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The Agency #1.5
Secret Summer
THIS IS A SHORT STORY SET IN THE AGENCY UNIVERSE
The Agency series is set in the exciting (and sometimes glamourous) world of advertising. Following the intertwined lives of a group of kickass career women, the series is a heartwarming mix of angsty romance and laugh-out-loud humour.
She wished summer would never end.
Violet Archer can't believe her luck. Her gorgeous new boyfriend is whisking her off on a romantic sun-drenched getaway!
Well, not quite. There'll definitely be sun. But there'll also be a advertising shoot, a film crew, their eccentric best friend, Max, and one of the senior partners of their new ad agency. Oh, and of course, the teeny tiny issue that Violet's boyfriend is her best friend and soon-to-be boss, Ethan Fraser, and if anyone finds out they're together, he'll be fired.
In the Santorini sunshine, can Ethan and Violet pull off a successful shoot, keep their secret hidden, and still find time for a little bit of summer sizzle?
FRIENDLY NOTE #1: All of Elizabeth’s books feature realistic characters who do things real people do (like have sex) and say things real people say (like drop f-bombs).
FRIENDLY NOTE #2: All of Elizabeth’s books are written in British English, not American English. We spell a few words differently.
The Agency series is set in the exciting (and sometimes glamourous) world of advertising. Following the intertwined lives of a group of kickass career women, the series is a heartwarming mix of angsty romance and laugh-out-loud humour.
She wished summer would never end.
Violet Archer can't believe her luck. Her gorgeous new boyfriend is whisking her off on a romantic sun-drenched getaway!
Well, not quite. There'll definitely be sun. But there'll also be a advertising shoot, a film crew, their eccentric best friend, Max, and one of the senior partners of their new ad agency. Oh, and of course, the teeny tiny issue that Violet's boyfriend is her best friend and soon-to-be boss, Ethan Fraser, and if anyone finds out they're together, he'll be fired.
In the Santorini sunshine, can Ethan and Violet pull off a successful shoot, keep their secret hidden, and still find time for a little bit of summer sizzle?
FRIENDLY NOTE #1: All of Elizabeth’s books feature realistic characters who do things real people do (like have sex) and say things real people say (like drop f-bombs).
FRIENDLY NOTE #2: All of Elizabeth’s books are written in British English, not American English. We spell a few words differently.
78 pages, Paperback
Published May 15, 2018
181 people are currently reading
548 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
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October 13, 2020I can't rate it since it's a sequel short story following a novel I did not read. It was free on Amazon which is why I got it. I wanted to check out the writing and see if Grey could be a romance writer I could tolerate. My verdict: not terrible. Again, I didn't read the first novel, so keep that in mind. But there was humour and it was very light and very romantic, so... I guess, if I'm in the mood, I would check out Grey's actual novels.
July 28, 2024
Luckily it was short
January 23, 2024
I didn't like it. Obviously the characters are ongoing from another book or books, and I had no clue what was going on. The writing style didn't help. Sorry. DNF.
July 9, 2024
This book was so confusing and some of the interactions with the characters were weird ⭐️⭐️
October 11, 2020
It's a cute story. I didn't know when I bought it that it was a novella based on character with a whole book about them.
However I don't feel like I lost a lot of the plot without reading that book prior to this short story.
However I don't feel like I lost a lot of the plot without reading that book prior to this short story.
April 5, 2020
Nice little story
June 11, 2025
Violet and Ethan are basking in their new relationship, having gone from being best friends to being a couple just a month ago, but already feeling the deep adoration of love for each other. There is the slightest of problems though – Ethan is about to be promoted to be Violet’s boss, and he will be fired if it is found out that he is in a relationship with another employee of the company.
Travelling to a sunny getaway, Violet and Ethan work on a project rather than being able to enjoy the sun as a holiday, and keeping their relationship a secret starts to get harder. Especially with their best friend, Max, sniffing about.
I did really enjoy this story. It is light-hearted, yet there are several undertones of trauma. Not everything in this book is soaring off the high of newfound love, and there are some more difficult topics covered. Rational fears bubble to the surface, and Violet and Ethan begin to realise just how much they can lean on each other, and trust each other, in such a short amount of time.
Max is an absolutely amazing character. He is like a Labrador, funny and sweet, and yet sometimes incredibly dumb. Even though Violet and Ethan take the spotlight of this story, Max is a very important addition, and he is guaranteed to become a quick favourite.
Violet and Ethan’s relationship seems natural to them, although hiding it becomes somewhat of a chore. They want nothing more than to be able to hold hands, and share a room, but they can’t let on that they are anything more than friends. At times, it causes some tension amongst the other characters around them, but the sexual tension is intensified ten-fold by their forced distance. There are some steamy scenes in this story, although they seem entirely well-placed considering the situation the couple find themselves in.
