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(Not) The Boss of Me
Considerate. Loves dogs. Walks old ladies across the street. Loves me no matter what I look like. We all have a list of our dream man’s ideal qualities – even if it’s just in our head. And okay, mine might be written in swirly script, laminated, and used as a bookmark for my favorite Jane Austen novel. You know what’s NOT on my list? Arrogant. Impatient. Distractingly sexy. In other words, mega-successful department store magnate Blake Hudson is everything I’m not looking for. Unfortunately, I may have ruined his life a little bit when I got creative on my first day as a personal shopper. And unless I want to see my new career go up in flames, I’m stuck with the world’s smuggest billionaire until I fix everything I’ve broken. Find the hottest toy of the season for an overindulged niece? On it. Pose as his date at his company’s annual gala, to fool his obsessed ex – and let him fake-flirt with me all night long? Uh oh, this could be trouble. Let Blake see me safely home – and then let him make me see stars? Wait, that wasn’t on my list… Doesn’t matter. Moving on. I will not let Blake Handsome – I mean Blake Hudson - defeat me with his To-Do List of Impossibility, or his pillow-soft lips, or his secretly tender heart, or the swell of his biceps, or…oops. I seem to have forgotten where I was going with this, but if I can’t remember, I’m shopping for nothing but heartbreak.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 17, 2020
2333 people are currently reading
672 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 250 reviews
November 23, 2020
Sweet Jesus. The high ratings just...yeah. Mind blown.
Not original. For the love, people. The rich boss/poor girl, hate to love, boner/wet panties story has been done to bloody death, resurrected and done to death AGAIN. It stopped being relevant about a decade ago and I'm damn sure I've read this same story at least once per year since 2010. Give it a fucking rest.
Not funny - not even cute, for that matter. The heroine was a Kentucky-fried nightmare out the gate. How many times do we have to hear about another skint, down-on-her-luck loser humiliating herself in front of the gorgeous god in a silk suit? 🙄
Again, been there, read that. Hated it with a passion the first time - or 100.
Because nobody seems to be able to resist painting their heroines in the WORST possible light anymore. And that's a sure-fire way to prompt me to check right the feck out. I can't get behind a heroine after that, no matter how 'awesome' she might wind up being. I can't get past that first impression when a writer stupidly goes that route. Not everyone relates to dumpster- fire main characters.
Anyway, no danger of this heroine turning out to be 'awesome.' Truthfully, I sometimes fantasise about punching out obnoxious, immature, low-class, ignorant people. I find those daydreams so pleasing and damn if they don't diffuse my disgust at being subject to certain types of people at any given time.
I imagined punching Winona at least a half-dozen times before I tapped out of this treasure.
And I just don't get it! This wasn't good at all! There's no story or substance. The H and h both are caricatures and have the mental faculties of middle-schoolers. The h in particular shouldn't be allowed to run about unsupervised. Pretty sure her dear Southern mama dropped her on her head. That would explain so much.
The writer feels it necessary to repeat many times what an arsehole the H is (he's actually a p*ssy) and how the h has a southern accent. Even goes so far as to phonetically spell her speech.
Who gives a shite how she sounds?
I'm Scottish. Should I phonetically spell everything so people can 'hear' my burr?
Look, enough. If you don't mind characters who treat one another with disrespect and pull outrageous crap on one another and think immaturity and impulse control issues are sexy, enjoy. This was shite and so not worth the fair shot I gave it by sticking till the halfway point.
Not original. For the love, people. The rich boss/poor girl, hate to love, boner/wet panties story has been done to bloody death, resurrected and done to death AGAIN. It stopped being relevant about a decade ago and I'm damn sure I've read this same story at least once per year since 2010. Give it a fucking rest.
Not funny - not even cute, for that matter. The heroine was a Kentucky-fried nightmare out the gate. How many times do we have to hear about another skint, down-on-her-luck loser humiliating herself in front of the gorgeous god in a silk suit? 🙄
Again, been there, read that. Hated it with a passion the first time - or 100.
Because nobody seems to be able to resist painting their heroines in the WORST possible light anymore. And that's a sure-fire way to prompt me to check right the feck out. I can't get behind a heroine after that, no matter how 'awesome' she might wind up being. I can't get past that first impression when a writer stupidly goes that route. Not everyone relates to dumpster- fire main characters.
Anyway, no danger of this heroine turning out to be 'awesome.' Truthfully, I sometimes fantasise about punching out obnoxious, immature, low-class, ignorant people. I find those daydreams so pleasing and damn if they don't diffuse my disgust at being subject to certain types of people at any given time.
I imagined punching Winona at least a half-dozen times before I tapped out of this treasure.
And I just don't get it! This wasn't good at all! There's no story or substance. The H and h both are caricatures and have the mental faculties of middle-schoolers. The h in particular shouldn't be allowed to run about unsupervised. Pretty sure her dear Southern mama dropped her on her head. That would explain so much.
The writer feels it necessary to repeat many times what an arsehole the H is (he's actually a p*ssy) and how the h has a southern accent. Even goes so far as to phonetically spell her speech.
Who gives a shite how she sounds?
I'm Scottish. Should I phonetically spell everything so people can 'hear' my burr?
Look, enough. If you don't mind characters who treat one another with disrespect and pull outrageous crap on one another and think immaturity and impulse control issues are sexy, enjoy. This was shite and so not worth the fair shot I gave it by sticking till the halfway point.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2021
DNF @ 27%.
