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The Barreras #1
Wanting Her
Vivian Barrera, a professional woman focused on her company's success, doesn't know what to think when her sometimes-lover and long-time business partner Jack hires someone without her permission. The only thing she does know is that she doesn't like the newcomer.
April Hawkins is determined to make her new job work. Left as the sole provider for her niece, she just wants to keep her head down and collect her paycheck. That proves to be difficult when one of her bosses seems to hate her and the other seems to like her a little too much. Unfortunately (or fortunately) the one she's attracted to seems bent on making her job as excruciatingly unpleasant as possible.
When Vivian and April's personalities collide, they find their passionate dislike has an unforeseen bonus—a scintillating, consuming chemistry in the bedroom.
62,700 words
April Hawkins is determined to make her new job work. Left as the sole provider for her niece, she just wants to keep her head down and collect her paycheck. That proves to be difficult when one of her bosses seems to hate her and the other seems to like her a little too much. Unfortunately (or fortunately) the one she's attracted to seems bent on making her job as excruciatingly unpleasant as possible.
When Vivian and April's personalities collide, they find their passionate dislike has an unforeseen bonus—a scintillating, consuming chemistry in the bedroom.
62,700 words
319 pages, ebook
First published April 10, 2019
364 people are currently reading
762 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
May 15, 2019
Considering I had never read anything by this author and this book is self published I had lowered my expectations just in case. Turns out it wasn't needed! Also I'm fairly certain this was a SQ fan fic before it became this book. No wonder I like Vivian.
Normally I always have a clear favorite when it comes to the main characters but I can't really choose between these two. As problematic (!) as Vivian is, I have a weak spot for this weirdo and her strange donut eating habits. She also curses like a sailor in Spanish when ticked off which I can totally get behind. Not so long ago I stumped my little toe and rattled off a string of curses in several languages that surprisingly didn't make all my furniture start to float like something out of Hocus Pocus.
Though the relationship between April and Vivian is pretty straightforward the author kept inserting a certain secondary character into the mix which in the beginning of the story made sense but after a while just got repetitive and tiresome.
Speaking of relationship, the chemistry between April and Vivian is well written and their sex scenes are hot. In fact while reading one of them I had to go back a couple of pages to be sure I had really read what I did. But sure enough there it was: When is the last time you read that in lesfic? It was like discovering a unicorn all of a sudden!
Though it didn't knock my socks off, this was still a great way to kill a few hours babysitting a bunch of middle aged men while pretending to be working. 3,75* rating for this one.
Normally I always have a clear favorite when it comes to the main characters but I can't really choose between these two. As problematic (!) as Vivian is, I have a weak spot for this weirdo and her strange donut eating habits. She also curses like a sailor in Spanish when ticked off which I can totally get behind. Not so long ago I stumped my little toe and rattled off a string of curses in several languages that surprisingly didn't make all my furniture start to float like something out of Hocus Pocus.
Though the relationship between April and Vivian is pretty straightforward the author kept inserting a certain secondary character into the mix which in the beginning of the story made sense but after a while just got repetitive and tiresome.
Speaking of relationship, the chemistry between April and Vivian is well written and their sex scenes are hot. In fact while reading one of them I had to go back a couple of pages to be sure I had really read what I did. But sure enough there it was: When is the last time you read that in lesfic? It was like discovering a unicorn all of a sudden!
Though it didn't knock my socks off, this was still a great way to kill a few hours babysitting a bunch of middle aged men while pretending to be working. 3,75* rating for this one.
May 14, 2019
This is the first book I've read from this author and it won't be the last.
Wanting Her is the perfect mix of ice queen hot and cold, steamy sex and work place drama, plus a little sappiness at the end.
This is a feel good book, and it's in Kindle Unlimited. Highly recommended.
Wanting Her is the perfect mix of ice queen hot and cold, steamy sex and work place drama, plus a little sappiness at the end.
This is a feel good book, and it's in Kindle Unlimited. Highly recommended.
May 3, 2019
I didn’t have any expectations as it’s my first time reading this author.. reviews were good, it’s on KU, so overall was an easy choice!
