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A Heart to Trust
What happens when you find out your stuck-up, blissfully straight colleague may be none of those things? A delicious enemies-to-lovers, lesbian workplace romance. Change is not Jenny Quinn’s strong suit, but she’s happy enough with her easy-going life, friends, and job as a TV production assistant. That is until a company shake-up foists the infuriating Olivia Sinclair on her. The woman is uptight, snobby, and has some perfect and famous motor-racing husband. TV and theater producer Olivia moved to New York from the UK to marry her longtime friend. It’s a sham marriage, a favor to a man she loves as a brother, but the strain is beginning to take its toll. How can she even meet women when she’s the picture of heterosexual bliss? Add in her stressful new job, an irritating colleague called Jenny, who thinks being goofy is some kind of admirable work ethic, and life can be a grind some days. The worst part isn’t the office politics or clashing personalities, but the fact there’s an attraction between both women that’s gradually becoming impossible to ignore. So…should they stop ignoring it? That would mean learning to trust your heart that this is the right woman. And that’s a huge step.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 21, 2020
113 people are currently reading
544 people want to read
About the author
A.L. Brooks
23 books327 followersA.L. Brooks was born in the UK but currently resides in Frankfurt, Germany, and over the years she has lived in places as far afield as Aberdeen and Australia. She works 9–5 in corporate financial systems and her dream is to take early retirement. Like, tomorrow, please. She loves her gym membership, and is very grateful for it as she also loves dark chocolate. She enjoys drinking good wine and craft beer, trying out new recipes to cook, and learning German. Travelling around the world and reading lots and lots (and lots) of books are also things that fight for time with her writing. Yep, she really needs that early retirement.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
November 7, 2020
3.50 Stars. This was a cute romance. Brooks is a very consistent author for me. I think out of the nine or so books I have read by her, seven have been 3.50 star ratings. What broke that mold, which is also my favorite book by Brooks, was her superhero book Never Too Late for Heroes which also came out in 2020. While I didn’t like this new book as much, it still easily made that consistent 3.50 star rating that I’ve come to depend on from Brooks.
The best way to explain this would be a slow-burn, office romance. This is a very sweet, low angst read. But, low angst doesn’t mean low or no conflict. This is a story about people fighting to keep a job so there is plenty of conflict that surrounds the workplace. I was happy about that since that was the main part that really caught my attention and kept me turning the pages. I’ve been trying to read this book over the past three days, but half of my mind had been on the election the whole time. Reading has not been easy but the main thing that kept me coming back to this book was the “workplace” part of the workplace romance.
Let’s get to the romance part next. This is the part I found to be less successful. Again, it was perfectly nice and even pretty sweet at times, but it didn’t have the ‘spark’ I was hoping for. I was so into all of the office drama that I almost forgot this was supposed to be a romance. It’s slow-burn and when you understand the characters more, slow-burn makes perfect sense. And because of the circumstance the character are going through, it took a long time before even a date happened. The problem is I felt like this was more of an office crush story and to be honest, I thought the crush came a bit out of nowhere too. This potential couple felt more like they could be great friends since they didn’t have that super strong chemistry that I always hope to see and feel in every romance book I read.
Overall, I liked this but it was missing some spark for me. The office parts are well done and kept me reading, but I felt more friendship than sizzle. I would still recommend this to romance fans that want something low angst, but that still has a decent pace and enough conflict to be interesting. If you are new to Brooks I would recommend her Never Too Late for Heroes book.
A copy was given to me for a honest review.
The best way to explain this would be a slow-burn, office romance. This is a very sweet, low angst read. But, low angst doesn’t mean low or no conflict. This is a story about people fighting to keep a job so there is plenty of conflict that surrounds the workplace. I was happy about that since that was the main part that really caught my attention and kept me turning the pages. I’ve been trying to read this book over the past three days, but half of my mind had been on the election the whole time. Reading has not been easy but the main thing that kept me coming back to this book was the “workplace” part of the workplace romance.
Let’s get to the romance part next. This is the part I found to be less successful. Again, it was perfectly nice and even pretty sweet at times, but it didn’t have the ‘spark’ I was hoping for. I was so into all of the office drama that I almost forgot this was supposed to be a romance. It’s slow-burn and when you understand the characters more, slow-burn makes perfect sense. And because of the circumstance the character are going through, it took a long time before even a date happened. The problem is I felt like this was more of an office crush story and to be honest, I thought the crush came a bit out of nowhere too. This potential couple felt more like they could be great friends since they didn’t have that super strong chemistry that I always hope to see and feel in every romance book I read.
Overall, I liked this but it was missing some spark for me. The office parts are well done and kept me reading, but I felt more friendship than sizzle. I would still recommend this to romance fans that want something low angst, but that still has a decent pace and enough conflict to be interesting. If you are new to Brooks I would recommend her Never Too Late for Heroes book.
A copy was given to me for a honest review.
January 24, 2023
“A Heart to Trust” by A. L. Brooks is a sort-of enemies to lovers, opposites attract and workplace romance.
Jenny is a PA when her company is bought by a larger company. She then shortly meets the other PA’s with the new firm and is introduced to Olivia. Olivia is a UK transplant and comes across as cold and uptight at first glance. They, along with two others, are vying for the three openings the new company will have available for PA’s.
Olivia and Jenny’s personalities conflict with each other and these things lead to them making incorrect assumptions about each other. This leads them to butting heads and just not getting along for a while. Olivia is very professional and a bit more reserved and serious when at the workplace, however, she is quite warm and friendly once out of the office. Jenny, on the other hand, is more laid back about things. She likes to keep things a bit lighter and more fun while at work like playing desk basketball.
The workplace environment is front and center for most of the story. There are quite a few shenanigans, manipulations, and back stabbings going on as they try to prove who deserves the full-time positions. It went on a little long and in my opinion, made Jenny out to be a bit more naïve and gullible than I preferred. I wish she would’ve been a tad bit smarter and a bit quicker on the uptake about what was going on than what she was.
Another issue besides the office atmosphere for Jenny and Olivia is that Olivia is married. This is not a cheating story. She is married to her best friend, who is an ace/aro man. There are specific reasons for them being married, but it’s not for love like they are wanting people to believe. So, not only does Jenny think she’s married, she also thinks she is straight which of course makes her ignore any feelings she may be having in regards to Olivia.
Brooks wrote a nice group of secondary characters from Olivia’s husband, Broderick, who is very sweet and likable guy to Jenny’s friends/chosen family, Tamara, Roz and Carl. Jenny and Olivia’s co-workers, Chrissy and Maxwell, are both fun to read as well, especially Maxwell with all the statistics he liked the randomly toss out.
My only problem with “A Heart to Trust” is that the main characters don’t really start interacting until around the 40% mark. Up until then it’s seeing them in their personal lives or snarking at each other but never anything beyond that. The romance of the story didn’t truly begin until at about 80% so even though this could be classified by some as slow burn, it also felt rushed toward the end. This is okay if there’s going to be a follow-up story and we get to see them together. I hope that’s the case here.
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 4, 2020
Another great book by A.L. Brooks.
This is a standalone novel but when you read A Long Shot, you will remember Jenny Quinn. At that time she was a supporting actress as a production assistant to Adrienne Wyatt, the tv producer. But this time Jenny plays one of the two leading roles. Adrienne moves to California to live with her girlfriend and at the same time, the company is taken over by a larger corporation. Several new challenges for Jenny and she doesn't like changes. Will she be able to handle the situations?
The new work situation is tough as there is a competition going for permanent positions. One of the competitors is Olivia, she is from the UK and in a fake marriage with her best friend. When the two meet for the first time it is almost like fire and ice. There is the casually dressed and laid back Jenny who loves to play table basketball in between for a change. Next to her is the snobby and uptight Olivia, always eager to appear as professional as possible, which makes her inaccessible and cold. But there is also the undeniable attraction between the two, although the start was far from perfect, and there is the small but important obstacle that Olivia is married to a race car driver.
This is an enemy to lover story that takes place largely in the work environment, including intrigue, mistrust, and misunderstanding, which also makes the story exciting. But I'm lucky that I never had to deal with such a poisoned working atmosphere. The romance is a slow burn, which of course fits, and although it starts late into the story, I really liked the storyline. The characters were very well developed and lovable, even Olivia who was cold and unapproachable at the beginning, you just need to get to know her. Jenny's bunch of friends, which are her chosen family and Olivia's husband Broderick bring a lot of light into the past of both MC's and they are very loyal. Friends you can only wish for in real life. Fortunately, I can count a few of my friends among them.
I really like A.L. Brooks writing style, the fresh and clear dialogues, the banter, and also the realistic characters. I like all her books I've read until now and I'm already looking forward to her next one.
My rating 4 .25 stars
Many thanks to Ylva Publishing for receiving an ARC for an honest review.
This is a standalone novel but when you read A Long Shot, you will remember Jenny Quinn. At that time she was a supporting actress as a production assistant to Adrienne Wyatt, the tv producer. But this time Jenny plays one of the two leading roles. Adrienne moves to California to live with her girlfriend and at the same time, the company is taken over by a larger corporation. Several new challenges for Jenny and she doesn't like changes. Will she be able to handle the situations?
The new work situation is tough as there is a competition going for permanent positions. One of the competitors is Olivia, she is from the UK and in a fake marriage with her best friend. When the two meet for the first time it is almost like fire and ice. There is the casually dressed and laid back Jenny who loves to play table basketball in between for a change. Next to her is the snobby and uptight Olivia, always eager to appear as professional as possible, which makes her inaccessible and cold. But there is also the undeniable attraction between the two, although the start was far from perfect, and there is the small but important obstacle that Olivia is married to a race car driver.
This is an enemy to lover story that takes place largely in the work environment, including intrigue, mistrust, and misunderstanding, which also makes the story exciting. But I'm lucky that I never had to deal with such a poisoned working atmosphere. The romance is a slow burn, which of course fits, and although it starts late into the story, I really liked the storyline. The characters were very well developed and lovable, even Olivia who was cold and unapproachable at the beginning, you just need to get to know her. Jenny's bunch of friends, which are her chosen family and Olivia's husband Broderick bring a lot of light into the past of both MC's and they are very loyal. Friends you can only wish for in real life. Fortunately, I can count a few of my friends among them.
I really like A.L. Brooks writing style, the fresh and clear dialogues, the banter, and also the realistic characters. I like all her books I've read until now and I'm already looking forward to her next one.
My rating 4 .25 stars
Many thanks to Ylva Publishing for receiving an ARC for an honest review.
November 17, 2020
A Heart to Trust features a fake relationship with a twist, a slightly frosty ice queen, office deceit and deception and an innocent employee who seems to believe everything she hears while questioning who she can trust in life and in love.
Production Assistant Jenny Quinn loses her boss and mentor Adrienne and finds herself fighting for one of three PA positions when TC Productions merges with C&V Inc. Olivia Sinclair is also competing for one of the PA positions and has brought her proper British workplace fashion sense along with her fake marriage across the pond hoping for a fresh start in America. Opposites attract but little barriers like trust and a wedding band have a way of making Jenny question her attraction.
It doesn’t take long for Jenny to thaw the icy Olivia but trusting her takes work. I liked the office competition aspect and enjoyed this universe of friends and chosen family. Olivia and Jenny share a physical attraction but it was a struggle to believe they could cross all of the barricades set up between them. I wasn’t crazy about Olvia’s weird setup with Broderick questioning his need to hide his sexuality behind a fake marriage. The burden on Olivia was too great. I also struggled to understand how Jenny had trust issues with her heart yet continued to trust office gossip. In the end as much as I liked Olivia and Jenny, the fake relationship aspect of the novel made the story less appealing for this reader.
3.5 stars
ARC received with thanks from publisher for review.
Production Assistant Jenny Quinn loses her boss and mentor Adrienne and finds herself fighting for one of three PA positions when TC Productions merges with C&V Inc. Olivia Sinclair is also competing for one of the PA positions and has brought her proper British workplace fashion sense along with her fake marriage across the pond hoping for a fresh start in America. Opposites attract but little barriers like trust and a wedding band have a way of making Jenny question her attraction.
It doesn’t take long for Jenny to thaw the icy Olivia but trusting her takes work. I liked the office competition aspect and enjoyed this universe of friends and chosen family. Olivia and Jenny share a physical attraction but it was a struggle to believe they could cross all of the barricades set up between them. I wasn’t crazy about Olvia’s weird setup with Broderick questioning his need to hide his sexuality behind a fake marriage. The burden on Olivia was too great. I also struggled to understand how Jenny had trust issues with her heart yet continued to trust office gossip. In the end as much as I liked Olivia and Jenny, the fake relationship aspect of the novel made the story less appealing for this reader.
3.5 stars
ARC received with thanks from publisher for review.
November 1, 2020
4.5 stars
Another fabulous book by A.L Brooks.
As someone who works with people but isn't a fan of them, I immediately connected with Jenny. She's an awesome character. I love, love, loved her!
Like Jenny, it took me a while to warm to Olivia, if that was the author's intention, she nailed it.
The crux of the story is office politics. Anyone who works in, or has worked in, an office will find themselves about to relate. Anyone who hasn't worked in an office will still be able to relate.
There's a romance here, but, in my humble opinion, it is secondary to the main story...so read it as such and you won't be disappointed.
Many thanks to Ylva Publishing for providing me with an Advance Reader Copy.
Another fabulous book by A.L Brooks.
As someone who works with people but isn't a fan of them, I immediately connected with Jenny. She's an awesome character. I love, love, loved her!
Like Jenny, it took me a while to warm to Olivia, if that was the author's intention, she nailed it.
The crux of the story is office politics. Anyone who works in, or has worked in, an office will find themselves about to relate. Anyone who hasn't worked in an office will still be able to relate.
There's a romance here, but, in my humble opinion, it is secondary to the main story...so read it as such and you won't be disappointed.
Many thanks to Ylva Publishing for providing me with an Advance Reader Copy.
December 19, 2020
Mmm... well... it has its moments.
October 29, 2020
I am again kicking myself for only recently discovering A.L. Brooks!
Jenny Quinn and Olivia Sinclair both work as production assistants who are vying for limited positions in the company they work in. Even though they are both talented and capable, they couldn’t be more different in their work process as well as their personalities. Jenny is more carefree and fun-loving, while Olivia is reserved and chooses to maintain an air of professionalism. Despite this, they just can’t seem to stop being intrigued with the other.
A.L. Brooks is a seasoned writer with several books under her belt, and it truly shows. Her writing is compelling and I think her stories (at least those I’ve read so far) are complete – great plot, good pacing, likeable characters (mostly).
I always appreciate a good slow-burn, and this book really satisfied me in that area! I’m glad that their attraction didn’t happen in an instant. They worked together on a project and tried getting to know each other better. The writer was able to show their reluctance to trust each other at first, and I felt that was more realistic as they initially didn’t like each other. I also liked that the book focused on something aside from their relationship. In fact, I loved the supporting characters as well. Jenny’s friends are protective and supportive of her, and Broderick is a great friend. If I had to nitpick, I just noticed that Olivia’s mother and her sister barely made an appearance although it was mentioned that they have a good relationship. But of course, it doesn’t affect the story! :)
We were given hints about each of their histories throughout the book, and although much was explained, I still felt like there were a few loose ends, like what exactly did Sally do? How bad was it for it to affect how Olivia dealt with people? I felt this should have been given more attention because it was significant enough to change Olivia and make her “icy” and “unfriendly.”
As for the romance and chemistry, I wouldn’t say that it was off the charts. The romance started late in the book, but I did find them sweet and I loved how they were willing to sacrifice other things to give their relationship a real shot. They were also mature and supportive of each other. I especially appreciate the fact that they communicate with each other. I also wish that more focus was given to their dates, because the development of their budding relationship was not shown as much as I would have wanted; they were told, but not shown. Then again, this was already at the latter parts of the books, and I understand the author’s wish to start tying things together.
Although “Write Your Own Script” is still my favorite A.L. Brooks book, this was still a good read! 3.5 stars! :)
Ylva Publishing blessed me with an ARC for an honest review :)
Jenny Quinn and Olivia Sinclair both work as production assistants who are vying for limited positions in the company they work in. Even though they are both talented and capable, they couldn’t be more different in their work process as well as their personalities. Jenny is more carefree and fun-loving, while Olivia is reserved and chooses to maintain an air of professionalism. Despite this, they just can’t seem to stop being intrigued with the other.
A.L. Brooks is a seasoned writer with several books under her belt, and it truly shows. Her writing is compelling and I think her stories (at least those I’ve read so far) are complete – great plot, good pacing, likeable characters (mostly).
I always appreciate a good slow-burn, and this book really satisfied me in that area! I’m glad that their attraction didn’t happen in an instant. They worked together on a project and tried getting to know each other better. The writer was able to show their reluctance to trust each other at first, and I felt that was more realistic as they initially didn’t like each other. I also liked that the book focused on something aside from their relationship. In fact, I loved the supporting characters as well. Jenny’s friends are protective and supportive of her, and Broderick is a great friend. If I had to nitpick, I just noticed that Olivia’s mother and her sister barely made an appearance although it was mentioned that they have a good relationship. But of course, it doesn’t affect the story! :)
We were given hints about each of their histories throughout the book, and although much was explained, I still felt like there were a few loose ends, like what exactly did Sally do? How bad was it for it to affect how Olivia dealt with people? I felt this should have been given more attention because it was significant enough to change Olivia and make her “icy” and “unfriendly.”
As for the romance and chemistry, I wouldn’t say that it was off the charts. The romance started late in the book, but I did find them sweet and I loved how they were willing to sacrifice other things to give their relationship a real shot. They were also mature and supportive of each other. I especially appreciate the fact that they communicate with each other. I also wish that more focus was given to their dates, because the development of their budding relationship was not shown as much as I would have wanted; they were told, but not shown. Then again, this was already at the latter parts of the books, and I understand the author’s wish to start tying things together.
Although “Write Your Own Script” is still my favorite A.L. Brooks book, this was still a good read! 3.5 stars! :)
Ylva Publishing blessed me with an ARC for an honest review :)
November 9, 2020
A Heart to Trust by A.L. Brooks is a fairly low angst, slow-burn romance that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Ms. Brooks is one of those authors whose books I will automatically request even without looking at the blurb. She is such a consistently skilled author that I just grab her books when I see them. I was certainly not disappointed with this novel.
This is a workplace romance since the characters meet and have to work together when the companies they’re employed with are combined through a takeover. Most of the conflict in the story happens because the two main characters, Jenny Quinn and Olivia Sinclair, along with a couple of fellow employees must compete for three permanent job openings. The fourth employee will be let go. Most of the angst in the tale happens through the budding romance between the two main characters and involves trust issues both characters have.
The story is excellent. The characters are well written, and I connected with both main characters quickly. Jenny is a former secondary character in another novel by Ms. Brooks called The Long Shot, and it was great seeing her and a few other characters from that novel. It’s always nice to see how some of our other favorite characters from other novels are doing.
A Heart to Trust is a beautifully sweet and easy to read love story that I think those of you who love to read romance will enjoy. I certainly had fun reading it.
I received an ARC from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
Rainbow Reflections: http://rainbowreflections.home.blog/
This is a workplace romance since the characters meet and have to work together when the companies they’re employed with are combined through a takeover. Most of the conflict in the story happens because the two main characters, Jenny Quinn and Olivia Sinclair, along with a couple of fellow employees must compete for three permanent job openings. The fourth employee will be let go. Most of the angst in the tale happens through the budding romance between the two main characters and involves trust issues both characters have.
The story is excellent. The characters are well written, and I connected with both main characters quickly. Jenny is a former secondary character in another novel by Ms. Brooks called The Long Shot, and it was great seeing her and a few other characters from that novel. It’s always nice to see how some of our other favorite characters from other novels are doing.
A Heart to Trust is a beautifully sweet and easy to read love story that I think those of you who love to read romance will enjoy. I certainly had fun reading it.
I received an ARC from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
Rainbow Reflections: http://rainbowreflections.home.blog/
October 13, 2025
4.5. Very pleasant, low-angst fun told very nicely. I sighed in pleasure listening to this :)
October 28, 2020
Content warning: mention of disowning, manipulation, divorce, inebriation
While I loved Brooks’s previous book, Dare to Love (my review here), I only felt a fraction of that enjoyment for A Heart to Trust. That being said, I did enjoy all the interactions of the main characters with their respective friends but just not with each other.
When C&V Inc acquires Jenny Quinn’s (29, gay) company, her job is in jeopardy. There are three PA openings for four candidates, so she has to prove her worth during the Project Catwalk collaboration with her friend Maxwell and two other PAs from C&V, Olivia Sinclair (lesbian) and Chrissy. Soon, there is evidence of sabotage but no one is sure what is going on. The only sure thing is the growing attraction between Jenny and Olivia, but Olivia is married to motor-racer Broderick Sinclair (31, ace/aro). What Jenny doesn’t know is that it is a fake marriage as Olivia struggles between her own sexual desires and previous arrangements with her close friend Broderick.
The very unfortunate event of me feeling almost zero chemistry between the main characters happened. It may have something to do with the mostly physical attraction that seldom translates well for me on paper. Jenny and Olivia are cute together, but I didn’t begin to warm up to either of them nor the idea of them being a couple until the book was almost over, and I kept feeling I was being told of their attraction. It didn’t help that most of the time, I wanted to scream in Jenny’s face. I don’t understand if she has trust issues due to her familial background, why would she be so trusting of some of her colleagues? There were also several summaries attempting to fill the readers in on off-page events that were slightly forced.