What had attracted me about the synopsis was the pretending-to-be-dating-but-then-actually-falling-in-love trope – my favourite – and the promise of luxury fashion. In the first 27% of the novel, however, there was barely any romantic development and the little that was present was marred with juvenility. Both protagonists sounded like children. The hero, in particular, was irredeemable. He took pride in crushing his employees’ spirit and at one point, even shoved a dirty handkerchief into his assistant’s hand, God forbid he throw his own garbage out himself.
The most intolerable aspect of the novel, however, was the copious amounts of second-hand embarrassment. I get that the author intended for these scenes to be comedic relief, but they weren’t amusing in the slightest. For example, when Blake stole Winona’s cab (which was supposed to take her to a job interview that she had already missed once), she then proceeded to mist AND dump a whole bottle of perfume on his lap WHILST she was in said cab with him. The scent, which smelt like “someone’s grandmother”, would have lingered on her as well. She was supposed to be in desperate need for the job. This would NOT have made a good impression on any hiring manager, but especially since the role was in a luxury department store. The sheer asininity of her actions was astounding. Another cringey moment was the opening scene where Winona confronted Blake in her pajamas and then discovered that she locked herself out of her apartment in front of him. And finally – my last straw – when Blake showed up to her residence to offer her job back (after he had fired her earlier in the day), she was thwacking a piñata of HIM. It was as nonsensical as it was insufferable.
What had attracted me about the synopsis was the pretending-to-be-dating-but-then-actually-falling-in-love trope – my favourite – and the promise of luxury fashion. In the first 27% of the novel, however, there was barely any romantic development and the little that was present was marred with juvenility. Both protagonists sounded like children. The hero, in particular, was irredeemable. He took pride in crushing his employees’ spirit and at one point, even shoved a dirty handkerchief into his assistant’s hand, God forbid he throw his own garbage out himself.
The most intolerable aspect of the novel, however, was the copious amounts of second-hand embarrassment. I get that the author intended for these scenes to be comedic relief, but they weren’t amusing in the slightest. For example, when Blake stole Winona’s cab (which was supposed to take her to a job interview that she had already missed once), she then proceeded to mist AND dump a whole bottle of perfume on his lap WHILST she was in said cab with him. The scent, which smelt like “someone’s grandmother”, would have lingered on her as well. She was supposed to be in desperate need for the job. This would NOT have made a good impression on any hiring manager, but especially since the role was in a luxury department store. The sheer asininity of her actions was astounding. Another cringey moment was the opening scene where Winona confronted Blake in her pajamas and then discovered that she locked herself out of her apartment in front of him. And finally – my last straw – when Blake showed up to her residence to offer her job back (after he had fired her earlier in the day), she was thwacking a piñata of HIM. It was as nonsensical as it was insufferable.
November 20, 2020
2.5- skimming required
What can I say. Some weak sauce. At first, Blake and Winona seem to have chemistry, it seemed like there was world/character development going to happen and then. Well. It came grinding to a halt.
It felt like a lot of it was written to avoid contradicting the way Blake was initially described. Including his knee jerk tantrum/melt downs. It didn't fit him anymore, but it was obvious there wasn't going to be any of the hinted at development.
He tantrums once, grovels, and they're good. He freaks out/melts down, grovels. And buys stuff, and it's fine. The end.
Pretty sure Peach Pit(Winona's home town) was in another book. Or else Reed writes every small town to be gossiping (passive aggressive) misogynistic assholes.
What can I say. Some weak sauce. At first, Blake and Winona seem to have chemistry, it seemed like there was world/character development going to happen and then. Well. It came grinding to a halt.
It felt like a lot of it was written to avoid contradicting the way Blake was initially described. Including his knee jerk tantrum/melt downs. It didn't fit him anymore, but it was obvious there wasn't going to be any of the hinted at development.
He tantrums once, grovels, and they're good. He freaks out/melts down, grovels. And buys stuff, and it's fine. The end.
Pretty sure Peach Pit(Winona's home town) was in another book. Or else Reed writes every small town to be gossiping (passive aggressive) misogynistic assholes.
July 5, 2025
“I can’t have her. I can’t stop thinking about her. I want her thinking about me. I maybe probably definitely need professional help.”
This read started at a little iffy for me. I think Blake was just SO MUCH of a Boss-hole that I couldn’t get into it. But that was pretty short lived and it turned into a sweet, funny, and at times touching love story. I like that he realistically change things overnight and became the man that she needed. He tried different ways to make things work, he made mistakes, and he finally found his balance with Winona. The writing was pretty clever and gave me a few chuckles. I definitely recommend this Boss-hole romantic comedy.
Check out my highlights for some funny and sweet snippets from the book.
Read 2: had no recollection of this book so I gave it a reread and really enjoyed it. There were a lot of ups and downs, twists and turns. And the writing? It was just plain good
This read started at a little iffy for me. I think Blake was just SO MUCH of a Boss-hole that I couldn’t get into it. But that was pretty short lived and it turned into a sweet, funny, and at times touching love story. I like that he realistically change things overnight and became the man that she needed. He tried different ways to make things work, he made mistakes, and he finally found his balance with Winona. The writing was pretty clever and gave me a few chuckles. I definitely recommend this Boss-hole romantic comedy.
Check out my highlights for some funny and sweet snippets from the book.
Read 2: had no recollection of this book so I gave it a reread and really enjoyed it. There were a lot of ups and downs, twists and turns. And the writing? It was just plain good
November 19, 2020
This is a fun rom-com that I really enjoyed. It is full of sassy and witty banter that just makes you laugh throughout. But there are also a few emotional moments. Blake and Winona are such a fun couple. They will not bore you. This is very well-written too!
Read
July 30, 2021DNF @ 14%. If I was in a different mood, I could see myself finishing this with probably a 3 star rating. But it's been a few days since I've picked it up and I really have no desire to, so I'm calling it.
November 16, 2020
This was my first read by this author and I enjoyed it. I thought the book was well written and offered up a very funny and swoon worthy story. Blake and Winona have incredible chemistry and boy, oh boy do the sparks fly! What starts out as some zany oops moments quickly steamrolls into a laugh until your sides hurt, melt your heart romance that was a true delight!! This is my freely posted, objective review.
November 19, 2020
Not the Boss of Me is a quirky, fun romance featuring Blake and Winona. Blake is a workaholic, never without his planner, CEO, who is trying to fulfill his father's dreams no matter the cost. Winona is a transplanted Georgia peach, who wants to make it in the fashion world. There is plenty of humor to keep your interest in their love/hate relationship. It started to drag a little towards the middle, but well worth staying until the end.
May 6, 2021
4.5 Stars rounded up to 5 only because this read epitomized an A$$hole Hero who never crossed over to the irredeemable side! Oh and the writing made me laugh out loud!
Winona Jeffers and Blake Hudson have a hate-hate relationship right from the first time they meet and they spend a considerable amount of time trying to one-up each other in mean, childish ways! By a weird twist of fate, she ends up working for him and gets herself fired on day 1! Bad Blake rehires her a day or so later, but constantly threatens to fire her! Since they are so different, they fight their attention towards each other until they can’t fight it anymore...
The best part about the book was how Winona kicked Blake to the curb every time he stepped out of line. She made him beg for forgiveness and thankfully, did not suffer from BBS that most other heroines usually do!
Both Winona and Blake are OTT in their own ways and yet, they are both amazing... I loved all the secondary characters in the book... well, most of them!
Dual POV, 1st person
Safe: No cheating
No OW drama apart from Blake’s stalker ex (who he isn’t interested in at all) trying to get his attention and failing!
Winona goes on a “blackmail” date with OM but even he admits that it was the worst date ever... Blake crashes the date and obviously nothing happens.
HFN... I would have loved an Epilogue!!!
Winona Jeffers and Blake Hudson have a hate-hate relationship right from the first time they meet and they spend a considerable amount of time trying to one-up each other in mean, childish ways! By a weird twist of fate, she ends up working for him and gets herself fired on day 1! Bad Blake rehires her a day or so later, but constantly threatens to fire her! Since they are so different, they fight their attention towards each other until they can’t fight it anymore...
The best part about the book was how Winona kicked Blake to the curb every time he stepped out of line. She made him beg for forgiveness and thankfully, did not suffer from BBS that most other heroines usually do!
Both Winona and Blake are OTT in their own ways and yet, they are both amazing... I loved all the secondary characters in the book... well, most of them!
Dual POV, 1st person
Safe: No cheating
No OW drama apart from Blake’s stalker ex (who he isn’t interested in at all) trying to get his attention and failing!
Winona goes on a “blackmail” date with OM but even he admits that it was the worst date ever... Blake crashes the date and obviously nothing happens.
HFN... I would have loved an Epilogue!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2021
I'm a big fan of fake-date turned real so I'm definitely not entirely hating on this. There were plenty of good bits, I liked Blake's assistant Henry - even more so when he spoke up like a damn adult! Although he didn't really did he? That was actually part of Blake's less-douchecanoe-evolving that saw Henry treated better.
Oh.. I'm going with 2.75 stars.
May 3, 2021
I'd give this a solid four stars. I'd not read anything by Kenzie Reed before, and I liked this enough to read more by her in the future.
I loved the way the hero and heroine's relationship moved from literal enemies to snarky, respected friendship to love. Of course they are physically attracted to each other from the very beginning as well.
It was different seeing a hero so incredibly devoted to a dead dad that he basically had turned his house into a mausoleum. When it came to Hudon's and his father, the way everything played out in the end was quite interesting. It took someone very special like Winona to get Blake to see that he wasn't living at all. Except in the past.
There are three full sex scenes. They are all medium in length and moderately explicit. There's a fair amount of foul language but not a ton. The heroine uses replacement words and phrases, but the hero curses when he's upset and frustrated.
I would definitely recommend this, especially to those who enjoy the boss trope.
I loved the way the hero and heroine's relationship moved from literal enemies to snarky, respected friendship to love. Of course they are physically attracted to each other from the very beginning as well.
It was different seeing a hero so incredibly devoted to a dead dad that he basically had turned his house into a mausoleum. When it came to Hudon's and his father, the way everything played out in the end was quite interesting. It took someone very special like Winona to get Blake to see that he wasn't living at all. Except in the past.
There are three full sex scenes. They are all medium in length and moderately explicit. There's a fair amount of foul language but not a ton. The heroine uses replacement words and phrases, but the hero curses when he's upset and frustrated.
I would definitely recommend this, especially to those who enjoy the boss trope.
February 11, 2021
A new-to-me author! Also, I wanted a rom/com and got really lucky with this book. I love me some snark and sarcasm and this book had it and then some. I adored me some Winona, bless her heart. Don't let her being from Georgia fool you, you would think she was bored and bred in NY with the sarcasm and ball busting. Then you have Blake, Mr. Billionaire bossy pants, who thinks everything revolves around him until he met his match in Winona! And you will love her friends too.
I haven't read a LOL rom/com in quite some time, I am so happy I stumbled upon this book and was pleasantly surprised. I will most definitely look at this author's back list for sure.
I haven't read a LOL rom/com in quite some time, I am so happy I stumbled upon this book and was pleasantly surprised. I will most definitely look at this author's back list for sure.
November 19, 2020
This mades me laugh nongstop... Bravo to the author for this jewel.. This book is fantastic.
The couple had a hate-love relationship but it evolved but not to fast either... That banter that they had between them was amazing. Even near the end the banter didn't change. The chemistry of all the characters was on point.
What you don't expect is that all characters were beautifully written not only the main. I loved each and every one of them from Tamara to Edna... I was hoping for a second book from one of the side-characters but they all have their mini story told in the book.
My first book from this author, i don't think it's going to be my last
The couple had a hate-love relationship but it evolved but not to fast either... That banter that they had between them was amazing. Even near the end the banter didn't change. The chemistry of all the characters was on point.
What you don't expect is that all characters were beautifully written not only the main. I loved each and every one of them from Tamara to Edna... I was hoping for a second book from one of the side-characters but they all have their mini story told in the book.
My first book from this author, i don't think it's going to be my last
November 17, 2020
Considerate. Loves dogs. Walks old ladies across the street. Loves me no matter what I look like. All the things Winona want on her true love. All things Blake Hudson is not. Yet she can’t stop thinking about him. He is rude, spoiled and class A jerk. She is messy, chaotic and snarky. All things the Blake can’t have in a relationship right now. Yet she is always on his mind, messing up his previous streamlined time. Opposites attract on the grumpy hero bs lovable heroine tale. They have a love hate relationship that starts more as hate but slowly adds in love. The dynamics between the two will have you laughing. The more they fight their feelings the harder they are to ignore. She finds out he is all the things she needs and he finds out he has the time. Plenty of chemistry. While these two muddle through their feelings you get to meet a cast of supporting characters to enjoy. The Kitchen Krew is all that.
June 2, 2021
A-hole Boss Alert!
There are some really good/funny parts in this book! First I’ll do a quick re-cap, then I’ll share my two cents 😉
Quick re-cap:
Winona is a fierce southern bell who starts a war with Blake over starting construction too early in the morning. Their high emotions turn into a mini feud that involves some interesting pranks.
Little does Winona know that Blake is the CEO and owner of Hudson’s; a high end store where Winona desperately wants to work.
Winona scores a job at Hudson’s, but when Blake finds out, he makes her job miserable. He even changes her position to his admin and gives her impossible tasks.
Of course, their anger and frustration is covering for their real feelings. Soon they give into their romantic feelings that leads to more 🥰
My two cents:
I whole heartedly give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the southernisms, Winona’s family, and the Kitchen Krew. All of these gave the book great heart.
I struggled with Blake a little bit. He seems like the type of guy who would make a decision and keep it, but he hemmed and hawed over the relationship with Winona for a long time. Then he went back on his decision a few times.
He was also a jerk to everyone and thought he could throw money at any problem to make it go away. Yet he is able to turn it around and become a decent human being by the end of the book. I didn’t feel that was realistic.
Besides Blake, I had issues with all the lies revealed at the end of the book. And Blake forgives and overcomes them in the blink of an eye. He’s a better human than me.
There were a few sex scenes. Hmmm...I don’t remember them well. So, they were mediocre and/or too few.
Overall, the book was okay. There was a lot of really great comedic moments. However, it had an interesting mix of seeming too long, but not long enough. I wanted an epilogue or a little bit more at the end and less stuff in the middle.
I’ll leave this decision in your hands. I would probably read this again. So, I recommend reading it if it sounds like a book you might like. Happy reading y’all!!
There are some really good/funny parts in this book! First I’ll do a quick re-cap, then I’ll share my two cents 😉
Quick re-cap:
Winona is a fierce southern bell who starts a war with Blake over starting construction too early in the morning. Their high emotions turn into a mini feud that involves some interesting pranks.
Little does Winona know that Blake is the CEO and owner of Hudson’s; a high end store where Winona desperately wants to work.
Winona scores a job at Hudson’s, but when Blake finds out, he makes her job miserable. He even changes her position to his admin and gives her impossible tasks.
Of course, their anger and frustration is covering for their real feelings. Soon they give into their romantic feelings that leads to more 🥰
My two cents:
I whole heartedly give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the southernisms, Winona’s family, and the Kitchen Krew. All of these gave the book great heart.
I struggled with Blake a little bit. He seems like the type of guy who would make a decision and keep it, but he hemmed and hawed over the relationship with Winona for a long time. Then he went back on his decision a few times.
He was also a jerk to everyone and thought he could throw money at any problem to make it go away. Yet he is able to turn it around and become a decent human being by the end of the book. I didn’t feel that was realistic.
Besides Blake, I had issues with all the lies revealed at the end of the book. And Blake forgives and overcomes them in the blink of an eye. He’s a better human than me.
There were a few sex scenes. Hmmm...I don’t remember them well. So, they were mediocre and/or too few.
Overall, the book was okay. There was a lot of really great comedic moments. However, it had an interesting mix of seeming too long, but not long enough. I wanted an epilogue or a little bit more at the end and less stuff in the middle.
I’ll leave this decision in your hands. I would probably read this again. So, I recommend reading it if it sounds like a book you might like. Happy reading y’all!!
April 11, 2021
Rating: 4 stars
What I Liked: I had fun reading this. It’s an easy to read romance with some good funny bits, a couple of which made me laugh out loud. The plot is entertaining and for the most part moved at a good pace.
I liked Winona, she was a really entertaining character. She was funny and sweet and I liked that she stood up for herself. Blake was a bit harder to like, he was quite annoying and unpleasant at first, but I warmed to him as the story went on and I enjoyed reading his development.
I enjoyed their relationship. They had decent chemistry and I thought the development of their feelings felt quite real and natural. They also had some really sweet moments
What I Didn’t: I thought the pacing was a little funny towards the end. It’s quite a fast-paced book in that something is always happening, but the last few chapters felt a bit dragged out and some of the drama felt a bit much I just felt that every time the book felt like it was winding down something else happened to prolong the story.
Overall: It was a funny, entertaining book that made me laugh and smile. Reed’s writing style has a conversational tone to it that made it really easy to read and I think the way she set up some of the comedy moments was good.
Would I Recommend It?: Yes, if you want a funny enemies-to-lovers, boss/employee romance.
Would I Read Something By The Author Again?: Yes.
Content Warnings:
What I Liked: I had fun reading this. It’s an easy to read romance with some good funny bits, a couple of which made me laugh out loud. The plot is entertaining and for the most part moved at a good pace.
I liked Winona, she was a really entertaining character. She was funny and sweet and I liked that she stood up for herself. Blake was a bit harder to like, he was quite annoying and unpleasant at first, but I warmed to him as the story went on and I enjoyed reading his development.
I enjoyed their relationship. They had decent chemistry and I thought the development of their feelings felt quite real and natural. They also had some really sweet moments
What I Didn’t: I thought the pacing was a little funny towards the end. It’s quite a fast-paced book in that something is always happening, but the last few chapters felt a bit dragged out and some of the drama felt a bit much I just felt that every time the book felt like it was winding down something else happened to prolong the story.
Overall: It was a funny, entertaining book that made me laugh and smile. Reed’s writing style has a conversational tone to it that made it really easy to read and I think the way she set up some of the comedy moments was good.
Would I Recommend It?: Yes, if you want a funny enemies-to-lovers, boss/employee romance.
Would I Read Something By The Author Again?: Yes.
Content Warnings:
March 21, 2021
I mostly enjoyed this book. It was a quick, easy read. I enjoyed Winona's personality, for the most part. She's the type of person that doesn't take shit from anyone and has grown to not care what others think of her. She's caught outside a few times in her jammies and curlers in her hair without a care in the world. The type of woman we should all strive to be, in that perspective.
The 3 stars os due to some major parts of the story I did not enjoy. First, I was not a fan of Blake's stalker side. Winona points it out as being creepy and yet Blake sees nothing wrong with it. He went out of his way to figure out Winona's name and her apartment number. Not only that, but he manages to seek entrance into her apartment. I'm sorry, I do not care how attractive you are, that's a no beuno. The fact that Winona shrugged it off immediately after the fact demotes a star.
Next, I was very disappointed with the way romantic plot turned out. It's so typical in these types of novels. The male does something frivolous and the female immediately aborts the relationship. Neither characters can act like adults and talk through what's bothering them.
Lastly, the ending was just terrible. I'm pretty sure the author rushed the ending just to get the book over with. And the way he announced that he was going to propose at some point. Come on man! Idc how much a woman claims she hates that sort of thing, she's lying.
The 3 stars os due to some major parts of the story I did not enjoy. First, I was not a fan of Blake's stalker side. Winona points it out as being creepy and yet Blake sees nothing wrong with it. He went out of his way to figure out Winona's name and her apartment number. Not only that, but he manages to seek entrance into her apartment. I'm sorry, I do not care how attractive you are, that's a no beuno. The fact that Winona shrugged it off immediately after the fact demotes a star.
Next, I was very disappointed with the way romantic plot turned out. It's so typical in these types of novels. The male does something frivolous and the female immediately aborts the relationship. Neither characters can act like adults and talk through what's bothering them.
Lastly, the ending was just terrible. I'm pretty sure the author rushed the ending just to get the book over with. And the way he announced that he was going to propose at some point. Come on man! Idc how much a woman claims she hates that sort of thing, she's lying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2020
Winona, 25, had moved from Georgia to New York City for a job in fashion but was working part time jobs. She had several hilarious interactions with a supervisor at a nearby construction site and she referred to him as Dickweasal. After a disastrous job interview, she ended up getting a job as a personal shopper at a store owned by Blake, aka Dickweasal. Winona and Blake are attracted to each other but Blake doesn’t want her around as a temptation since he has many important business deals going on so he tries to get her to quit. Will Winona and Blake stop fighting their attraction and begin a relationship? Will Blake’s business tear them apart?
I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it. The author did a fantastic job developing the characters of Winona and Blake as well as their friends and families. The hilarious, snarky conversations and pranks at the beginning and throughout the story had me laughing so hard that there were tears in my eyes. The piñata and super soakers were especially funny. There were also serious moments with Blake’s family business crisis and mentioning of Winona’s childhood bullying. The epilogue was a great ending for their story
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it. The author did a fantastic job developing the characters of Winona and Blake as well as their friends and families. The hilarious, snarky conversations and pranks at the beginning and throughout the story had me laughing so hard that there were tears in my eyes. The piñata and super soakers were especially funny. There were also serious moments with Blake’s family business crisis and mentioning of Winona’s childhood bullying. The epilogue was a great ending for their story
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 12, 2021
LOVED IT!!!!
*No spoilers included*
It's been awhile since I read a really good rom-com. But "(Not) The Boss of Me" was a really Fun read!!! Since I did most of my reading while my littlest was sleeping I was quietly snickering and giggling to myself throughout. With Winona's funny southern sayings and her no bullsh*t attitude she made this a great read!! I loved how she made Blake work for it when he made mistakes and didn't just fold with a simple apology. Because in the real world when our men royaly mess up, they need to grovel a little bit! Just saying I'm sorry sometimes isn't enough.
The main characters may not be every day kinda people, (obviously with one of them being ridiculously rich), but the way the author Kenzie Reed wrote about them, not so much the world in which they live, but just how they live their day to day lives kind of made them relatable. She struggles to make ends meet working all sorts of jobs, while trying to land 'The' job, the one shes always wanted. And he is a workaholic who doesn't know how to balance work and his life. I believe those are two roles that a lot of people can relate to.
I will definitely be reading more from this author!!
*No spoilers included*
It's been awhile since I read a really good rom-com. But "(Not) The Boss of Me" was a really Fun read!!! Since I did most of my reading while my littlest was sleeping I was quietly snickering and giggling to myself throughout. With Winona's funny southern sayings and her no bullsh*t attitude she made this a great read!! I loved how she made Blake work for it when he made mistakes and didn't just fold with a simple apology. Because in the real world when our men royaly mess up, they need to grovel a little bit! Just saying I'm sorry sometimes isn't enough.
The main characters may not be every day kinda people, (obviously with one of them being ridiculously rich), but the way the author Kenzie Reed wrote about them, not so much the world in which they live, but just how they live their day to day lives kind of made them relatable. She struggles to make ends meet working all sorts of jobs, while trying to land 'The' job, the one shes always wanted. And he is a workaholic who doesn't know how to balance work and his life. I believe those are two roles that a lot of people can relate to.
I will definitely be reading more from this author!!
November 23, 2020
Engaging, charming and very very funny. There is nothing I like more than a good laugh. I love witty, intelligent, warm humour, which this book has plenty of. I couldn't put this book down, so decided to read the remaining of the chapter in bed. That was a mistake, as I laughed with my hand in front of my mouth and was shaking the bed so hard that my husband woke up. The characters, all of them were so easy to imagine, as the author described them so precisely. Winona, a fearless, feisty and sassy girl vs. Blake, the hunky, department store owner, a workaholic control freak. Poor Blake, they are so unevenly matched, he doesn't know what hit him. The storyline is charming, the dialogues are scene and character-appropriate. There are plenty of tension points as one would expect with protagonists like these but their developing attachment and love are told in a captivating, page-turning manner. Good editing enhanced the experience and I'll be looking out for this author in the future. Thank you for making me laugh! Most definitely recommend this novel and the author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 20, 2020
Really enjoyable
Though the premise of the book - assistant/boss with class divide - is a well trodden one, I thought I'd give this a go as I hadn't read this author. I wanted to read something feel good and the last couple of books with this type have been a let down either because the characters were so unlikable you couldn't imagine them changing(mainly the men), were just overwritten (mainly the women), or the humour missed the mark. This book avoids that. Right from the first few pages, the imagery is great and the author puts you right in the story so you can feel like you're there. The main leads are well written an believable. The chemistry is the perfect amount and I love the snark and sarcasm on both sides. Whilst there are faults with Blake, theres no real nastiness either. The families are nice and quirky. The side characters in Hells Kitchen are a little ott. The humour running throughout is light and well done. Also, because its fairly continuous, you don't get whiplash from character's appearing to have had personality transplants. It was just the read I was looking for. I will read the author again.
Though the premise of the book - assistant/boss with class divide - is a well trodden one, I thought I'd give this a go as I hadn't read this author. I wanted to read something feel good and the last couple of books with this type have been a let down either because the characters were so unlikable you couldn't imagine them changing(mainly the men), were just overwritten (mainly the women), or the humour missed the mark. This book avoids that. Right from the first few pages, the imagery is great and the author puts you right in the story so you can feel like you're there. The main leads are well written an believable. The chemistry is the perfect amount and I love the snark and sarcasm on both sides. Whilst there are faults with Blake, theres no real nastiness either. The families are nice and quirky. The side characters in Hells Kitchen are a little ott. The humour running throughout is light and well done. Also, because its fairly continuous, you don't get whiplash from character's appearing to have had personality transplants. It was just the read I was looking for. I will read the author again.
November 17, 2020
I received a free ARC copy of this book from the author prior to release and am voluntarily leaving a review.
" This was a fun story with a great hate to employee to falling for each other romance. It stars Blake who is a HUGE jerk to Winona. They meet one morning and form a very bad relationship and then she ends up working for his company. Blake is a jerk but a jerk who everyone thinks is a jerk. He is really a jerk because he is trying to make things happen for his deceased father and lets say it stresses him out.
W ends up his employee and she ends up making mistakes that land her up at Blake's beck and call employee and thats when the fun starts and these two start getting to know each other as they work together.
W is a great character and she really cares about everyone she runs into. While Blake keeps a distance between him and everyone but his sister, he also learns to trust W and he starts to want more with her.
This was a really fun romance with a different spin on hate at first sight and a romance at work angle. I really enjoyed it and I hope to read more from this author."
" This was a fun story with a great hate to employee to falling for each other romance. It stars Blake who is a HUGE jerk to Winona. They meet one morning and form a very bad relationship and then she ends up working for his company. Blake is a jerk but a jerk who everyone thinks is a jerk. He is really a jerk because he is trying to make things happen for his deceased father and lets say it stresses him out.
W ends up his employee and she ends up making mistakes that land her up at Blake's beck and call employee and thats when the fun starts and these two start getting to know each other as they work together.
W is a great character and she really cares about everyone she runs into. While Blake keeps a distance between him and everyone but his sister, he also learns to trust W and he starts to want more with her.
This was a really fun romance with a different spin on hate at first sight and a romance at work angle. I really enjoyed it and I hope to read more from this author."
December 18, 2020
Blake and Winona
This story had so many funny moments, poignant moments, and inspirational moments. We should all be so lucky to know someone as smart, giving and unique as Winona. I loved her honesty and southern humor.
Blake has secrets revealed through the course of the story that explained a lot about his personality, his work ethic, and the importance of family. He starts out so self assured and cocky, but Winona soon breaks through his public persona and reveals a man that needs the love and affection he lacked as a child.
Kenzie Reed wove a take that was hard to put down. I fell in love with all of the characters that were part of her little community of neighbors. She may have come from a small town like Peach Pit, but she created the same gifts of generosity among her friends in New York, too. There’s jealousy, misunderstandings, unwarranted blow ups, and jumping to the wrong conclusion that help fuel the fire and drive the story.
This story had so many funny moments, poignant moments, and inspirational moments. We should all be so lucky to know someone as smart, giving and unique as Winona. I loved her honesty and southern humor.
Blake has secrets revealed through the course of the story that explained a lot about his personality, his work ethic, and the importance of family. He starts out so self assured and cocky, but Winona soon breaks through his public persona and reveals a man that needs the love and affection he lacked as a child.
Kenzie Reed wove a take that was hard to put down. I fell in love with all of the characters that were part of her little community of neighbors. She may have come from a small town like Peach Pit, but she created the same gifts of generosity among her friends in New York, too. There’s jealousy, misunderstandings, unwarranted blow ups, and jumping to the wrong conclusion that help fuel the fire and drive the story.
March 16, 2021
Overall, this was an ok book. I liked the author's other books more. Each of the main components was just a bit too much. The FMC was a bit too wonky. The snark should have gotten her immediately fired and him reported to HR. I am from both the South and NY, and she was off putting. The MMC threw money around a little too much. It actually ticked me off how wasteful he was. There was only a minor transformation in the end. He basically messed up, ignored all her requests and boundaries, made things worse again and again, and then she forgives him because he helped a neighbor cross the street. I felt Henry was underdeveloped as a character. They never said why he stayed all those years even with how bad he was treated. It was a missed opportunity. This author did a better job in A Billion Times No with the same type of storyline of a quirky southern belle in NYC and the hyper career focused billionaire with the villain male relative.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2021
Quirky and funny and sexy, oh don't forget peaches
If those words don't tell how much fun I had reading this book let me tell you this
Yes I read in a day (and night😉).
Winona is weird, quirky and fun and spunky. No wilting willow here.
Blake is deluded, rich and handsome boss (in the way a heart could be pretty).
It has menagerie of funny characters and devoted friends. Including a bunch of sweet older women who don't believe in " giving the cow away for free".
You put all of those things in a big stock pot and give a good stir, and you get this this millionaire/assistant love story. With enough "story"to make it deliciously unrealistic.
Oh and did I mention sexy.😉😆
Sorry no werewolf or vampires, no shape shifters, no cowboys and no aliens, and unrealistic sex positions.
Thank you, #KenzieReeds for not making yet another ordinary read, and remembering that sexy doesn' t have to involve over the top sex scenes.
If those words don't tell how much fun I had reading this book let me tell you this
Yes I read in a day (and night😉).
Winona is weird, quirky and fun and spunky. No wilting willow here.
Blake is deluded, rich and handsome boss (in the way a heart could be pretty).
It has menagerie of funny characters and devoted friends. Including a bunch of sweet older women who don't believe in " giving the cow away for free".
You put all of those things in a big stock pot and give a good stir, and you get this this millionaire/assistant love story. With enough "story"to make it deliciously unrealistic.
Oh and did I mention sexy.😉😆
Sorry no werewolf or vampires, no shape shifters, no cowboys and no aliens, and unrealistic sex positions.
Thank you, #KenzieReeds for not making yet another ordinary read, and remembering that sexy doesn' t have to involve over the top sex scenes.
November 19, 2020
Querky and cute:
What a great book. I really enjoyed the wit and humour and loved getting to know this motley crew of characters. The author was able to give a small town feel to a large city, billionaire romance.
Winona was hilarious and I enjoyed her feisty yet caring and generous nature. Blake meanwhile was the rather cold and ruthless owner of a large, high end department store. He was arrogant and a serious workaholic but I couldn't help having a soft spot for him as deep down he really was just a hurt and lonely little boy. I was so glad that Winona with all of her craziness was able to break through his tightly regimented ways.
Overall I just loved it and wanted to just keep on reading to see what crazy things were going to happen next!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What a great book. I really enjoyed the wit and humour and loved getting to know this motley crew of characters. The author was able to give a small town feel to a large city, billionaire romance.
Winona was hilarious and I enjoyed her feisty yet caring and generous nature. Blake meanwhile was the rather cold and ruthless owner of a large, high end department store. He was arrogant and a serious workaholic but I couldn't help having a soft spot for him as deep down he really was just a hurt and lonely little boy. I was so glad that Winona with all of her craziness was able to break through his tightly regimented ways.
Overall I just loved it and wanted to just keep on reading to see what crazy things were going to happen next!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 20, 2020
After the humiliation of the boss she has crushed on for 10 years getting married to another woman, Serena is not ready to think about love again. Expecting to lose her job over this embarrassment, her boss and wife gift her the opportunity to be matched by Yolanda’s exclusive matchmaking service.
Country music singer Frank Sands needs to find love so he can feel inspired to write music again. But he doesn’t want to be matched to someone who recognizes his fame and doesn’t want him for himself. Yolanda matches him with Serena, who doesn’t even know who he is. But even though she feels a strong attraction to him, and he wants her too, she doesn’t trust herself enough to take a chance on love again. Can he change her mind and show her they would be good together? Or will he panic and let someone else change his mind instead?
Country music singer Frank Sands needs to find love so he can feel inspired to write music again. But he doesn’t want to be matched to someone who recognizes his fame and doesn’t want him for himself. Yolanda matches him with Serena, who doesn’t even know who he is. But even though she feels a strong attraction to him, and he wants her too, she doesn’t trust herself enough to take a chance on love again. Can he change her mind and show her they would be good together? Or will he panic and let someone else change his mind instead?
January 22, 2021
Good Read
If any of you have seen my reviews I barely give out 3 stars but what the author does well with the romance formula is make it believable and not patronizing or unrealistic. One thing I’ve notice about the majority of all these Kindle U romances is the template of rich, hot guy and poor, plain girl. He has no self esteem issues and she can’t even spell confidence. It’s insulting and infuriating. I don’t mind a story line with the female lead in the deficit as long as it is not treated like a handicap on her part. This book is fantastic in how the characters develop and balance and how their relationship evolves.This is one of the few books that I’m okay with some of parts I don’t like because there is too much to like. There isn’t a lot of steam but enough to make you feel it. RECOMMEND
If any of you have seen my reviews I barely give out 3 stars but what the author does well with the romance formula is make it believable and not patronizing or unrealistic. One thing I’ve notice about the majority of all these Kindle U romances is the template of rich, hot guy and poor, plain girl. He has no self esteem issues and she can’t even spell confidence. It’s insulting and infuriating. I don’t mind a story line with the female lead in the deficit as long as it is not treated like a handicap on her part. This book is fantastic in how the characters develop and balance and how their relationship evolves.This is one of the few books that I’m okay with some of parts I don’t like because there is too much to like. There isn’t a lot of steam but enough to make you feel it. RECOMMEND
June 26, 2021
Cute sassy silly and lovable
Yes this is lol funny, adorable characters that are caricatures of people. It’s a light happy romance with a feisty heroine and an alpha hero trying to live up to an image he created of his deceased father. Some people complained about some of the antics as being ridiculous, but that’s what makes it funny. I thought the hero Blake was adorable and clueless at times and Winona was amazing, self confident and sometimes impulsive but also cute. I liked the h/h so much I almost stopped reading because I didn’t want to hit the anxiety part before the big make up. But I read on and was glad I did because even though they hit a snag it wasn’t horrible and they got their HEA. Winonas friends are funny and Tamara, Blake’s niece is very funny. If you want a fun happy read this is it.
Yes this is lol funny, adorable characters that are caricatures of people. It’s a light happy romance with a feisty heroine and an alpha hero trying to live up to an image he created of his deceased father. Some people complained about some of the antics as being ridiculous, but that’s what makes it funny. I thought the hero Blake was adorable and clueless at times and Winona was amazing, self confident and sometimes impulsive but also cute. I liked the h/h so much I almost stopped reading because I didn’t want to hit the anxiety part before the big make up. But I read on and was glad I did because even though they hit a snag it wasn’t horrible and they got their HEA. Winonas friends are funny and Tamara, Blake’s niece is very funny. If you want a fun happy read this is it.
September 11, 2021
southern charm & hilarity
Funniest book I’ve read in a long time! Winona is a hoot and a one of a kind character. Her feistiness and clumsiness and honesty and passion for helping others will grab you from the beginning. Blake has the best redemption story arc. From total cold workaholic to the man on the bookmark. Watching him change little by little as he responds to Winona was heartwarming. Basic plot: Blake inherited a luxury department store in NYC as a teenager and wants to fulfill his dads vision for the store. The store is his whole life 24/7. Winona is a poor Georgia girl wanting to work there as a personal shopper. He is attracted to her and finds her a distraction to his overly scheduled workdays. He falls completely for her, but when family secrets are revealed, both of their worlds fall apart. No cheating, and a fun HEA.
Funniest book I’ve read in a long time! Winona is a hoot and a one of a kind character. Her feistiness and clumsiness and honesty and passion for helping others will grab you from the beginning. Blake has the best redemption story arc. From total cold workaholic to the man on the bookmark. Watching him change little by little as he responds to Winona was heartwarming. Basic plot: Blake inherited a luxury department store in NYC as a teenager and wants to fulfill his dads vision for the store. The store is his whole life 24/7. Winona is a poor Georgia girl wanting to work there as a personal shopper. He is attracted to her and finds her a distraction to his overly scheduled workdays. He falls completely for her, but when family secrets are revealed, both of their worlds fall apart. No cheating, and a fun HEA.
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