I really liked the first quarter of the book, then it got a bit boring, but picked up again so overall it’s a 3.5 for me..
some characters didn’t make sense and didn’t add anything to the storyline (jack), but I really liked the twist at the end and quite interested to see what happens next , so hopefully there’s a sequel !
Overall, don’t expect fireworks from this book, it is however an easy read that is quite steamy and has an interesting twist.
I really liked the first quarter of the book, then it got a bit boring, but picked up again so overall it’s a 3.5 for me..
some characters didn’t make sense and didn’t add anything to the storyline (jack), but I really liked the twist at the end and quite interested to see what happens next , so hopefully there’s a sequel !
Overall, don’t expect fireworks from this book, it is however an easy read that is quite steamy and has an interesting twist.
June 19, 2019
Holy.I.Am.Batman.
Another new author for me, and this time - a winner!
1O Things I Love About Wanting Her
1O. A Bisexual lead
9. Sex positions that had me rereading and
drawing stick figures to understand better.
8. Hate - Love / Enemies - Lovers
7. The chemistry between the leads were strong enough to supply power to most of the things
that I have in my locked nightstand drawer.
6. Tribbing made an appearance and the leads
loved it!
5. Loads of page time and conversations
between the leads.
4. An adorable 8 year old. The apple of her aunt's eyes and
naturally charmed the rest of the
adults especially the aunt's love interest.
3. Conversations in Spanish minus translation, looks like I'll be continuing my Spanish lesson
with D and B.
2. My heart beat a lil faster whenever the leads were in the same page.
1. This beauty cost me USD5
-¹. I need to re-watch 1O Things I Hate About You
One of the best scenes in the story -
Vivian entered the bathroom to brush her hair while April was taking a shower. Vivian had already showered and in her undergarments but when they locked gaze,
Vivian decided to ........
⬆️ As if I needed the extra heat, yes I do!
Those who have access to KU
" And I say, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey,
I said hey, what are you waiting for "
- sorry not sorry, 4 Non Blondes.
Why not 5?
Because of the donut eating scene, that is so Abah and I
definitely do not want to think of him when I'm reading my guilty pleasure.
Another new author for me, and this time - a winner!
1O Things I Love About Wanting Her
1O. A Bisexual lead
9. Sex positions that had me rereading and
drawing stick figures to understand better.
8. Hate - Love / Enemies - Lovers
7. The chemistry between the leads were strong enough to supply power to most of the things
that I have in my locked nightstand drawer.
6. Tribbing made an appearance and the leads
loved it!
5. Loads of page time and conversations
between the leads.
4. An adorable 8 year old. The apple of her aunt's eyes and
naturally charmed the rest of the
adults especially the aunt's love interest.
3. Conversations in Spanish minus translation, looks like I'll be continuing my Spanish lesson
with D and B.
2. My heart beat a lil faster whenever the leads were in the same page.
1. This beauty cost me USD5
-¹. I need to re-watch 1O Things I Hate About You
One of the best scenes in the story -
Vivian entered the bathroom to brush her hair while April was taking a shower. Vivian had already showered and in her undergarments but when they locked gaze,
Vivian decided to ........
⬆️ As if I needed the extra heat, yes I do!
Those who have access to KU
" And I say, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey,
I said hey, what are you waiting for "
- sorry not sorry, 4 Non Blondes.
Why not 5?
Because of the donut eating scene, that is so Abah and I
definitely do not want to think of him when I'm reading my guilty pleasure.
May 27, 2019
4.5 stars.
What an absolutely delightful little gem this turned out to be! It felt really refreshingly - a bit - different.
Jack (an actual guy) hires PI April for the firm he runs with on -> off -> FWB Vivian.
Vivian and April clash. A lot. But have great chemistry and soon a lot of sex. (No complaints from me). Over time their relationship becomes about more than the sex. There’s also the small matters of April’s niece who she brings up after her sister’s death. Vivian’s missing brother. Some office politics. And kinda cute dialogue in Spanish... which I can’t say I understood.
The dialogue, teasing, touches of tenderness and loveable characters had me race through this on a rainy bank holiday Monday.
It’s free on KU UK at the moment and you absolutely should download this now. Unless you dislike sex. And blossoming love. And witty dialogue. Then you should stay well away ;-)
What an absolutely delightful little gem this turned out to be! It felt really refreshingly - a bit - different.
Jack (an actual guy) hires PI April for the firm he runs with on -> off -> FWB Vivian.
Vivian and April clash. A lot. But have great chemistry and soon a lot of sex. (No complaints from me). Over time their relationship becomes about more than the sex. There’s also the small matters of April’s niece who she brings up after her sister’s death. Vivian’s missing brother. Some office politics. And kinda cute dialogue in Spanish... which I can’t say I understood.
The dialogue, teasing, touches of tenderness and loveable characters had me race through this on a rainy bank holiday Monday.
It’s free on KU UK at the moment and you absolutely should download this now. Unless you dislike sex. And blossoming love. And witty dialogue. Then you should stay well away ;-)
June 1, 2020
I’ve heard a lot about this book since it was high on the lesfic charts in 2019. I see what the appeal is as it’s got the potential elements of a forbidden affair between boss and employee at the workplace. But this book aims for more than that with some parts of the plot more engaging than others.
Vivian Barrera is a successful co-owner of an investigation agency. When her business partner hires someone without her permission, she is furious with him. April Hawkins is determined to make her new job work as she is the sole provider for her niece but Vivian hates her. Unfortunately, her aloof boss is as annoying as attractive. As time goes by, both women discover a mutual attraction that becomes increasingly hard to deny…
After reading the blurb, I was expecting something different from this book. I thought it was going to be a slow-burn romance with a hard to melt ice-queen. I was wrong on the former but right on the latter. The mains relationship developed faster than I thought and for me, it was a lost opportunity to increase the sexual tension between them. Having said that, the sex scenes were very good and varied.
The issue I’ve felt with this story is that the focus is spread between a few subplots and none of them seem to get enough development to achieve a gratifying conclusion which is a pity because some of them were promising. I understand that this is a series and some of the plots, such as Vivian’s missing sibling, are developed in the sequel ‘Knowing Her’ but, in my opinion, there are too many loose ends to read this satisfactorily as a standalone. Despite this, I might give a try to the sequel as it is also available on audiobook with the same narrator.
Carmen Vine hasn’t narrated much lesfic but she made a great impression on me with this audiobook. She’s very good at doing different voices, including the male ones. Ms. Vine is Porto Rican so she is perfect for performing the few parts in Spanish though her accent sounded Mexican to me which works well for the story. Her performance of the different emotions is spot-on. This is a typical case in which the narrator made the story much more entertaining and pleasurable.
Overall, an enjoyable workplace lesbian romance audiobook. 3.5 stars.
Available with a Scribd subscription.
Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
Vivian Barrera is a successful co-owner of an investigation agency. When her business partner hires someone without her permission, she is furious with him. April Hawkins is determined to make her new job work as she is the sole provider for her niece but Vivian hates her. Unfortunately, her aloof boss is as annoying as attractive. As time goes by, both women discover a mutual attraction that becomes increasingly hard to deny…
After reading the blurb, I was expecting something different from this book. I thought it was going to be a slow-burn romance with a hard to melt ice-queen. I was wrong on the former but right on the latter. The mains relationship developed faster than I thought and for me, it was a lost opportunity to increase the sexual tension between them. Having said that, the sex scenes were very good and varied.
The issue I’ve felt with this story is that the focus is spread between a few subplots and none of them seem to get enough development to achieve a gratifying conclusion which is a pity because some of them were promising. I understand that this is a series and some of the plots, such as Vivian’s missing sibling, are developed in the sequel ‘Knowing Her’ but, in my opinion, there are too many loose ends to read this satisfactorily as a standalone. Despite this, I might give a try to the sequel as it is also available on audiobook with the same narrator.
Carmen Vine hasn’t narrated much lesfic but she made a great impression on me with this audiobook. She’s very good at doing different voices, including the male ones. Ms. Vine is Porto Rican so she is perfect for performing the few parts in Spanish though her accent sounded Mexican to me which works well for the story. Her performance of the different emotions is spot-on. This is a typical case in which the narrator made the story much more entertaining and pleasurable.