Overall, this is a well-rounded sweet and light-hearted story, with characters you will love. It does not feel like it is missing anything by being so short, although it is part of a series. It does not feel like this book was created to drag readers into the series, but rather as an additional insight into the characters, as a story that makes sense on it’s own. Having said that, it does make you want to read more about the characters, and spend more time with them.
Travelling to a sunny getaway, Violet and Ethan work on a project rather than being able to enjoy the sun as a holiday, and keeping their relationship a secret starts to get harder. Especially with their best friend, Max, sniffing about.
I did really enjoy this story. It is light-hearted, yet there are several undertones of trauma. Not everything in this book is soaring off the high of newfound love, and there are some more difficult topics covered. Rational fears bubble to the surface, and Violet and Ethan begin to realise just how much they can lean on each other, and trust each other, in such a short amount of time.
Max is an absolutely amazing character. He is like a Labrador, funny and sweet, and yet sometimes incredibly dumb. Even though Violet and Ethan take the spotlight of this story, Max is a very important addition, and he is guaranteed to become a quick favourite.
Violet and Ethan’s relationship seems natural to them, although hiding it becomes somewhat of a chore. They want nothing more than to be able to hold hands, and share a room, but they can’t let on that they are anything more than friends. At times, it causes some tension amongst the other characters around them, but the sexual tension is intensified ten-fold by their forced distance. There are some steamy scenes in this story, although they seem entirely well-placed considering the situation the couple find themselves in.
Overall, this is a well-rounded sweet and light-hearted story, with characters you will love. It does not feel like it is missing anything by being so short, although it is part of a series. It does not feel like this book was created to drag readers into the series, but rather as an additional insight into the characters, as a story that makes sense on it’s own. Having said that, it does make you want to read more about the characters, and spend more time with them.
August 10, 2023
Very Quick read. It's very short, so that helps. It's not even 60 pages long and it's actually an addition to a series (The Agency) which I have not read. this was free on Amazon and perfectly readable by itself.
Ethan and Violet are in a relationship (notably since the last book) that has to be kept a secret. For the Agency they have to go Santorini, a beautiful Greek Island. Keeping their relationship a secret, enjoying themselves and make a great promo, seems too much to be handling at the same time.
It's a fun, lovely, short read. There definitely is chemistry, there's humour in it, it's British(+5 points for me) and I think they are both cute. At the same time, the Scottish Ethan is already annoying me a little. Maybe I'll read the full series someday :)
Ethan and Violet are in a relationship (notably since the last book) that has to be kept a secret. For the Agency they have to go Santorini, a beautiful Greek Island. Keeping their relationship a secret, enjoying themselves and make a great promo, seems too much to be handling at the same time.
It's a fun, lovely, short read. There definitely is chemistry, there's humour in it, it's British(+5 points for me) and I think they are both cute. At the same time, the Scottish Ethan is already annoying me a little. Maybe I'll read the full series someday :)
June 28, 2023
A nice little romantic comedy, something that you don’t have to think about at all.
Violet and Ethan have been together for a month, but no one can know. So when their new ad agency gets a contract to go away to Santorini to film an advert, can they keep their hands off one another long enough that no one will suspect, most of all their best friend Max?
This was enjoyable and was a book that you didn’t really need to concentrate on at all. It flowed well and the characters were interesting enough.
February 9, 2024
This book does a good job at setting up and contextualising Violet and Ethan's relationship, despite not reading the first book I got to grips with their personalities quickly. I thought Violet's thoughts towards Athina felt a bit like internalised misogyny but she brought it back with her conversation with Max a few pages later. I also thought it was weird that Violet described her boyfriend's brother as good-looking. This was a great book to get me out of a reading slump as it's less than 100 pages and still gave me that feel-good romance book feeling with a little bit of spice.
July 13, 2020
Standalone a good book but confuses the series
As a stand alone book this is great as a Novello. Short, sharp and witty. I do think however that after having read the first in the series (the agency series) and seeing there is a follow up book with the same characters, that this was, as I say stand alone a good short novel - but could confuse the series of books. Anyway, I’m off to book three! So something must be keeping me there! :)
As a stand alone book this is great as a Novello. Short, sharp and witty. I do think however that after having read the first in the series (the agency series) and seeing there is a follow up book with the same characters, that this was, as I say stand alone a good short novel - but could confuse the series of books. Anyway, I’m off to book three! So something must be keeping me there! :)
July 22, 2023
A short summer read about a secret love affair. I loved the Santorini scenery, but it could have been described way more detailed to really feel like you’re there with them. However, the book is a bit too short and therefore does not go into much depth. I was left with a lot of questions about the relationship and the traumatic event Violet went through when she was younger. It was an easy read, and if you’re looking something quick and brief I would definitely recommend getting this one (for free!) on Amazon.
August 6, 2020
Good
I suggest to read “always you” first and then “just friends”, and this secret summer and then “it’s complicated”. I love all these books. I’m a bit reluctant to read 300-page books but, these books made me hooked that I -a mother with two kids- needed to steal some time to read all of them.
I suggest to read “always you” first and then “just friends”, and this secret summer and then “it’s complicated”. I love all these books. I’m a bit reluctant to read 300-page books but, these books made me hooked that I -a mother with two kids- needed to steal some time to read all of them.
June 17, 2021
I got this free on amazon & thought it would be worth a try as it was only a short story.
I felt the characters and the storyline was a little bit cliché however I did become quickly drawn to it. I was surprised how easy it ended and did leave me wanting to read the next one.
It’s lighthearted and easy to read, a good little rom-com if you fancy something short.
I felt the characters and the storyline was a little bit cliché however I did become quickly drawn to it. I was surprised how easy it ended and did leave me wanting to read the next one.
It’s lighthearted and easy to read, a good little rom-com if you fancy something short.
December 20, 2019
5 stars
Short and sweet. If you loved book 1 then this mini summer secret story is sure to please. It continues Violet and ethans story. The much loved max features in here, and in typical max form.
Short and sweet. If you loved book 1 then this mini summer secret story is sure to please. It continues Violet and ethans story. The much loved max features in here, and in typical max form.
February 15, 2023
another short story that i read in 1 day. a really great link between the 2 novels and great addition to the series as i was wondering what was going to happen during the summer after the first book ended. very light hearted and fun
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December 28, 2023Not rating only because I didn’t realize that this was part of a series. Def felt like I was missing some background info on the characters which would have come from reading the other novels. Still a cute read and may give the rest of the series a go!
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July 13, 2024i dont give a rating bc i dont remember anything SO ITS NOT THE BEST
~ „He chose to love me for who I am, and after a lifetime of not liking who I am, I needed someone to do that. I needed someone to tell me I was special and that I was enough." ~
~ „He chose to love me for who I am, and after a lifetime of not liking who I am, I needed someone to do that. I needed someone to tell me I was special and that I was enough." ~
August 12, 2024
A short story That has heart
At 1st the story seems a little crazy But then it comes to a point where it all comes together. The characters are interesting And yes a little crazy. I enjoyed the characters though It made me want to read more. This is a short story it didn't take long under an hour And I recommended it
At 1st the story seems a little crazy But then it comes to a point where it all comes together. The characters are interesting And yes a little crazy. I enjoyed the characters though It made me want to read more. This is a short story it didn't take long under an hour And I recommended it
May 31, 2019
Breezy and light hearted
You can’t help but fall for the charms of the character s, they are so down to earth And relatable
You can’t help but fall for the charms of the character s, they are so down to earth And relatable
January 6, 2020
Gripping. Couldn't put the book down
Enjoyed every minute. It's almost like i was Violet. Could feel the love that Ethan gave to her. Great book
Enjoyed every minute. It's almost like i was Violet. Could feel the love that Ethan gave to her. Great book
May 17, 2020
Great read. Absolutely love the characters in this book.
June 21, 2020
Another sweet short story about Violet and Ethan!
March 11, 2021
This was more of a long short story that you would get in a magazine than a book. Didn't dislike it just didn't really get it. I guess I need to read the rest of the series
May 3, 2021
Yeah this was ok. Didn't like the end but I guess as it a series it's fair enough. Won't be continuing to read it tho
October 3, 2021
Funny good
Funny good story line did not want to put the book down. Very good easy reading book for all recommend
Funny good story line did not want to put the book down. Very good easy reading book for all recommend
November 9, 2021
Personagens sem graça, história bem mais ou menos e final sem surpresas.
É ótimo para treinar Inglês, pois é britânico e é bem direto tanto os diálogos quanto as descrições
É ótimo para treinar Inglês, pois é britânico e é bem direto tanto os diálogos quanto as descrições
December 21, 2021
I feel like saying 'get on with the story already'. This book and 'always you' should have been one book and even then it would remain incomplete. On to the next one!
July 2, 2023
A short love based story. I enjoyed the snippet of this story and think there is a lot more to go on from here. Will Ethan make it? Will it work?
July 5, 2023
It was a fine book, nothing spectacular but easy to read, it is really short but it’s mostly cute-ish moments
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews