoying AF. Admittedly, Tristan's dogged persistence at first was a little much and got to be too much at times, so Tristan wasn't perfect either. He pushed at times he should have backed off. But then we also go Dominic's POV and knew he was attracted to him and was just being a twat about it all. Once he knew Tristan wasn't engaged anymore, I mean. Even though soon after that they have sex, Dominic was clearly in the denial stage.
He pushed Tristan away so much and denied so much that I had a hard time understanding where any "feelings" were coming from beyond some surface level attraction. The sex scenes left a little more to be desired as well, unlike with book 2, which made it even more difficult to get Dominic's feelings for Tristan to come across for me.
Which is so weird because we didn't even get Tristan's POV and I felt his feelings for Dominic way more than Dominic's for him.
And then what that stupid AF "misunderstanding" i.e. Dominic making choices for others, in this case Tristan, and not seeing anything wrong with it and not even talking about it with Tristan before breaking it off, not even hearing Tristan's side, you know, the man Dominic seemed to already know what he wanted, like he was somehow inside his head and able to read his thoughts and desires without even talking to him about it, and after a talk with Tristan's ex who was clearly a grade A asshole? Like Dominic came off as stupid, idiotic, and a major asshole.
And then he has the audacity when Tristan points out this flaw of his to be like "That's harsh, I don't think that's true" and I'm sitting there like BITCH! You have not even talked to Tristan about what your problem is! He asked for one reason why you were dumping him and you didn't even give it! Then you proceeded to avoid him and his messages! You acknowledged he was right in saying he didn't deserve to be treated like that, and yet you still persisted in breaking up and not talking to him, NOT ONCE.
When Tristan tried, Dominic was just all "it's for the best" bullshit, mind already made up about how someone else should feel, even though he doesn't get to say how other's feel.
And then when they finally talk and get it sorted out, Dominic faces like no consequences. Tristan is a little hurt and he gets exasperated with him, and he gets one comment from Tristan's mom as well, and that is basically it. When Dominic admits to loving Tristan, Tristan is just overjoyed and happy again.
No talking about how Dominic's behavior could hurt them in the future if he didn't learn from his mistakes, if he didn't try to grow and do better, nothing. Like oh okay so Dominic is just cured of not talking about shit - even though he makes a promise to Tristan's mom (and not Tristan himself) to talk to Tristan about things, which I didn't buy - and making decisions for other people without their consent and avoiding people like crazy - something else Dominic does - and he and Tristan can just live HEA? Nuh uh, not buying it.
In the end, even with some enjoyable parts - Dominic wasn't always unbearable, I swear - and overall a cute Tristan who was the sweetest guy, I couldn't get pasts Dominic's bullshit. It wasn't like with Paul at all. Who yeah, was an idiot near the end before he pulled his head out of his ass, but when he did he was perfectly loving toward Indy as he should have been and all in. Also, if I remember correctly, he apologized for his behavior. Dominic didn't - he did to Tristan's fucking mother but not Tristan himself as far as the text tells us.
Also, he still felt standoffish with Tristan even after they sorted things out, and I just didn't like him, overall. He was an asshole, plain and simple. And I wondered why Tristan even fell in love with him in parts. Like what was so appealing about him? Idk, and it was from his damn POV.
I just...I'm glad I read the other book first, or else I wouldn't have read more of this series or this author, I like well enough.
This one was just, overall, a miss for me because of the main character. Could have been written SO much better. Even with these faults I talked about, just him apologizing, trying to do better, and being a little softer and more vulnerable with Tristan would have gone a long way with him.
Better luck next time, I suppose.
February 11, 2021
Dnf @ 78%. This book was too long and didn’t really have a story to tell. It just went on and on and was really repetitive but I can’t for the life of me tell you what the overall story was about.
March 9, 2020
Update 9/3/2020
Reread it and my initial opinion stands. Amazing banter makes this unrealistic plot very enjoyable. Dominic should have to grovel a bit in the end though and not let Tristan do all the work :(
4.5 stars
A really sweet, humorous, witty story that might be a little farfetched, but is also very entertaining. I liked it very much and read it pretty fast considering my hectic schedule last week, but I had to see Dominic giving up on his insecurities and Tristan happy at last :) There were a couple of things that irritated me, one of which was that Tristan did all the chasing and courting, while Dominic stood back like a heroine playing hard to get; I wanted him to go after Tristan for once, it would make their relationship more evenly balanced. Also, some insight into Tristan's head as to why he fell in love with Dominic would be great.
But anyway, minor irritations aside, it was fun and fast paced and highly enjoyable (if you don't care much for sexy times, of which there were only a few). I'd certainly like to read more from this author.
Reread it and my initial opinion stands. Amazing banter makes this unrealistic plot very enjoyable. Dominic should have to grovel a bit in the end though and not let Tristan do all the work :(
4.5 stars
A really sweet, humorous, witty story that might be a little farfetched, but is also very entertaining. I liked it very much and read it pretty fast considering my hectic schedule last week, but I had to see Dominic giving up on his insecurities and Tristan happy at last :) There were a couple of things that irritated me, one of which was that Tristan did all the chasing and courting, while Dominic stood back like a heroine playing hard to get; I wanted him to go after Tristan for once, it would make their relationship more evenly balanced. Also, some insight into Tristan's head as to why he fell in love with Dominic would be great.