Though I didn’t really like Olivia either, I love the very sweet Broderick and Jenny’s fiercely protective chosen family—Tamara, Tamara’s partner Roz, Jenny’s roommate Carl, and later, Carl’s boyfriend Solomon. The inclusion of the asexual and aromantic character Broderick was wonderful, and it is also my favorite aspect of the book despite the naïveté of Olivia and him being in a sham marriage. I also appreciate Brooks choosing to use “honored guests” instead of gendered greeting at the Catwalk. Another point worth noting is that Jenny’s former boss Adrienne has her own story in The Long Shot.
A Heart to Trust is a low-angst, ice-queen, office romance. While the story comes together fairly late, it has guaranteed intimate scenes and a happy ending. I regret to say the romance was lost on me, but I am sure many will find it enjoyable.
I received an e-ARC from Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
While I loved Brooks’s previous book, Dare to Love (my review here), I only felt a fraction of that enjoyment for A Heart to Trust. That being said, I did enjoy all the interactions of the main characters with their respective friends but just not with each other.
When C&V Inc acquires Jenny Quinn’s (29, gay) company, her job is in jeopardy. There are three PA openings for four candidates, so she has to prove her worth during the Project Catwalk collaboration with her friend Maxwell and two other PAs from C&V, Olivia Sinclair (lesbian) and Chrissy. Soon, there is evidence of sabotage but no one is sure what is going on. The only sure thing is the growing attraction between Jenny and Olivia, but Olivia is married to motor-racer Broderick Sinclair (31, ace/aro). What Jenny doesn’t know is that it is a fake marriage as Olivia struggles between her own sexual desires and previous arrangements with her close friend Broderick.
The very unfortunate event of me feeling almost zero chemistry between the main characters happened. It may have something to do with the mostly physical attraction that seldom translates well for me on paper. Jenny and Olivia are cute together, but I didn’t begin to warm up to either of them nor the idea of them being a couple until the book was almost over, and I kept feeling I was being told of their attraction. It didn’t help that most of the time, I wanted to scream in Jenny’s face. I don’t understand if she has trust issues due to her familial background, why would she be so trusting of some of her colleagues? There were also several summaries attempting to fill the readers in on off-page events that were slightly forced.
Though I didn’t really like Olivia either, I love the very sweet Broderick and Jenny’s fiercely protective chosen family—Tamara, Tamara’s partner Roz, Jenny’s roommate Carl, and later, Carl’s boyfriend Solomon. The inclusion of the asexual and aromantic character Broderick was wonderful, and it is also my favorite aspect of the book despite the naïveté of Olivia and him being in a sham marriage. I also appreciate Brooks choosing to use “honored guests” instead of gendered greeting at the Catwalk. Another point worth noting is that Jenny’s former boss Adrienne has her own story in The Long Shot.
A Heart to Trust is a low-angst, ice-queen, office romance. While the story comes together fairly late, it has guaranteed intimate scenes and a happy ending. I regret to say the romance was lost on me, but I am sure many will find it enjoyable.
I received an e-ARC from Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
October 28, 2020
3.5 stars. I enjoyed this, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as Brooks previous release - Dare to Love. It’s a well written book - but it just didn’t excite me.
The production company Jenny is working for is bought out by another larger production company, putting Jenny’s job at risk, especially as her boss and mentor is already leaving the company. Jenny discovers that there are four people up for three roles, and their new boss has decided to make it into a competition. Jenny really needs the job so as much as she hates the idea, she has to roll with it.
One of the people she’s up against is Olivia, who in Jenny’s eyes is a stuck-up rich Brit. Olivia has a complicated situation, she’s married, but not for love. Her husband is Broderick, one of her closest friends, who is ace and aro, and their marriage is one of convenience to allow him to succeed in his dream career. This situation, plus a bad workplace experience makes Olivia very closed off.
The workplace scenario works in that you get to see Jenny and Olivia interacting regularly and meet the other key players in both of their battles to stay employed. The frostiness between the pair in the work environment makes sense with Jenny not trusting people and Olivia having something to hide, and the slow realisation that they found each other attractive plays really well.
I had problems with Jenny being written as a character that has difficulties trusting due to her family situation, but her then trusting a colleague straight away and not picking up on underlying manipulation. The manipulation storyline adds tension to the narrative and the relationship between Jenny and Olivia.
I have high standards for secondary characters in books, and this one does meet them. The workplace characters make the workplace parts of the book where we spend the most time interesting. Broderick and his family, plus Jenny’s best friends and ex-boss Adrienne are all well written and add real depth to both the MCs and the narrative. I’m intrigued by Brooks’ book on Adrienne and her partner - The Long Shot - and will be checking this one out soon.
Romance wise the two MCs don’t get together until around the 70% mark and they take it slow at the beginning too, definitely making this a slow burn romance. Once they’re together the book feels rushed as they cram in six months in the rest of the book and the epilogue, it also feels a little insta love, but I guess as it’s so slow burn this is kind of understandable.
All in all I would recommend this to romance lovers, as others may feel differently about this than me, as for me my rating is mainly due to a lack of the thing that would make this a real page turner for me.
I received an e-ARC directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The production company Jenny is working for is bought out by another larger production company, putting Jenny’s job at risk, especially as her boss and mentor is already leaving the company. Jenny discovers that there are four people up for three roles, and their new boss has decided to make it into a competition. Jenny really needs the job so as much as she hates the idea, she has to roll with it.
One of the people she’s up against is Olivia, who in Jenny’s eyes is a stuck-up rich Brit. Olivia has a complicated situation, she’s married, but not for love. Her husband is Broderick, one of her closest friends, who is ace and aro, and their marriage is one of convenience to allow him to succeed in his dream career. This situation, plus a bad workplace experience makes Olivia very closed off.
The workplace scenario works in that you get to see Jenny and Olivia interacting regularly and meet the other key players in both of their battles to stay employed. The frostiness between the pair in the work environment makes sense with Jenny not trusting people and Olivia having something to hide, and the slow realisation that they found each other attractive plays really well.
I had problems with Jenny being written as a character that has difficulties trusting due to her family situation, but her then trusting a colleague straight away and not picking up on underlying manipulation. The manipulation storyline adds tension to the narrative and the relationship between Jenny and Olivia.
I have high standards for secondary characters in books, and this one does meet them. The workplace characters make the workplace parts of the book where we spend the most time interesting. Broderick and his family, plus Jenny’s best friends and ex-boss Adrienne are all well written and add real depth to both the MCs and the narrative. I’m intrigued by Brooks’ book on Adrienne and her partner - The Long Shot - and will be checking this one out soon.
Romance wise the two MCs don’t get together until around the 70% mark and they take it slow at the beginning too, definitely making this a slow burn romance. Once they’re together the book feels rushed as they cram in six months in the rest of the book and the epilogue, it also feels a little insta love, but I guess as it’s so slow burn this is kind of understandable.
All in all I would recommend this to romance lovers, as others may feel differently about this than me, as for me my rating is mainly due to a lack of the thing that would make this a real page turner for me.
I received an e-ARC directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 10, 2020
This was such a sweet and enjoyable read.
Jenny and Olivia's story makes me all sorts of happy.
Jenny and Olivia's story makes me all sorts of happy.
May 11, 2021
Jenny Quinn’s is happy with the status quo as a TV Producer Assistant (PA) in New York City. That is, until the company she works for is bought out, and she is asked to work on a project with three other PAs. This is also a competition to see which out of the four, will get the only three available PA positions in the new company. One of her new coworkers is British transplant, Olivia Sinclair. Olivia is the consummate professional, and laid back, fun Jenny gets on her nerves immediately. A few personal and professional obstacles need to be sorted, but can they find happily ever after?
I must confess, I wanted to listen to Anastasia Watley (but more about that in a bit), so I just grabbed the audiobook without looking much further into it. However, I must say Ms Brooks delivered with an entertaining, and sweet at times story. This is a slow burn, enemies to lovers in the workplace trope.
The book is narrated in third person from both mains’ POV. This was an excellent choice because Olivia would have come off as totally unapproachable if we had not gotten to see her side of the story. Driven out of her theater PA job in the UK by a coworker stealing her idea, Olivia agrees to marry her asexual best friend as he tries to promote his motor racing career based in NYC. She’s hoping for a new start, but two years into the sham marriage and no professional advancement has her in a rut. The at home Olivia side, as well as her banter with her fake husband, totally softens the character and makes her endearing.
The other main, Jenny, is the sweetheart. She is relaxed and likable right from the beginning. Her personal life has not been ideal and makes me so happy to believe in chosen families. True to Jenny’s approachability, she is immediately befriended by the other female PA, Chrissy. This starts the office drama and she said/she said problems, putting Jenny and Olivia on opposite sides. Chrissy was a disappointment for me and just came off as the bimbo that goes to any lengths to secure her job. It was pretty obvious the inconsistencies were her doing so spending so much time on the office politics and not the romance seemed a bit excessive. The chemistry became more obvious after the mutual interest was out in the open. Then the waiting was a bit excruciating, hence the slow burn.
Back to Ms Watley, why is she not narrating more lesfic? I first listened to her narrate Sinclair’s ‘The X Ingredient’ and was immediately impressed. Of course, nothing left to do but track down the other two lesfic novels she narrated and yes, she’s the real deal. Another example of a narrator making the book justice or even elevating it.
Overall, a solid workplace story with a very good narrator. 4 stars
Audiobook is available through Scribd membership.
I must confess, I wanted to listen to Anastasia Watley (but more about that in a bit), so I just grabbed the audiobook without looking much further into it. However, I must say Ms Brooks delivered with an entertaining, and sweet at times story. This is a slow burn, enemies to lovers in the workplace trope.
The book is narrated in third person from both mains’ POV. This was an excellent choice because Olivia would have come off as totally unapproachable if we had not gotten to see her side of the story. Driven out of her theater PA job in the UK by a coworker stealing her idea, Olivia agrees to marry her asexual best friend as he tries to promote his motor racing career based in NYC. She’s hoping for a new start, but two years into the sham marriage and no professional advancement has her in a rut. The at home Olivia side, as well as her banter with her fake husband, totally softens the character and makes her endearing.
The other main, Jenny, is the sweetheart. She is relaxed and likable right from the beginning. Her personal life has not been ideal and makes me so happy to believe in chosen families. True to Jenny’s approachability, she is immediately befriended by the other female PA, Chrissy. This starts the office drama and she said/she said problems, putting Jenny and Olivia on opposite sides. Chrissy was a disappointment for me and just came off as the bimbo that goes to any lengths to secure her job. It was pretty obvious the inconsistencies were her doing so spending so much time on the office politics and not the romance seemed a bit excessive. The chemistry became more obvious after the mutual interest was out in the open. Then the waiting was a bit excruciating, hence the slow burn.
Back to Ms Watley, why is she not narrating more lesfic? I first listened to her narrate Sinclair’s ‘The X Ingredient’ and was immediately impressed. Of course, nothing left to do but track down the other two lesfic novels she narrated and yes, she’s the real deal. Another example of a narrator making the book justice or even elevating it.
Overall, a solid workplace story with a very good narrator. 4 stars
Audiobook is available through Scribd membership.
December 4, 2020
Pretty good read and interesting plot...
Ratings: 3.5 ⭐️
Ratings: 3.5 ⭐️
Read
December 16, 2020Why fight a river that’s determined to take you to a happily-ever-after? Sometimes you just simply have to let yourself be picked up and carried off no matter what obstacles you put in the way.
It’s always so lovely to read a novel that has a great main story, and a sensible, logical sub-story that runs parallel until it doesn’t and they crash wonderfully into each other, and then a bonus plot rippling underneath that knows how to stay in its lane and not dominate the others. This book has all that. As a contemporary romance, A Heart To Trust works really well. Olivia Sinclair is the reserved, almost ice-queen character who falls for Jenny Quinn, a definitely not ice-queen character, and so initially they are not enamoured with each other at all. The enemies-to-lovers main story is well-paced, with the fake marriage (the reason for Olivia’s outward icy persona) driving it along. I loved (in a well-written, gosh-you’re-an-awful-person kind of love) the insecure, narcissistic secondary character who tries to undermine both women’s work situations. It’s the plot that ripples underneath. Brooks writes this stuff (technical literary term there) really, really well. Lots of layers.
It’s tricky in a contemporary romance to analyse romantic chemistry, because we know what’s going to happen in the end. I think in that sense we are hyperaware of any chemistry presented. Perhaps in a novel where you don’t know the end result for the two characters, chemistry of any sort comes as a complete surprise and so we elevate its importance. In A Heart To Trust, the chemistry is definitely present. In all its forms. The disdain that Olivia and Jenny have for each other in the beginning is a chemistry in itself. It’s palpable. Then it’s the jump to romantic chemistry and that’s yummy.
Jenny and Olivia’s assumptions about each other are wonderfully flawed and real. When they give into that sense of trust, watching them overcome their preconceived ideas is really validating. And sweet. And romantic. The ‘awww’ factor is high.
It’s always so lovely to read a novel that has a great main story, and a sensible, logical sub-story that runs parallel until it doesn’t and they crash wonderfully into each other, and then a bonus plot rippling underneath that knows how to stay in its lane and not dominate the others. This book has all that. As a contemporary romance, A Heart To Trust works really well. Olivia Sinclair is the reserved, almost ice-queen character who falls for Jenny Quinn, a definitely not ice-queen character, and so initially they are not enamoured with each other at all. The enemies-to-lovers main story is well-paced, with the fake marriage (the reason for Olivia’s outward icy persona) driving it along. I loved (in a well-written, gosh-you’re-an-awful-person kind of love) the insecure, narcissistic secondary character who tries to undermine both women’s work situations. It’s the plot that ripples underneath. Brooks writes this stuff (technical literary term there) really, really well. Lots of layers.
It’s tricky in a contemporary romance to analyse romantic chemistry, because we know what’s going to happen in the end. I think in that sense we are hyperaware of any chemistry presented. Perhaps in a novel where you don’t know the end result for the two characters, chemistry of any sort comes as a complete surprise and so we elevate its importance. In A Heart To Trust, the chemistry is definitely present. In all its forms. The disdain that Olivia and Jenny have for each other in the beginning is a chemistry in itself. It’s palpable. Then it’s the jump to romantic chemistry and that’s yummy.
Jenny and Olivia’s assumptions about each other are wonderfully flawed and real. When they give into that sense of trust, watching them overcome their preconceived ideas is really validating. And sweet. And romantic. The ‘awww’ factor is high.
November 24, 2020
ARC received via Ylva in exchange for an honest review.
This was somewhat of a mixed bag. Overall I found it to be an ok read, but it’s not my favourite by Brooks.
This features Jenny and Olivia, who due to business merger are forced to work together and compete to keep their jobs with two other people, Chrissy, a phony bitch and Marshall, who was one of the highlights of the book. The MCs don’t like each other, pretty much from first sight. Jenny thinks Olivia is a cold, British snob, Olivia thinks Jenny is unprofessional and flaky. Olivia is also involved in a fake marriage with a race car driver, Broderick.
The book is slow build and slow burn, so the MCs don’t interact in a positive way til around the 40% mark, and then it’s still bumpy til probably the 70% mark. This means the actual relationship is very rushed, this was also hampered by a lack of chemistry between the leads. There’s also a lot of miscommunication, which got old pretty quickly.
The strength of the book is the secondary characters. Jenny has an awesome group of friends, and Olivia’s husband Broderick is ace/aro, and a real sweetie. Unfortunately most of the book plot line deals with the work issues related to the competition for the remaining spots, and this storyline made Jenny out to be a complete idiot. There were so many red flags about Chrissy and yet she blindly swallowed all her lies, it was painful to read, an also made me wonder what Olivia even saw in her.
By the time the romance started to unfold, I still hadn’t warmed to either character, so didn’t really care whether they got together (knowing of course that they would). The ending wraps everything up in a nice bow (though I did wonder why the final mention of Chrissy was even inserted, I thought she might show up again, but no, so it was just weird).
People who like workplace romances and enemies to lovers tropes would probably enjoy this, but it just didn’t hit the spot for me. 3 stars.
This was somewhat of a mixed bag. Overall I found it to be an ok read, but it’s not my favourite by Brooks.
This features Jenny and Olivia, who due to business merger are forced to work together and compete to keep their jobs with two other people, Chrissy, a phony bitch and Marshall, who was one of the highlights of the book. The MCs don’t like each other, pretty much from first sight. Jenny thinks Olivia is a cold, British snob, Olivia thinks Jenny is unprofessional and flaky. Olivia is also involved in a fake marriage with a race car driver, Broderick.
The book is slow build and slow burn, so the MCs don’t interact in a positive way til around the 40% mark, and then it’s still bumpy til probably the 70% mark. This means the actual relationship is very rushed, this was also hampered by a lack of chemistry between the leads. There’s also a lot of miscommunication, which got old pretty quickly.
The strength of the book is the secondary characters. Jenny has an awesome group of friends, and Olivia’s husband Broderick is ace/aro, and a real sweetie. Unfortunately most of the book plot line deals with the work issues related to the competition for the remaining spots, and this storyline made Jenny out to be a complete idiot. There were so many red flags about Chrissy and yet she blindly swallowed all her lies, it was painful to read, an also made me wonder what Olivia even saw in her.
By the time the romance started to unfold, I still hadn’t warmed to either character, so didn’t really care whether they got together (knowing of course that they would). The ending wraps everything up in a nice bow (though I did wonder why the final mention of Chrissy was even inserted, I thought she might show up again, but no, so it was just weird).
People who like workplace romances and enemies to lovers tropes would probably enjoy this, but it just didn’t hit the spot for me. 3 stars.
September 1, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ listened to the audiobook. The beginning of the story was slow but midway it improved. Glad to see that the backstabbing B got what was coming to her.
June 2, 2021
picked this up hoping for an interesting twist on the faux romance/marriage trope. it was not awful, but not amazing. a quick read with a bit of a banter and some judgmental ice queen vibes.
June 9, 2021
3.5 stars. Cute story - haven't read Brooks before so I was pleasantly surprised. The mention of "the Sharepoint" for the content management tool the characters use at work kept me giggling throughout because that's my daily work life!
Narration was OK, but I found this time around that Watley's characters blended in to each other and were hard to distinguish, despite her sultry tones! And the English accent wasn't great. :-/
Narration was OK, but I found this time around that Watley's characters blended in to each other and were hard to distinguish, despite her sultry tones! And the English accent wasn't great. :-/
March 7, 2021
I wasn’t sure about this book at first because it felt a little too close to real life for me, what with the office politics and the cliquiness that separates Olivia from the rest of the team. That said, I’m glad I stuck with it. The romance’s burn is incredibly slow with little angst, so the team dynamic does a great job of driving the story’s tension.
Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/hear...
Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/hear...
August 16, 2024
I really didn’t see any redeeming qualities here. It was so surface level and basic. It felt like someone told an AI generator to write a lesbian romance. I felt every emotion force feed to me and nothing felt real. There were zero subtleties or nuance. And Jenny was a total idiot. Two stars because maybe it was just me.
April 6, 2022
I enjoyed it and at the same time felt so angry at Jenny for being so naive, but her past explained why, and then I felt sad for her. When you are so sweet is so easy to get manipulated by others. I’m so glad I never had colleagues like these. I had my fair share of pressure and disagreements, in some jobs, but this level of competitiveness and scheming is woah! Good thing I absolutely have no desire in high-management positions. I could relate therefore with the fear of change of Jenny. Why change things when they are just right? Maybe one day I’ll grow up too.
Can’t shake the feeling about Chrissy, what a horrible human being!
Olivia kind of reminded me of a female version of Mr. Darcy, misunderstood and stuck with a deal she couldn’t get out of. I enjoyed her character very much, but I don’t ever think I could do something like what she did. Who would?
Appearances, appearances. People are never who you think they are, it’s all in your head what you make of them, unless they pour their souls to you. What is fake and what is not. Can you really trust people you just met?
A low angst HEA to read when you feel like getting into a messy office atmosphere and sparks flying between colleagues, who are absolutely the opposite of each other.
Can’t shake the feeling about Chrissy, what a horrible human being!
Olivia kind of reminded me of a female version of Mr. Darcy, misunderstood and stuck with a deal she couldn’t get out of. I enjoyed her character very much, but I don’t ever think I could do something like what she did. Who would?
Appearances, appearances. People are never who you think they are, it’s all in your head what you make of them, unless they pour their souls to you. What is fake and what is not. Can you really trust people you just met?
A low angst HEA to read when you feel like getting into a messy office atmosphere and sparks flying between colleagues, who are absolutely the opposite of each other.
October 26, 2020
Trust is integral in all our most intimate relationships as well as our casual everyday ones. A Heart to Trust explores all sides of the intricacies of trust. Jenny has been let down by the people most important to her so she burrows deep in the comfort of the status quo. Change is not her friend.
Olivia has had her fair share of broken trust, yet, decides to live a lie to almost everyone in her life.
The production company Jenny works for changes ownership and jobs will be lost. Olivia , Jenny and two other production assistants all vie for the three available jobs.
A.L. Brooks creates a story in which gossip plays a key role in the plot twists. I must admit I am not a fan of gossip in real life or in the books I read. However, putting my personal dislike aside, A Heart to Trust is a well written frenemy romance. It is a slow boil romance which keeps you rooting for the MC’s to come together.
The story is an ingenious vehicle to bring the characters together to work with and rub off from each other.
My only criticism is at times the characters are not doing anything. I understand they are heads down and working on their projects however the energy of Jenny and Olivia seems to just fall away. It does return but the lapses add up to become noticeable to me.
3⭐️
Olivia has had her fair share of broken trust, yet, decides to live a lie to almost everyone in her life.
The production company Jenny works for changes ownership and jobs will be lost. Olivia , Jenny and two other production assistants all vie for the three available jobs.
A.L. Brooks creates a story in which gossip plays a key role in the plot twists. I must admit I am not a fan of gossip in real life or in the books I read. However, putting my personal dislike aside, A Heart to Trust is a well written frenemy romance. It is a slow boil romance which keeps you rooting for the MC’s to come together.
The story is an ingenious vehicle to bring the characters together to work with and rub off from each other.
My only criticism is at times the characters are not doing anything. I understand they are heads down and working on their projects however the energy of Jenny and Olivia seems to just fall away. It does return but the lapses add up to become noticeable to me.
3⭐️
May 20, 2021
Enemies-to-lovers with a frosty British heroine?!?! YES PLEASE. I absolutely loved this one!
October 21, 2020
Love wins and justice prevails in the end
Main character Jenny was first introduced as a secondary character in The Long Shot where her boss Adrienne was one of the main characters alongside Morgan (who is only mentioned in A Heart to Trust); both books are stand alone stories but if you're a golf fan you'll want to read The Long Shot anyway. The other main character, Olivia, is perceived as an ice queen when they first see each other and begin to interact at work. I'm not a fan of ice queen stories but here the boss/subordinate workplace power dynamic typically part of the ice queen trope is replaced with two equals in competition for job security after the companies they each work for merge and positions are now fewer in number, putting a new spin on a popular lesfic trope. The fake marriage trope also gets a makeover here that is refreshing and where the husband is not a jerk.
The office politics and conniving manipulations of those competing for jobs gets ugly in this story and might feel overly familiar to those employed in similar corporate fields as the main characters; the office shenanigans and drama takes up a moderate amount of space in the book, however there is romance, humor and numerous scenes featuring good friends meeting for good times to offset it.
It took me a few chapters to get my bearings, then I was curious to see how this was all going to pan out and rooting for Jenny to internalize the warnings and encouragements her friends were giving her on various topics. There are some story elements that are predictable but there are also twists in the plot trajectory and not just from the reimagined tropes at play. I got a little tired of the ugly office politics which bogged down my reading enthusiasm somewhat but when that gave way for other plot threads to occupy more space on the pages of the book I got my mojo back and was turning pages to see everything come together in resolution, cheering on the characters as I went.
The developing relationship between Jenny and Olivia stemming from a less than favorable first impression fraught with misunderstandings and assumptions about each other is the highlight of the book but the relationships between Jenny and her friends, and Olivia and her husband Broderick in particular, are equally wonderful to read. These secondary characters are the kinds of people you want in your real life, who watch out for you, encourage and cheer for your happiness and wellbeing and point out when you're off course without being overbearing about it all. There are plenty of lesbians and gay characters and one ace aro who populate the story and are given plenty of scene time with the main characters.
The ending is good but I hold out hope that there will be a short story or related follow-up that satisfies my desire to see some missing scenes between certain characters who either know each other already here to some extent or have yet to meet. I'd happily read a story that satisfies that craving or any other story this author publishes in the future. This isn't my favorite by the author but it does tick the boxes when you want to read something where love wins and justice prevails in life and the workplace.
I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Main character Jenny was first introduced as a secondary character in The Long Shot where her boss Adrienne was one of the main characters alongside Morgan (who is only mentioned in A Heart to Trust); both books are stand alone stories but if you're a golf fan you'll want to read The Long Shot anyway. The other main character, Olivia, is perceived as an ice queen when they first see each other and begin to interact at work. I'm not a fan of ice queen stories but here the boss/subordinate workplace power dynamic typically part of the ice queen trope is replaced with two equals in competition for job security after the companies they each work for merge and positions are now fewer in number, putting a new spin on a popular lesfic trope. The fake marriage trope also gets a makeover here that is refreshing and where the husband is not a jerk.
The office politics and conniving manipulations of those competing for jobs gets ugly in this story and might feel overly familiar to those employed in similar corporate fields as the main characters; the office shenanigans and drama takes up a moderate amount of space in the book, however there is romance, humor and numerous scenes featuring good friends meeting for good times to offset it.
It took me a few chapters to get my bearings, then I was curious to see how this was all going to pan out and rooting for Jenny to internalize the warnings and encouragements her friends were giving her on various topics. There are some story elements that are predictable but there are also twists in the plot trajectory and not just from the reimagined tropes at play. I got a little tired of the ugly office politics which bogged down my reading enthusiasm somewhat but when that gave way for other plot threads to occupy more space on the pages of the book I got my mojo back and was turning pages to see everything come together in resolution, cheering on the characters as I went.
The developing relationship between Jenny and Olivia stemming from a less than favorable first impression fraught with misunderstandings and assumptions about each other is the highlight of the book but the relationships between Jenny and her friends, and Olivia and her husband Broderick in particular, are equally wonderful to read. These secondary characters are the kinds of people you want in your real life, who watch out for you, encourage and cheer for your happiness and wellbeing and point out when you're off course without being overbearing about it all. There are plenty of lesbians and gay characters and one ace aro who populate the story and are given plenty of scene time with the main characters.
The ending is good but I hold out hope that there will be a short story or related follow-up that satisfies my desire to see some missing scenes between certain characters who either know each other already here to some extent or have yet to meet. I'd happily read a story that satisfies that craving or any other story this author publishes in the future. This isn't my favorite by the author but it does tick the boxes when you want to read something where love wins and justice prevails in life and the workplace.
I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 28, 2020
Totally in love with this story!!!
Jenny’s life is turned upside down when the company she is currently working for as a Production Assistant announce that they have been taken over, and that means Jenny’s job is at risk. When Jenny and her colleague Maxwell meet the two colleagues from the other company, there is a fight for survival, not made easy by the fact that someone seems to be causing tension. Olivia was only trying to escape a life of heartache and politics in the office, so this latest situation isn’t helping her. Further complication comes when she finds herself attracted to the annoying Jenny Quinn and Olivia has to decide what to do because falling for Jenny isn’t as straight-forward as it would seem.
LOVED THIS SO MUCH!!! Ok, so not only did this story resonate with me for personal reasons (some of it hit home and emotionally connected me to it) but it was just such a relatable and lovely story I couldn’t help but fall in love with it. I adore A. L. Brooks’ stories and they literally get better and better with each one I read. It is almost impossible to pick a favourite, so until the next one, this is my new favourite. It was emotionally charged, packed with drama, and had a pinch of humour to lighten the mood.
Jenny and Olivia had amazing chemistry, both when things were tense and when they weren’t. They were totally made for one another, perfect together, and I loved them. Jenny was a fun, quirky, loving character and she really brightened the whole story, even given all the heartache she was going through. Olivia was my favourite though, she was icy but she had her reasons and I totally understood them. She was professional but vulnerable, again easy to relate to and I completely understood all of Olivia actions, thoughts, and feelings. My heart went out to them both so many times.
A slow-burn romance full of wonderful surprises, tension and drama that just got to my heart. I adored every minute of it, couldn’t put it down and now can only hope that A. L. Brooks will treat us to more from Olivia and Jenny because I haven’t had enough of them, and probably never will! Highly recommend this office-based romance to anyone who loves romance and is looking for a story to tug at their heart-strings and entertain!
Jenny’s life is turned upside down when the company she is currently working for as a Production Assistant announce that they have been taken over, and that means Jenny’s job is at risk. When Jenny and her colleague Maxwell meet the two colleagues from the other company, there is a fight for survival, not made easy by the fact that someone seems to be causing tension. Olivia was only trying to escape a life of heartache and politics in the office, so this latest situation isn’t helping her. Further complication comes when she finds herself attracted to the annoying Jenny Quinn and Olivia has to decide what to do because falling for Jenny isn’t as straight-forward as it would seem.
LOVED THIS SO MUCH!!! Ok, so not only did this story resonate with me for personal reasons (some of it hit home and emotionally connected me to it) but it was just such a relatable and lovely story I couldn’t help but fall in love with it. I adore A. L. Brooks’ stories and they literally get better and better with each one I read. It is almost impossible to pick a favourite, so until the next one, this is my new favourite. It was emotionally charged, packed with drama, and had a pinch of humour to lighten the mood.
Jenny and Olivia had amazing chemistry, both when things were tense and when they weren’t. They were totally made for one another, perfect together, and I loved them. Jenny was a fun, quirky, loving character and she really brightened the whole story, even given all the heartache she was going through. Olivia was my favourite though, she was icy but she had her reasons and I totally understood them. She was professional but vulnerable, again easy to relate to and I completely understood all of Olivia actions, thoughts, and feelings. My heart went out to them both so many times.
A slow-burn romance full of wonderful surprises, tension and drama that just got to my heart. I adored every minute of it, couldn’t put it down and now can only hope that A. L. Brooks will treat us to more from Olivia and Jenny because I haven’t had enough of them, and probably never will! Highly recommend this office-based romance to anyone who loves romance and is looking for a story to tug at their heart-strings and entertain!
October 26, 2020
Olivia Sinclair moved from her home in the UK for several reasons. Her relationship had ended, time for a change but the most pressing reason was that her long time friend needed help with his mother. Broderick wasn’t ready to come clean to his mother about the fact that he was ace/aro. He didn’t want or need a relationship. And when his good friend agreed to marry him he jumped at the chance. They promised they would stay together for two years, then divorce and hopefully keep the plan hidden from his mother. Problem for Olivia was finding a good job so she could afford the cost of living in NY.
Jenny Quinn moved to NY because she didn’t have anywhere else to go. Her parents threw her out after she told them she was a lesbian. Finding a place to live didn’t turn out to be that big a problem, not with friends like Roz, Tamara and Carl. Carl shared his apartment with her so all she really had to worry about was finding a job. When she met her future boss Adrienne, she not only had a great boss but a nice mentor who was constantly looking out for her.
Now after the company merging with another Jenny wasn’t sure she’d even have a job. Then when she met her four other coworkers she was informed there was only an opening for three jobs, meaning they’d have to compete against each other to see who would have to move on. Needless to say when Olivia and Jenny met all did not go well. Olivia came across as a snobby no it all which mild mannered Jenny didn’t think she’d be able to work together. But as time passed they learned they had a lot more in common then either thought.
Again Ms Brooks has given us a great read with interesting, likeable characters. I should say right now not all the characters are that likeable. Once you read the first few chapters you’ll see what I mean. All in all a very nice read.
ARC via Ylva Publishing
Jenny Quinn moved to NY because she didn’t have anywhere else to go. Her parents threw her out after she told them she was a lesbian. Finding a place to live didn’t turn out to be that big a problem, not with friends like Roz, Tamara and Carl. Carl shared his apartment with her so all she really had to worry about was finding a job. When she met her future boss Adrienne, she not only had a great boss but a nice mentor who was constantly looking out for her.
Now after the company merging with another Jenny wasn’t sure she’d even have a job. Then when she met her four other coworkers she was informed there was only an opening for three jobs, meaning they’d have to compete against each other to see who would have to move on. Needless to say when Olivia and Jenny met all did not go well. Olivia came across as a snobby no it all which mild mannered Jenny didn’t think she’d be able to work together. But as time passed they learned they had a lot more in common then either thought.
Again Ms Brooks has given us a great read with interesting, likeable characters. I should say right now not all the characters are that likeable. Once you read the first few chapters you’ll see what I mean. All in all a very nice read.
ARC via Ylva Publishing
September 10, 2021
3.75 stars
It was just a coincidence that I listened to two Anastasia Watley-narrated books in a row. I do love that woman's buttery delicious voice. *sigh* That said, one of the MC's in this work, Olivia Sinclair, is English and while I'm not from England myself, the accent was just fair.
This enemies-to-lovers story was enjoyable. I was able to listen to this on Hoopla for free through my library and I'm grateful for that because I don't think this is one I would purchase. While the premise was fine, the "issue" was a bit too easy to overcome when it was built up to be such a huge hurdle. Overall, I was happy to have listened to it once and I really enjoy A. L. Brooks books in general. I'll be back for more!
It was just a coincidence that I listened to two Anastasia Watley-narrated books in a row. I do love that woman's buttery delicious voice. *sigh* That said, one of the MC's in this work, Olivia Sinclair, is English and while I'm not from England myself, the accent was just fair.
This enemies-to-lovers story was enjoyable. I was able to listen to this on Hoopla for free through my library and I'm grateful for that because I don't think this is one I would purchase. While the premise was fine, the "issue" was a bit too easy to overcome when it was built up to be such a huge hurdle. Overall, I was happy to have listened to it once and I really enjoy A. L. Brooks books in general. I'll be back for more!
May 13, 2024
AL Brooks has written a cute enemies to lovers workplace romance which will at times make readers scoff in annoyance and swoon with heart eyes. When Jenny is pitted against three coworkers for three spots in the new corporation, things don’t go smoothly. Iciness and gossip cause her to question others’ intentions. Olivia chooses to remain icy with her colleagues because she’s been burned before. She’s a private person who is in an arranged marriage with her best friend so he can get racing sponsorships.
Slowly Jenny and Olivia’s once contentious relationship progresses towards friendship and it’s revealed they in more ways than one that things aren’t always as they seem. The story progresses smoothly but there were times that there wasn’t much actually going on. More chemistry between Jenny and Olivia was needed to make their relationship development more believable. I loved Jenny’s friends and Olivia’s husband Broderick.
Anastasia Watley did a nice job keeping me engaged with the narration. Her British accent was believable and carried throughout while also maintaining the American accents for the rest of the cast.
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Slowly Jenny and Olivia’s once contentious relationship progresses towards friendship and it’s revealed they in more ways than one that things aren’t always as they seem. The story progresses smoothly but there were times that there wasn’t much actually going on. More chemistry between Jenny and Olivia was needed to make their relationship development more believable. I loved Jenny’s friends and Olivia’s husband Broderick.
Anastasia Watley did a nice job keeping me engaged with the narration. Her British accent was believable and carried throughout while also maintaining the American accents for the rest of the cast.
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
October 30, 2020
5 stars
Another excellent story by one of my favourite authors with two great very likeable leads and some well done minor characters. A great enemies to lovers romance with enough drama that kept me interested from start to finish. A.L. Brooks really never disappoints and her next book can't come soon enough for me.
eARC by Ylva Publishing
Another excellent story by one of my favourite authors with two great very likeable leads and some well done minor characters. A great enemies to lovers romance with enough drama that kept me interested from start to finish. A.L. Brooks really never disappoints and her next book can't come soon enough for me.
eARC by Ylva Publishing
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