Overall, an enjoyable workplace lesbian romance audiobook. 3.5 stars.
Available with a Scribd subscription.
Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
January 25, 2021
A first by this author! Helloooo Vivian and April and most delightful 8 year old niece ever! Stink I forget her name already....
The plot is well fleshed out already, the sex is a ton of fun and quite varied, hallelujah. Though I was disappointed at how fast they got together. I personally enjoy the buildup and push-pull to go on longer.
As with other reviewers I definitely could have done with a lot less Jack, as he was deadweight all along. Then the drama that happened on what, the second to last page surrounding him almost seemed like an afterthought to gain sympathy, and added nothing of value to the story. Go away Jack.
Looking forward to more by this author!
The plot is well fleshed out already, the sex is a ton of fun and quite varied, hallelujah. Though I was disappointed at how fast they got together. I personally enjoy the buildup and push-pull to go on longer.
As with other reviewers I definitely could have done with a lot less Jack, as he was deadweight all along. Then the drama that happened on what, the second to last page surrounding him almost seemed like an afterthought to gain sympathy, and added nothing of value to the story. Go away Jack.
Looking forward to more by this author!
April 23, 2019
I really enjoyed it
I believe this is the first book I have read from this author and I look forward to reading more, especially the next one about Theresa. Now there is no great mystery to solve in this book and though the characters a private investigators (well April is, Vivian is the owner of the company) that is not a driving force in the story. The story is really about the relationship between April and Vivian. Little drama here and there but nothing outstanding. To me it really was just an enjoyable read and it was a kU to boot. Give it a go if you want something a bit steamy and pretty easy to handle. 4.55*
I believe this is the first book I have read from this author and I look forward to reading more, especially the next one about Theresa. Now there is no great mystery to solve in this book and though the characters a private investigators (well April is, Vivian is the owner of the company) that is not a driving force in the story. The story is really about the relationship between April and Vivian. Little drama here and there but nothing outstanding. To me it really was just an enjoyable read and it was a kU to boot. Give it a go if you want something a bit steamy and pretty easy to handle. 4.55*
May 3, 2019
This book from what I've read is massively hyped, I can understand why. This is a steamy story that doesn't skimp on either aspect. While this is a HEA, if you're looking for a good read give this one a try. If you have kindle unlimited, then run & check this out. This has tropes of ice queen which were not overly done, making it a background. All in all give it a go!
July 15, 2022
4.25 stars - surprisingly good
I was not expecting much but some steamy scenes. This book did indeed deliver the steam, but also some interesting characters and storylines that were engaging and had a bit of depth to them. If you are looking for a bit of ice queen, mixed with enemies to lovers without a lot of angst then this book fits the bill. I 100% recommend it, especially if you have KU. I will definitely be looking for other books by this author.
I was not expecting much but some steamy scenes. This book did indeed deliver the steam, but also some interesting characters and storylines that were engaging and had a bit of depth to them. If you are looking for a bit of ice queen, mixed with enemies to lovers without a lot of angst then this book fits the bill. I 100% recommend it, especially if you have KU. I will definitely be looking for other books by this author.
June 5, 2019
This was a quick, entertaining book with a not-so-icy ice queen. I think this might have been a Swan Queen fic originally? I like what the author did with it. The writing is decent, but I wish the story had more depth to it. It's free on UK, so I'm glad I could read it. Again, not a bad read, I just wanted more.
April 28, 2020
Quite a good short easy read, looking forward to book 2 actually and hearing more about the character of Teresa introduced at the end.
May 21, 2019
Well, this has to be the quickest dnf I've had in a while. I gave up the end of chapter 4 when I read the sentence "We both know I'm only interested in fucking one of my bosses", uttered by the the MC after boss 1 caught her kissing boss 2.
Oh well.
Oh well.
February 14, 2024
3.75 stars
Here's what I loved:
It was written by a Latina and featured a strong, Latina main character. Narrator Carmen Vine was great and could speak fluent Spanish! More people need to hire her because it makes all the difference in the world with enjoyment and believability. I'll need to seek out more of Vine's work.