But anyway, minor irritations aside, it was fun and fast paced and highly enjoyable (if you don't care much for sexy times, of which there were only a few). I'd certainly like to read more from this author.
November 11, 2023
Tropes: grumpy/sunshine, boss/employee, bi-awakening
Feels: 4/5
Steam*: 4/5
Kinks: n/a
Angst: low
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: severe allergic reaction
Nov. 8, 2023 - reread this today. I think this might have been the third time that I read the book. I wasn't writing reviews back when I read it before so I'm reviewing it now. It's a keeper to me!
Dominic is about 26, he's gay, he's a PA at Tristan's company (I think Tristan is late 20s?). He doesn't think highly of Tristan because he read an interview where Tristan allegedly insults his employees. When Tristan's PA is hospitalized, Dominic is assigned to take over until Kevin can come back to work. Tristan is not what Dominic expected. He is a kind boss, very friendly. On a weekend work thing, Dominic thinks Tristan is hitting on him, he gets a little drunk and he kisses Tristan. Tristan is startled and surprised. But he's cool about it and explains that he's straight and engaged and there was a misunderstanding. Later on, Tristan sets Dominic up with another employee, Adam.
A few weeks go by. Kevin is not coming back to his old position. They've spent a lot of time together at work and Tristan wants to spend time as friends outside of work. He just really enjoys Dominic's company. Dominic goes on a couple dates with Adam, but he's not really interested in him. Especially when Adam hooks up with another guy in front of him at the work Christmas party. Tristan breaks up with his fiance. Tristan pounces on Dominic as soon as Dominic is single. He's realized he really likes Dominic and he doesn't care that he's not as straight as he thought he was. Tristan and Dominic start up a secret relationship, and it's only secret because of Dominic's preferences.
Dominic is really hesitant and doubtful of Tristan. At first I really liked that because I love the grumpy black cat character and I love the more powerful guy having to do the chasing, and Tristan certainly had to chase here. But really Dominic is excessively distrustful, he had no reason to be as distrustful as he was. It was especially unnecessary of Dominic to make Tristan go public in newspapers about ending his engagement before he would believe that the relationship was over. That gave him a publicity lashing he didn't deserve. Tristan was a golden retriever of a man. So kind. Communicated directly and was affectionate openly. I almost wanted to ding the rating by a star because of Dominic's excessiveness, but I love Tristan so much and I really enjoyed the book so I have to give it all the stars.
There was a lot of humor in this book. Tristan is unintentionally hilarious. He chases Dominic as a friend platonically and then he doggedly chases him romantically once he realizes that his feelings are not platonic. He loves spending time with Dominic and he manipulates situations in such an innocent but funny way that has Dominic facepalming over his life. But Dominic also can't help but like the guy and be a caretaker for him. Handing over snacks to him to make him happy. Dominic was one step away from carrying a fanny pack with snacks for Tristan. Tristan screws up things along the way. His first attempt at sending flowers that he ordered himself gets misunderstood by the florist and Dominic ends up with a display of funeral flowers. He accidentally gives Dominic food he's allergic to and puts him in the hospital, where the nurse thinks Dominic needs to be protected from a crazy domestic partner. I just really enjoyed the flipped power dynamic between them, the parrying banter, the wry and slapstick humour, the simmering attraction.
Fyi, Dominic and Adam weren't having sex. Tristan and his fiance, well she was away a lot for her job and there were no on page references to their sex life, so it's kind of ambiguous about whether they were having sex after Dominic started being Tristan's PA and they were getting close. There definitely wasn't any cheating on anyone here besides that one kiss mishap.
Some notable moments:
"I pasted on a smile. “Oh, Mr. Maxwell is a great boss. He’s very fair—”And weird. Sandwich-tasting against your will may be part of your job description. “He’s always polite—”Far too pretty for his own good, and he knows it. “He’s not like some bosses. He’s happy to have lunch with you.” Feed him regularly, or he turns into a gremlin. You’ll need to regularly sacrifice some of your own food to keep him going. “As long as you show dedication to your job—”Never leave the office, or he’ll hunt you down and pout at you. “—then he’s great.""
The way Tristan pounced on Dominic immediately after Dominic was single "When my hand dropped back down, it curled around the back of his neck of its own volition. “This is a really bad idea.” Tristan simply stared. “Okay.” I echoed his response. “Okay. So you’re going to stop. You’re going to get off me and put all your clothes back on.” He shook his head slowly. “No. We can talk about it being a bad idea tomorrow.”"
Tristan is so scatterbrained but only around Dominic. Wtf were the scissors and glue for? "Only after he’d bustled around the apartment, gathering various items he thought I might need and placing them all in arm’s reach, had he finally left. I still hadn’t worked out what I was meant to do with the scissors and glue."
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
Feels: 4/5
Steam*: 4/5
Kinks: n/a
Angst: low
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: severe allergic reaction
Nov. 8, 2023 - reread this today. I think this might have been the third time that I read the book. I wasn't writing reviews back when I read it before so I'm reviewing it now. It's a keeper to me!
Dominic is about 26, he's gay, he's a PA at Tristan's company (I think Tristan is late 20s?). He doesn't think highly of Tristan because he read an interview where Tristan allegedly insults his employees. When Tristan's PA is hospitalized, Dominic is assigned to take over until Kevin can come back to work. Tristan is not what Dominic expected. He is a kind boss, very friendly. On a weekend work thing, Dominic thinks Tristan is hitting on him, he gets a little drunk and he kisses Tristan. Tristan is startled and surprised. But he's cool about it and explains that he's straight and engaged and there was a misunderstanding. Later on, Tristan sets Dominic up with another employee, Adam.
A few weeks go by. Kevin is not coming back to his old position. They've spent a lot of time together at work and Tristan wants to spend time as friends outside of work. He just really enjoys Dominic's company. Dominic goes on a couple dates with Adam, but he's not really interested in him. Especially when Adam hooks up with another guy in front of him at the work Christmas party. Tristan breaks up with his fiance. Tristan pounces on Dominic as soon as Dominic is single. He's realized he really likes Dominic and he doesn't care that he's not as straight as he thought he was. Tristan and Dominic start up a secret relationship, and it's only secret because of Dominic's preferences.
Dominic is really hesitant and doubtful of Tristan. At first I really liked that because I love the grumpy black cat character and I love the more powerful guy having to do the chasing, and Tristan certainly had to chase here. But really Dominic is excessively distrustful, he had no reason to be as distrustful as he was. It was especially unnecessary of Dominic to make Tristan go public in newspapers about ending his engagement before he would believe that the relationship was over. That gave him a publicity lashing he didn't deserve. Tristan was a golden retriever of a man. So kind. Communicated directly and was affectionate openly. I almost wanted to ding the rating by a star because of Dominic's excessiveness, but I love Tristan so much and I really enjoyed the book so I have to give it all the stars.
There was a lot of humor in this book. Tristan is unintentionally hilarious. He chases Dominic as a friend platonically and then he doggedly chases him romantically once he realizes that his feelings are not platonic. He loves spending time with Dominic and he manipulates situations in such an innocent but funny way that has Dominic facepalming over his life. But Dominic also can't help but like the guy and be a caretaker for him. Handing over snacks to him to make him happy. Dominic was one step away from carrying a fanny pack with snacks for Tristan. Tristan screws up things along the way. His first attempt at sending flowers that he ordered himself gets misunderstood by the florist and Dominic ends up with a display of funeral flowers. He accidentally gives Dominic food he's allergic to and puts him in the hospital, where the nurse thinks Dominic needs to be protected from a crazy domestic partner. I just really enjoyed the flipped power dynamic between them, the parrying banter, the wry and slapstick humour, the simmering attraction.
Fyi, Dominic and Adam weren't having sex. Tristan and his fiance, well she was away a lot for her job and there were no on page references to their sex life, so it's kind of ambiguous about whether they were having sex after Dominic started being Tristan's PA and they were getting close. There definitely wasn't any cheating on anyone here besides that one kiss mishap.
Some notable moments:
"I pasted on a smile. “Oh, Mr. Maxwell is a great boss. He’s very fair—”And weird. Sandwich-tasting against your will may be part of your job description. “He’s always polite—”Far too pretty for his own good, and he knows it. “He’s not like some bosses. He’s happy to have lunch with you.” Feed him regularly, or he turns into a gremlin. You’ll need to regularly sacrifice some of your own food to keep him going. “As long as you show dedication to your job—”Never leave the office, or he’ll hunt you down and pout at you. “—then he’s great.""
The way Tristan pounced on Dominic immediately after Dominic was single "When my hand dropped back down, it curled around the back of his neck of its own volition. “This is a really bad idea.” Tristan simply stared. “Okay.” I echoed his response. “Okay. So you’re going to stop. You’re going to get off me and put all your clothes back on.” He shook his head slowly. “No. We can talk about it being a bad idea tomorrow.”"
Tristan is so scatterbrained but only around Dominic. Wtf were the scissors and glue for? "Only after he’d bustled around the apartment, gathering various items he thought I might need and placing them all in arm’s reach, had he finally left. I still hadn’t worked out what I was meant to do with the scissors and glue."
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2019
I loved the writing and the humour. It just dragged a bit at the end but besides that it was super fun. I'm looking forward to Paul's story.
April 5, 2018
4-Stars to about 62% mark
2-Stars total, because I'm really fed up with the same old same old.
Really liked the book till around 62% then there was some drama needed and it drifted of into the usuall unrealistic mush.
I get it from a writing perspective, but one really could have come up with something more originall than the usuall 'lets not talk about it and therefore engage in some unnecessary drama'.
Also not mentioning something that could save your life is not 'annoying anyone, or bore people'. It would be when you tell your entire life story when no one asked, but mentioning a lifethreathening thing you've got is not!
2-Stars total, because I'm really fed up with the same old same old.
Really liked the book till around 62% then there was some drama needed and it drifted of into the usuall unrealistic mush.
I get it from a writing perspective, but one really could have come up with something more originall than the usuall 'lets not talk about it and therefore engage in some unnecessary drama'.
Also not mentioning something that could save your life is not 'annoying anyone, or bore people'. It would be when you tell your entire life story when no one asked, but mentioning a lifethreathening thing you've got is not!
September 19, 2018
Snarky fun
Oh, this was just a delight! I giggled so much while reading. It wasn’t quite enemies-to-lovers; more like one guy convinced he despises the other, who has done nothing wrong and is eagerly trying to woo him. There were so many funny and adorable moments. This will definitely be a reread down the road.
Oh, this was just a delight! I giggled so much while reading. It wasn’t quite enemies-to-lovers; more like one guy convinced he despises the other, who has done nothing wrong and is eagerly trying to woo him. There were so many funny and adorable moments. This will definitely be a reread down the road.
November 8, 2017
Writing this story as a rom-com, freshened the rather often-used trope of the CEO and the PA. The dialogue had an abundance of acerbic, witty exchanges of banter, with several well rounded characters, apart from the cliched, hateful fiancée. Dominic had friends and family adding depth and humor to the narrative and the lack of any homophobia in Tristan’s family was a pleasant surprise. However, I wish that Dominic’s and Tristan’s characterization were crafted differently.
The first person POV was presented well, but the narrative coming entirely from Dominic, was a drawback in my view. As CEO of a very large firm, many of Tristan’s actions were just not in line with someone capable of that level of responsibility. He also exhibited a marked lack of ability to communicate when it came to Dominic. Of course, Dominic’s personality was created as far too obtuse, stubborn and judgmental. Dominic’s intense dislike of Tristan, as the story begins, had a very flimsy basis, and is carried to absurd extremes. His continued refusal to stay on as PA and lack of belief in Tristan became irritating rather than amusing, consuming far too much of the narrative. Nevertheless, it entertained, largely because of the dialogue, which was sharp and snarky and did amuse me. Perhaps I’m demanding excessive realism for a storyline that’s meant to be lighthearted and romantic. I’m sure other readers will be less critical and simply enjoy the atmosphere and very happy ending in the epilogue.
*An ARC was provided by the author or publisher at no charge and I have chosen to publish a fair and honest review on Hearts On Fire Reviews blog*
The first person POV was presented well, but the narrative coming entirely from Dominic, was a drawback in my view. As CEO of a very large firm, many of Tristan’s actions were just not in line with someone capable of that level of responsibility. He also exhibited a marked lack of ability to communicate when it came to Dominic. Of course, Dominic’s personality was created as far too obtuse, stubborn and judgmental. Dominic’s intense dislike of Tristan, as the story begins, had a very flimsy basis, and is carried to absurd extremes. His continued refusal to stay on as PA and lack of belief in Tristan became irritating rather than amusing, consuming far too much of the narrative. Nevertheless, it entertained, largely because of the dialogue, which was sharp and snarky and did amuse me. Perhaps I’m demanding excessive realism for a storyline that’s meant to be lighthearted and romantic. I’m sure other readers will be less critical and simply enjoy the atmosphere and very happy ending in the epilogue.
*An ARC was provided by the author or publisher at no charge and I have chosen to publish a fair and honest review on Hearts On Fire Reviews blog*
September 24, 2017
This book is, in a single word, adorable.
Happy-sigh, eyes close in pleasant remembrance, a-d-o-r-a-b-l-e. The main character is adorable. The love interest is adorable. The best friend is adorable. The families are adorable. It's almost four in the morning and I'm legitimately considering sending my best friends a text demanding they read this book. That kind of adorable.
It's cute, funny, and admittedly a fairly by-the-numbers workplace romance but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It does it exceedingly well and shines because of the interactions and personalities at play. I want more. I want to know what's up with the tattooed bartender. I want to know if Matthew's happy at his new job. I want to know if he ever has to babysit a lizard. Heck, I'm here if the author wants to give Miguel a book, too.
tldr; if you want a satisfying office romance that hits all the right spots and makes you smile, this is it.
Happy-sigh, eyes close in pleasant remembrance, a-d-o-r-a-b-l-e. The main character is adorable. The love interest is adorable. The best friend is adorable. The families are adorable. It's almost four in the morning and I'm legitimately considering sending my best friends a text demanding they read this book. That kind of adorable.
It's cute, funny, and admittedly a fairly by-the-numbers workplace romance but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It does it exceedingly well and shines because of the interactions and personalities at play. I want more. I want to know what's up with the tattooed bartender. I want to know if Matthew's happy at his new job. I want to know if he ever has to babysit a lizard. Heck, I'm here if the author wants to give Miguel a book, too.
tldr; if you want a satisfying office romance that hits all the right spots and makes you smile, this is it.
November 21, 2018
What a wonderful surprise! A full four humorous stars!!
Tristan was the CEO of an large corporation and his assistant just had a medical emergency so he needs a replacement. Enter Dominic, who is the very proficient personal assistance of another associate. Dominic is not too happy about working for Mr. Fucking Perfect, especially after deliberately not holding the elevator for him that very same morning.
Dominic is very adamant that this is only temporary. He will go back to his old job and not have to work for a man who in his opinion is a total jerk and talks badly about his employees. But it is obvious to Dominic from the beginning that Tristan is NOTHING like the man he thought he was. Even with all the attitude Dominic is throwing Tristan, Tristan remains sweet and caring. He is ditzy (but no one else sees that), oblivious (most of the time on purpose) and so much like a little boy sometimes its hilarious. He is also very caring and when he knows what he wants, determined.
Dominic is snarky and very uneasy about his attraction to Tristan. It is a great ride to see these two come to terms (well mostly Dominic) with their attraction. Its funny, caring, a little bit dramatic (again, Dominic) and fresh. It is told entirely from Dominic's point of view but it works. I didn't miss anything by not having Tristan's POV. He is very vocal :-)
Highly recommended!
Tristan was the CEO of an large corporation and his assistant just had a medical emergency so he needs a replacement. Enter Dominic, who is the very proficient personal assistance of another associate. Dominic is not too happy about working for Mr. Fucking Perfect, especially after deliberately not holding the elevator for him that very same morning.
Dominic is very adamant that this is only temporary. He will go back to his old job and not have to work for a man who in his opinion is a total jerk and talks badly about his employees. But it is obvious to Dominic from the beginning that Tristan is NOTHING like the man he thought he was. Even with all the attitude Dominic is throwing Tristan, Tristan remains sweet and caring. He is ditzy (but no one else sees that), oblivious (most of the time on purpose) and so much like a little boy sometimes its hilarious. He is also very caring and when he knows what he wants, determined.
Dominic is snarky and very uneasy about his attraction to Tristan. It is a great ride to see these two come to terms (well mostly Dominic) with their attraction. Its funny, caring, a little bit dramatic (again, Dominic) and fresh. It is told entirely from Dominic's point of view but it works. I didn't miss anything by not having Tristan's POV. He is very vocal :-)
Highly recommended!
June 9, 2023
When I first started this I was only going to give it four stars...but oh boy Tristan just won me over big time.....This author is new to me and I can't even remember how I came across this book but I'm so glad I did....This is a really funny book....Tristan is just amazing....To say he's a CEO of his own company but how he acts he's almost childlike....or like Dom calls him a puppy....He's always eating...has no qualms about being with a man even though he's engaged to a woman at the start...He's afraid of spiders and lets Dom know......He doesn't let Dom down...In fact it's Dom and Tristan's ex who do the letting down...although his ex was just being petty...I love these two....There isn't too many sex scenes just lots of banter between them...It really is an amazing book and just a pity it's not available in paperback..Will definitely look up more from this author x
January 2, 2018
If you go into this one expecting any kind of reality, you won't like it. Tristan is just too perfect and falls for Dominic so fast having never been attracted to a guy before...and he doesn't freak out about it at all. Way too easy. Plus, who would buy Tristan as the head of a convenience store let alone a huge company. No way. Dominic, on the other hand, was a bit more realistic. I'd say this is a cute story if you can suspend reality for a bit.
February 13, 2018
~ 3.5 Stars ~
Mostly I am one of those readers who is all about tension, mystery, angst and drama. Give me a protagonist with a bucket load of issues to overcome, and I am all over it. But every once in a while, I need a break and go looking for something that provides a tad bit of angst, but generally just gives me that feel good vibe and keeps me with a smile on my face. A Temporary Situation, overall, fit that need quite well. Workplace romance is nothing really new, so I was a little apprehensive about how this one would be approached and executed. I was happily surprised to find that H.L. Day changed things up. Sure, it’s a CEO and personal assistant, but where the change happened was the personalities.
Tristan, CEO of a huge engineering company, stoic businessman in the board room, and “Mr. F***ing Perfect”, as Dominic calls him, was an unexpected treat, and I ate him up. He took the stereotypes and pretty much blew them up, and it was a nice—if somewhat unbelievable—change. He is referred to as a puppy at some point, and that is an accurate assessment. Which also is what throws Dom completely off his game. Being assigned as the PA to the top-dog of the company he works for is not what he wants, since he has pre-conceived notions on the type of person Tristan is when they first meet. When Tristan doesn’t follow Dom’s ideas, he believes he is being played, and I would have too, because seriously Tristan is that unbelievable. He is like the unicorn of corporate big-wigs. His phobias, his love and focus on all things food related, his babbling and run-on commentary are in direct contrast to what one would expect of someone in his position. And his character kept the dourer Dominic on his toes. I loved Tristan’s character, but I can see how some people may find him a little OTT. I think he is one of those characters that readers will love or hate. Me? I happen to be the former.
The story is told from Dominic’s POV, and his internal dialogue was humorous as he tried to figure out his crazy boss and deal with each new nugget of information thrown his way. Sarcastic and witty Dom was a nice balance, keeping it from being too much, creating an equilibrium with Tristan’s more excitable character.
Though I mostly enjoyed the story, I did struggle with a few things that evolved around Dom. It brought my overall enjoyment down a bit. There were a few personality traits that just rubbed me the wrong way with him, his lack of caring or listening to Tristan once he made his mind up being the biggie, but there were also some other situations, giving him a self-absorbed quality I wasn’t really happy with. In this case, those particular traits were the main source of drama in their relationship. And while I acknowledge he was a better choice from a narration standpoint, because Tristan’s perspective may have been too much, there were times I was extremely frustrated with Dom. Characters aren’t perfect and it’s nothing new to have a character’s personality be a driving catalyst for the angst in a relationship. However, generally when this happens, I prefer to see maturity and growth in that character or, at the very minimum, they recognize the behavior and make an effort to change it. There is an epilogue, but it didn’t give me enough insight as to whether anything really changed there.
Mostly this was a sweet romance, though, following two strangers from the point of meeting, and watching them grow into friends and then more. Though for Dom the initial attraction physically was there, it was far from an insta-lust/love. There are some sexy times together, but it is not immediate, and the reader has to wait as they get to know each other and their attraction grows. When it finally happens it is cute, but I wouldn’t say it burned up the pages. Rather, it was more realistic and really followed with the characters’ personalities, which I actually liked. Sex doesn’t always have to set flame to the pages; sometimes it’s nice to see something lighter and fun.
I would classify this as leaning on the sugary sweet side, and a great way to pass the time if you are someone just looking for that feel-good book. So get ready for a sweet tooth fix. For those who love adorably cute and light romances with quirky characters, this one is probably right up your ally.
Reviewed by Lindsey for The Novel Approach
Mostly I am one of those readers who is all about tension, mystery, angst and drama. Give me a protagonist with a bucket load of issues to overcome, and I am all over it. But every once in a while, I need a break and go looking for something that provides a tad bit of angst, but generally just gives me that feel good vibe and keeps me with a smile on my face. A Temporary Situation, overall, fit that need quite well. Workplace romance is nothing really new, so I was a little apprehensive about how this one would be approached and executed. I was happily surprised to find that H.L. Day changed things up. Sure, it’s a CEO and personal assistant, but where the change happened was the personalities.
Tristan, CEO of a huge engineering company, stoic businessman in the board room, and “Mr. F***ing Perfect”, as Dominic calls him, was an unexpected treat, and I ate him up. He took the stereotypes and pretty much blew them up, and it was a nice—if somewhat unbelievable—change. He is referred to as a puppy at some point, and that is an accurate assessment. Which also is what throws Dom completely off his game. Being assigned as the PA to the top-dog of the company he works for is not what he wants, since he has pre-conceived notions on the type of person Tristan is when they first meet. When Tristan doesn’t follow Dom’s ideas, he believes he is being played, and I would have too, because seriously Tristan is that unbelievable. He is like the unicorn of corporate big-wigs. His phobias, his love and focus on all things food related, his babbling and run-on commentary are in direct contrast to what one would expect of someone in his position. And his character kept the dourer Dominic on his toes. I loved Tristan’s character, but I can see how some people may find him a little OTT. I think he is one of those characters that readers will love or hate. Me? I happen to be the former.
The story is told from Dominic’s POV, and his internal dialogue was humorous as he tried to figure out his crazy boss and deal with each new nugget of information thrown his way. Sarcastic and witty Dom was a nice balance, keeping it from being too much, creating an equilibrium with Tristan’s more excitable character.
Though I mostly enjoyed the story, I did struggle with a few things that evolved around Dom. It brought my overall enjoyment down a bit. There were a few personality traits that just rubbed me the wrong way with him, his lack of caring or listening to Tristan once he made his mind up being the biggie, but there were also some other situations, giving him a self-absorbed quality I wasn’t really happy with. In this case, those particular traits were the main source of drama in their relationship. And while I acknowledge he was a better choice from a narration standpoint, because Tristan’s perspective may have been too much, there were times I was extremely frustrated with Dom. Characters aren’t perfect and it’s nothing new to have a character’s personality be a driving catalyst for the angst in a relationship. However, generally when this happens, I prefer to see maturity and growth in that character or, at the very minimum, they recognize the behavior and make an effort to change it. There is an epilogue, but it didn’t give me enough insight as to whether anything really changed there.
Mostly this was a sweet romance, though, following two strangers from the point of meeting, and watching them grow into friends and then more. Though for Dom the initial attraction physically was there, it was far from an insta-lust/love. There are some sexy times together, but it is not immediate, and the reader has to wait as they get to know each other and their attraction grows. When it finally happens it is cute, but I wouldn’t say it burned up the pages. Rather, it was more realistic and really followed with the characters’ personalities, which I actually liked. Sex doesn’t always have to set flame to the pages; sometimes it’s nice to see something lighter and fun.
I would classify this as leaning on the sugary sweet side, and a great way to pass the time if you are someone just looking for that feel-good book. So get ready for a sweet tooth fix. For those who love adorably cute and light romances with quirky characters, this one is probably right up your ally.
Reviewed by Lindsey for The Novel Approach
January 21, 2020
It was cute but a little unrealistic.
November 16, 2018
*´¨✫)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨)✯ ¸.•*¨)
✮ (¸.•´✶4 laugh worthy, enjoyable, why did it have to end stars.
I don't know the last time I have laughed so much while reading. This was the rom-com of the year for me. Highly entertaining, grossly soothing and effectively made my Sunday a bit brighter. I wrote this in September 2017 [funny enough, it was a Sunday reread] and I have no idea how it happened, but I missed this review and never posted it. When I got an opportunity to read the next book in the series, a Christmas special called A Christmas Situation, I immediately realised my mistake. I am glad I got the opportunity to reread this book. The original had a time line that changed in the second edition and I now understand why the author did so.
Tristan was a pleasure to meet and his character grew so much in this story, I wished I had him as a friend. He did not let the fact that he was attracted to Dominic deter him from pursuing a relationship with him. "For a recently straight man, intimacy with another guy didn't seem to be an issue." He did everything with decency and order. When he realised that Dom was worming into his heart, he stepped out of the relationship that he was going through the motions with to be with him. Yes, people may not like creepy Tristan, and hate the fact that he "stalked" Dom, but here was a man who for the first time was feeling things he had never felt before. I congratulate him for having the balls to go after what he wanted.
The fact that Dom went from hate to acceptance was another matter; but Tristan was too lovable. Dom was a PA who really did not like the company's CEO and he was not afraid to show it. I could not get over that first meeting and the elevator scene. This was a man who didn't seem afraid to anything. Stupid, maybe, but it made Tristan respect him. Theirs was a romance I would pay to see on the big screen. I laughed till I cried. I sat on pins and needles and I cheered so loudly my son is still giving me the weird side eye.
So many complications! A fiancée who won't stay gone, a boss who sent funeral flowers, arachnophobia and anaphylaxis of epic proportion. And laughter, oh so much laughter.
I am definitely recommending this book and adding it to my top ten of the year...ok, top fifteen so far.
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author through LesCourt as a second read.
¸.•´¸.•*´¨)✯ ¸.•*¨)
✮ (¸.•´✶4 laugh worthy, enjoyable, why did it have to end stars.
I don't know the last time I have laughed so much while reading. This was the rom-com of the year for me. Highly entertaining, grossly soothing and effectively made my Sunday a bit brighter. I wrote this in September 2017 [funny enough, it was a Sunday reread] and I have no idea how it happened, but I missed this review and never posted it. When I got an opportunity to read the next book in the series, a Christmas special called A Christmas Situation, I immediately realised my mistake. I am glad I got the opportunity to reread this book. The original had a time line that changed in the second edition and I now understand why the author did so.
Tristan was a pleasure to meet and his character grew so much in this story, I wished I had him as a friend. He did not let the fact that he was attracted to Dominic deter him from pursuing a relationship with him. "For a recently straight man, intimacy with another guy didn't seem to be an issue." He did everything with decency and order. When he realised that Dom was worming into his heart, he stepped out of the relationship that he was going through the motions with to be with him. Yes, people may not like creepy Tristan, and hate the fact that he "stalked" Dom, but here was a man who for the first time was feeling things he had never felt before. I congratulate him for having the balls to go after what he wanted.
The fact that Dom went from hate to acceptance was another matter; but Tristan was too lovable. Dom was a PA who really did not like the company's CEO and he was not afraid to show it. I could not get over that first meeting and the elevator scene. This was a man who didn't seem afraid to anything. Stupid, maybe, but it made Tristan respect him. Theirs was a romance I would pay to see on the big screen. I laughed till I cried. I sat on pins and needles and I cheered so loudly my son is still giving me the weird side eye.
So many complications! A fiancée who won't stay gone, a boss who sent funeral flowers, arachnophobia and anaphylaxis of epic proportion. And laughter, oh so much laughter.
I am definitely recommending this book and adding it to my top ten of the year...ok, top fifteen so far.
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author through LesCourt as a second read.
September 25, 2017
The romcom of my dream! So sweet and fluffy and adorable. Tristan was like the bestest man ever <3 And I loved Dominic for his snark. The romance was very focused, no pests (except for the fiancee, I guess) bothering them. And I was very happy that Tristan didn't angsted over his sexual orientation and/or what to label himself with.
My only complaint was only about the drama near the end of the story. I wanted to slap some sense into Dominic because he's such an insecure drama queen.
If you like to read well-written Harlequin-y MM, then you must read this story.
My only complaint was only about the drama near the end of the story. I wanted to slap some sense into Dominic because he's such an insecure drama queen.
If you like to read well-written Harlequin-y MM, then you must read this story.
July 11, 2023
October 2019
Tristan is bloody annoying. And I can't believe he is a CEO. He is a sexual harrassment case waiting to happen. Can't take no for an answer. Extremely childish character.
July 2023
I had forgotten I read this before. So I reread the story. My sentiments remained the same. And Dominic? He is an ass. Both are really unlikeable, annoying characters.
Tristan is bloody annoying. And I can't believe he is a CEO. He is a sexual harrassment case waiting to happen. Can't take no for an answer. Extremely childish character.
July 2023
I had forgotten I read this before. So I reread the story. My sentiments remained the same. And Dominic? He is an ass. Both are really unlikeable, annoying characters.
April 19, 2020
Damn - really didn’t work for me. Tristan was extremely childish and overly pushy with forcing a relationship. - unpopular opinion possibly
And the idea of one mc not wanting ‘to bother with silly details’ like a severe allergy just irritated me. You own an epipen - surely that’s not a silly detail to share with your boyfriend.
I wish this had worked for me.
And the idea of one mc not wanting ‘to bother with silly details’ like a severe allergy just irritated me. You own an epipen - surely that’s not a silly detail to share with your boyfriend.
I wish this had worked for me.
September 22, 2017
4.5
Review soon at BMBR.
A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.
Review soon at BMBR.
A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2018
I really wanted to like this but it got so boring That I could barely continue past 40%
May 30, 2023
the MC of this book made me lose brain cells. but I liked Tristan.
June 11, 2022
3-
Miała być czwóreczka, bo choć nie byłam jakąś wielką fanką Dominica, to w sumie dobrze mi się czytało, było nawet momentami zabawnie, nie przeszkadzał mi jeden POV. Tristan był dziwny... ale dobrze i śmiesznie dziwny - inny od tych wszystkich szefów wielkich i wpływowych firm, którzy zazwyczaj są nam serwowani w książkach. Dodatkowo, pomimo iż była to relacja osobisty asystent/szef i sporo działo się w firmie, to było mało nudnych szczegółów dotyczących pracy jako takiej. Nie było praktycznie żadnego wspominania przeszłości czy zagłębiania się w psychikę bohaterów, ale to też było okej - bo to nie tego typu książka miała być. Miało być lekko, łatwo i przyjemnie - i tak też było - do około 80-85% tekstu... Bo wtedy nastąpiła zupełnie niepotrzebna drama i mój "ulubiony" sposób ... I te ostatnie rozdziały były już tak okropnie przewidywalne - niemalże z każdą akcją reakcją i dialogiem oraz chęcią walenia jednego z bohaterów raz za razem w łeb, że skończyło się na trójeczce... Z minusem...
Miała być czwóreczka, bo choć nie byłam jakąś wielką fanką Dominica, to w sumie dobrze mi się czytało, było nawet momentami zabawnie, nie przeszkadzał mi jeden POV. Tristan był dziwny... ale dobrze i śmiesznie dziwny - inny od tych wszystkich szefów wielkich i wpływowych firm, którzy zazwyczaj są nam serwowani w książkach. Dodatkowo, pomimo iż była to relacja osobisty asystent/szef i sporo działo się w firmie, to było mało nudnych szczegółów dotyczących pracy jako takiej. Nie było praktycznie żadnego wspominania przeszłości czy zagłębiania się w psychikę bohaterów, ale to też było okej - bo to nie tego typu książka miała być. Miało być lekko, łatwo i przyjemnie - i tak też było - do około 80-85% tekstu... Bo wtedy nastąpiła zupełnie niepotrzebna drama i mój "ulubiony" sposób ... I te ostatnie rozdziały były już tak okropnie przewidywalne - niemalże z każdą akcją reakcją i dialogiem oraz chęcią walenia jednego z bohaterów raz za razem w łeb, że skończyło się na trójeczce... Z minusem...
November 26, 2018
This was a fun read, low angst and full of snarky comments from Dominic. I found it entertaining. Tristan was absolutely Mr. F Perfect, and he's too good to be true. This was a light fun read. But honestly, I didn't really like Dominic as much as I wanted to. I have no idea why did Tristan can put up with him. Not to mention, he's actually engaged with a woman before he realized he's in love with Dominic.
Not my favorite of this author, but this was enjoyable nonetheless.
So, you'll probably enjoying this one as well.
Not my favorite of this author, but this was enjoyable nonetheless.
So, you'll probably enjoying this one as well.
dnf
November 12, 2023DNF @ 60% I didn't really like either of the main characters, and there were enough minor annoyances with the book that I just wasn't feeling it overall, but my biggest gripe is that it seems to completely ignore one of the biggest issues with a boss/PA relationship: the power imbalance. I felt like it should have been a huge factor in Tristan overstepping his boundaries and a big risk for them, but (as far as I read) it just wasn't adressed. If it was at least acknowledged and shown that the characters didn't care about it I might have let it pass, but to not acknowledge it at all just doesn't make sense to me.
October 14, 2017
Loved it!!
October 4, 2017
This was a great effort. Unfortunately, I never could warm up to Dominic or see what Tristan saw in him.
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