I thought the story itself was pretty enjoyable and definitely plan on reading or listening to more of Raquel De Leon's books. This was my first by her and I'm trying to make a point of branching out and experiencing new (to me) authors.
Here's what I loved:
It was written by a Latina and featured a strong, Latina main character. Narrator Carmen Vine was great and could speak fluent Spanish! More people need to hire her because it makes all the difference in the world with enjoyment and believability. I'll need to seek out more of Vine's work.
I thought the story itself was pretty enjoyable and definitely plan on reading or listening to more of Raquel De Leon's books. This was my first by her and I'm trying to make a point of branching out and experiencing new (to me) authors.
Read
March 27, 2025DNF after chapter 5.
This one was a bit of an odd one for me. I tried twice to get through it, taking breaks with other books in between to give it a fair shot, but I just couldn't bring myself to finish. There's something about it—I can’t quite put my finger on it—that just didn’t click. The characters didn’t feel especially likable or relatable, and the story didn’t flow as naturally as I’d hoped. I couldn't feel the chemistry between any of the characters, romance or otherwise. I kept having to tell myself to pay attention, which is never a great sign. There’s nothing overtly wrong with it, but this one just wasn't for me unfortunately.
This one was a bit of an odd one for me. I tried twice to get through it, taking breaks with other books in between to give it a fair shot, but I just couldn't bring myself to finish. There's something about it—I can’t quite put my finger on it—that just didn’t click. The characters didn’t feel especially likable or relatable, and the story didn’t flow as naturally as I’d hoped. I couldn't feel the chemistry between any of the characters, romance or otherwise. I kept having to tell myself to pay attention, which is never a great sign. There’s nothing overtly wrong with it, but this one just wasn't for me unfortunately.
November 13, 2019
I enjoyed this. It probably had to do with the fact that is almost certainly a SQ fanfic turned novel. The characters were fun and the sex was good. If you have KU this is definitely worth a read.
May 6, 2020
Great likable leads. Amusing banter. Touching story. Great writing.
Ya can't go wrong with that.
Ya can't go wrong with that.
July 4, 2023
“I already love you a little bit. It’s terrifying.”
3.5 stars. A really sweet and spicy enemies to lovers workplace romance. Vivian's partner hires April into their firm for all the wrong reasons, and she dislikes the other woman right off the bat. April really needs the new, well-paying job to take care of her niece, and she's determined to make things work, but finds herself butting heads with the boss. Their antagonism leads to off the top chemistry, and since their job doesn't prohibit fraternisation, they soon have a little enemies-with-benefits situation going on. I wasn't sure how much I would like the quick-burn steam and slow-burn feelings, but it worked really well for me. There's a lot of banter and quips in their relationship, a lot of push and pull, and the boss/employee relationship does muddy the waters a little bit. But it never felt unbalanced or predatory, and even when they disliked each other, they were really refreshingly honest about everything. When they have to work through problems and fights, it felt real and well-earned. And the way their attraction was worded was so swoony and lovely. The writing wasn't my favourite, but still managed to make me emotional. And I really loved the side stories with both their siblings, and I'm very much looking forward to the next book.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Carmen Vine; a real delight. I've had my eye on this series for a while, and I'm glad it lived up to my expectations.
May 13, 2020
I think this one is a simple book to read and a bit of twist but still consider an interesting storyline.
June 19, 2020
This is another book that I thought about long after I finished reading it. This book has the elements that I enjoy reading: tough/icy lead melted by love, quirky persistent love interest, cute kid, and boisterous family.
It hit all the sweet spots as Vivian's walls came down and she realized how amazing it can be to be loved by a woman.
You can find this on KU - enjoy the read :)
It hit all the sweet spots as Vivian's walls came down and she realized how amazing it can be to be loved by a woman.
You can find this on KU - enjoy the read :)
April 30, 2019
Revange sometimes pays off
It is funny story, pretty sweet and I love that it has few twist. The ending came as surprise though. Very unexpected.
It is funny story, pretty sweet and I love that it has few twist. The ending came as surprise though. Very unexpected.
February 4, 2021
Vivian Barrera is the co-owner of an investigative agency which she started to solve the mystery of her brother who went missing over a decade back. April Hawkins is the newest employee in the agency. Vivian doesn’t like April because her partner contravened all their hiring rules to appoint April and makes no bones about flirting with the new investigator.
Read the full review @https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...
Read the full review @https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...
October 31, 2019
Read between a Radclyffe binge (1st responders series) so comparing the master to a new author feels unfair. For me, a pedestrian tale that doesn't quite work, slow building, which I like, then explodes for no apparent reason and with no apparent logic.
August 11, 2019
Very good!!! Had me smiling and feeling😉🔥
December 24, 2024
3.5⭐
Enjoyable quick read.
I really liked April and Vivian together, they were really cute.
And Vivianwas also really sweet with Makayla.
Jack really annoyed me and didn't really add anything to the story.
But nothing really happened.
And I found the pacing a little weird.
A lot of "a few days later" or even weeks, which I don't really enjoy.
And some of the scenes could've also been a bit longer.
I wasn't so sure about the first ~100 pages but basically everything after I did really enjoy.
Enjoyable quick read.
I really liked April and Vivian together, they were really cute.
And Vivianwas also really sweet with Makayla.
Jack really annoyed me and didn't really add anything to the story.
But nothing really happened.
And I found the pacing a little weird.
A lot of "a few days later" or even weeks, which I don't really enjoy.
And some of the scenes could've also been a bit longer.
I wasn't so sure about the first ~100 pages but basically everything after I did really enjoy.
May 26, 2019
I rather enjoyed this one. Sometimes you can read a romance from Amazon kindle and it not be very good. This one was a solid romance. The MC's were attracted to one another and had really good sexual chemistry. De Leon did a great job at balancing out the sex scenes especially since there were a lot of them. Both MC's were likeable even when they were hating on one another. This one is a solid 4 stars.
August 13, 2020
I liked this book. I liked the characters, even though there was one who annoyed me a lot aka Jack lol, but if one just ignores him then it’s not that bothersome. I just think that the ending was too quick, I’d love to know more about Vivian’s sister and read about a possible reunion with their parents and see Viv and April and her niece Kayla move in together. But it was a good book.
June 11, 2025
When I pick up an erotica book to read I usually don’t have high expectations for the story elements. I go in for the ✨plot✨ rather than the actual plot if you catch my drift - and Wanting Her did not disappoint!
I felt like the book was pretty straight forward, what you see is what you get with Vivian and April’s relations-turned-relationship dynamic. I found the characters really believable though. I appreciated that it was fairly low angst, tho I will say my biggest eye roll was the continued Jack of it all. At first his role made sense, but as the couple grew, I felt like the insecurity and mistrust where he was concerned became a little unfounded. That being said, the spice was spicing, the flirtatious banter was fun, and the workplace setting made it a little extra naughty at times.
If you like sapphic book porn, I would recommend!
I felt like the book was pretty straight forward, what you see is what you get with Vivian and April’s relations-turned-relationship dynamic. I found the characters really believable though. I appreciated that it was fairly low angst, tho I will say my biggest eye roll was the continued Jack of it all. At first his role made sense, but as the couple grew, I felt like the insecurity and mistrust where he was concerned became a little unfounded. That being said, the spice was spicing, the flirtatious banter was fun, and the workplace setting made it a little extra naughty at times.
If you like sapphic book porn, I would recommend!
Read
April 15, 2020Did I miss something? First chapter Vivian is upset with her business partner for hiring April without consulting her first...next scene I see with Vivian and the business partner they are spending the night together.
She is commenting how he is with her and not anyone else....He is saying the night doesn't mean anything and she is happily going along.
And when someone is happily sleeping with you but mostly when they have had a few drinks you really need to start questioning your life choices.
No scence with them discussing hiring April...was something wrong with my book copy...huh??? DNF at chapter 2
She is commenting how he is with her and not anyone else....He is saying the night doesn't mean anything and she is happily going along.
And when someone is happily sleeping with you but mostly when they have had a few drinks you really need to start questioning your life choices.
No scence with them discussing hiring April...was something wrong with my book copy...huh??? DNF at chapter 2
Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews