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The Opposite of Fiction
One-night stands are supposed to be just that… One night.
NORAH
I’m a writer. It’s who I am and what I love. I fled from Texas to New York to become somebody and found a home at one of the most prestigious magazines in the country.
It’s the Chronicle’s fiftieth anniversary, and my boss is finally giving me the opportunity to become managing editor.
There’s only one problem…
He’s also hired some Cornell-grad frat boy under the guise he’s here to help me become a better journalist. [MJE1]
I’m not an idiot.
Frat boy isn’t here out of the kindness of his heart. He’s here to steal the job I’ve worked a decade for.
No, sir. Not on my watch. No one will take something I’ve rightfully earned.
But Mr. Cornell isn’t just some guy. He’s the same gorgeous man I had a two-night stand with.
WIL
Norah was everything I was looking for to help heal my broken heart, and I planned on ending the serial monogamist title my college roommates gave me with her. No strings attached.
But one night became two, and even then, that wasn’t enough.
She wasn’t supposed to be my next relationship, and when I walked in as the new reporter at the Chronicle, she definitely wasn’t supposed to be my competition for the managing editor job.
I like Norah, but there’s no way I would sacrifice a job I moved across the country to get for a woman I just met.
No matter how much I can’t stop thinking about her.
NORAH
I’m a writer. It’s who I am and what I love. I fled from Texas to New York to become somebody and found a home at one of the most prestigious magazines in the country.
It’s the Chronicle’s fiftieth anniversary, and my boss is finally giving me the opportunity to become managing editor.
There’s only one problem…
He’s also hired some Cornell-grad frat boy under the guise he’s here to help me become a better journalist. [MJE1]
I’m not an idiot.
Frat boy isn’t here out of the kindness of his heart. He’s here to steal the job I’ve worked a decade for.
No, sir. Not on my watch. No one will take something I’ve rightfully earned.
But Mr. Cornell isn’t just some guy. He’s the same gorgeous man I had a two-night stand with.
WIL
Norah was everything I was looking for to help heal my broken heart, and I planned on ending the serial monogamist title my college roommates gave me with her. No strings attached.
But one night became two, and even then, that wasn’t enough.
She wasn’t supposed to be my next relationship, and when I walked in as the new reporter at the Chronicle, she definitely wasn’t supposed to be my competition for the managing editor job.
I like Norah, but there’s no way I would sacrifice a job I moved across the country to get for a woman I just met.
No matter how much I can’t stop thinking about her.
356 pages, Paperback
First published August 17, 2021
1 person is currently reading
2231 people want to read
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M. Jane Early
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 13, 2021
I feel weirdly pissed about this book, while I enjoyed my time reading this I wish it would have taken a different route in the ending.
I was very confused about the time setting, maybe it spanned over a couple of months or weeks I really don’t know. The office setting as well was super weird it was like they didn’t have any employees, they went to work talked to each other or Jerry but never spoke of any coworkers.
Overall I don’t know I feel like it was just missing something to pull the whole story together and I find myself feeling unsatisfied in the end even though I guess everyone had their own happy ending.
I was very confused about the time setting, maybe it spanned over a couple of months or weeks I really don’t know. The office setting as well was super weird it was like they didn’t have any employees, they went to work talked to each other or Jerry but never spoke of any coworkers.
Overall I don’t know I feel like it was just missing something to pull the whole story together and I find myself feeling unsatisfied in the end even though I guess everyone had their own happy ending.
September 11, 2021
This book popped up on my radar because of Instagram. Seeing the cute cover (unapologetic illustrated romance book cover fan), and reading the blurb were enough to sell me on adding it to my TBR. I was looking for a fluffy, quick read because I had just finished such an emotional book, so what sold me on reading so quickly was that one it is in Kindle Unlimited and two that it is fairly short. Honestly when I first started this book I just knew I was going to love it. But for me I lost the steam for this book pretty early on. There were so many times I wanted to DNF this book, and ultimately I couldn't decide of that was because I really wasn't enjoying it, or if I wasn't being fair as it was the book that I read after I finished what is now my favorite book of the year. This book is pretty short (less than 300 pages) but it felt so long. There are so many things happening in this book. One night stand turned into a relationship, the MC's best friends who start dating, both MC's sleeping with other people, the whole job competition, the hero is coming off of a failed engagement, the the ex shows up, the heroine dealing with her toxic childhood, and complicated family issues. It all flowed well, but I just kept thinking "what plot are we going to get next. Also I didn't like the fact that I couldn't really tell how much time had passed in the whole story and even more so when we get to the epilogue. I didn't love either MC. Norah was literally always walking away from Wil (he even says that at one point), she felt very immature to me. I really wanted to love Wil and truthfully I did in the beginning. He felt way more mature than Norah and I hated the way she was treating him, but what lost him for me was the night of his birthday when he slept with another woman just to "get Norah out of his system", then instead of being an adult about the situation he completely ghosted her. Even if I could get over that he pissed me off more when his ex showed up and he left Norah all day without a backwards glace. All of that maturity I thought he had went out the window. As far as their relationship I found myself not really caring if they stayed together or not. I hated their non communication so much! The other thing that bugged me about this book was that there were a lot of editing issues. There was random punctuation, and at times I couldn't tell who was saying what because everything ran together. I didn't absolutely hate this book at all. I really liked the majority of the side characters. Bryson and Janet were great, I would have liked a book about them. I'm a fan of open door romances and this was very much that. I like the premise of the story (I mean two night stand turned into love... yes please), I loved that it was duel POV. And I think that the thing that I loved the most was that while Wil and Norah really liked each other a lot, there was no dramatic I love you two months into this relationship. That part of it felt real to me. Like I said I'm not sure if all of my issues with this book felt big because I was in a huge book hangover or not but I'm fairly certain this was a book that I just read at the wrong time. I will look for this author in the future and read more of her work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2021
This was an enchanting & cute read. What starts out as a fling turns into an intense office rivalry. Two sweet & admirable -yet realistically flawed characters- one job. Not to mention, there’s a nice amount of steam…
Going into the characters: there’s the Wonderful Wil, and the *can’t find a complimentary adjective that starts with N* Magnificent Nora.
Slight spoiler warning~~~ not actually sure if what follows counts as a spoiler, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry, right?
Not your average Cornell grad- Wil’s a dedicated reporter and your resident sweetheart. He was constantly going out of his way to be kind to Norah, when most people would’ve cut ties. ✨🧸✨
Norah- not the best at one-night stands. Lol. I just loved their chemistry from the start. They just worked together, and sometimes the dialogue seemed a little forced, but realistically of course, speaking as someone who is a major introvert. Norah found Wil irresistible from the start, which is fitting, because Wil found Norah to be unforgettable.
I’m not generally into office romances, especially when they have to compete for the same job, but the author tied this one off nicely.
My only drawback, and probably the main reason this only got 4 stars, would be because of how it seemed like no matter how clear Wil made it that they were together, Norah was constantly looking for an out. She always seemed to have one foot out the door. Which I understand was partially intentional- Norah having commitment issues because of her hesitancy towards relationships because of her childhood and background, but sometimes it seemed to go a little far. Almost like Norah didn’t actually want to be there.
These two are adorable, and I hope they live happily and take down evil presidential candidates for the rest of their lives.
Going into the characters: there’s the Wonderful Wil, and the *can’t find a complimentary adjective that starts with N* Magnificent Nora.
Slight spoiler warning~~~ not actually sure if what follows counts as a spoiler, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry, right?
Not your average Cornell grad- Wil’s a dedicated reporter and your resident sweetheart. He was constantly going out of his way to be kind to Norah, when most people would’ve cut ties. ✨🧸✨
Norah- not the best at one-night stands. Lol. I just loved their chemistry from the start. They just worked together, and sometimes the dialogue seemed a little forced, but realistically of course, speaking as someone who is a major introvert. Norah found Wil irresistible from the start, which is fitting, because Wil found Norah to be unforgettable.
I’m not generally into office romances, especially when they have to compete for the same job, but the author tied this one off nicely.
My only drawback, and probably the main reason this only got 4 stars, would be because of how it seemed like no matter how clear Wil made it that they were together, Norah was constantly looking for an out. She always seemed to have one foot out the door. Which I understand was partially intentional- Norah having commitment issues because of her hesitancy towards relationships because of her childhood and background, but sometimes it seemed to go a little far. Almost like Norah didn’t actually want to be there.
These two are adorable, and I hope they live happily and take down evil presidential candidates for the rest of their lives.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2021
M. Jane Early just keeps getting better and better. First of all, this COVER is adorable. Its the type of book that would totally draw my eye in a crowded bookstore and the inside is even better. Like always, this author writes vibrant characters that pop right off the page. Main character Norah is so damn smart and fiery and it is really refreshing. Wil is real and layered and I love how the two of them play off of one another, even when they piss eachother off. It feels cute and realistic and I love how funny their interactions sometimes are. Again as usual, the sexy scenes are actually sexy without being cliche or cheesy.
One of the things I like best about M.Jane is how she writes side characters. They all feel like an ensemble cast on a good sitcom or dramedy rather than just filler. I also love how her intelligence and wit shines through, creating sharp contrast to what usually fills the romance genre. This book has an insanely sharp political storyline that I loved.
There was just enough push/pull to keep me engaged bur I honestly could've kept reading these characters for another 200 pages. I'm ready for more people to discover this author because I *know* they will love her.
One of the things I like best about M.Jane is how she writes side characters. They all feel like an ensemble cast on a good sitcom or dramedy rather than just filler. I also love how her intelligence and wit shines through, creating sharp contrast to what usually fills the romance genre. This book has an insanely sharp political storyline that I loved.
There was just enough push/pull to keep me engaged bur I honestly could've kept reading these characters for another 200 pages. I'm ready for more people to discover this author because I *know* they will love her.
August 16, 2021
*** 4.5 Stars ***
The Opposite of Fiction by M. Jane Early is a standalone contemporary workplace romance told in first person dual point of view. It follows the relationship between two journalists who are competing for the same promotion.
Sparks fly when Nora and Wil meet, tempting them to extend their one-night-stand beyond one night. The last thing they expect is to end up working together and competing for the same position. They have an undeniable initial connection that Wil wants to explore further, but Nora can’t get over the fact that he’s trying to take the one thing she wants most and has been working toward for years. As far as she’s concerned, he’s her number one enemy.
Can Wil convince Nora to change her mind and give him a chance? Can their relationship survive the inevitable fallout when only one of them gets promoted?
I really enjoyed this story! Norah and Wil were well-developed, likeable, and relatable. I loved the banter and chemistry they shared. I also enjoyed the side characters and don't know if this is the plan, but I wouldn't mind getting to know them better in future books. This lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers story was sexy and fun with a touch of angst. Highly recommended for anybody who loves a good office romance!
*** I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC. ***
The Opposite of Fiction by M. Jane Early is a standalone contemporary workplace romance told in first person dual point of view. It follows the relationship between two journalists who are competing for the same promotion.
Sparks fly when Nora and Wil meet, tempting them to extend their one-night-stand beyond one night. The last thing they expect is to end up working together and competing for the same position. They have an undeniable initial connection that Wil wants to explore further, but Nora can’t get over the fact that he’s trying to take the one thing she wants most and has been working toward for years. As far as she’s concerned, he’s her number one enemy.
Can Wil convince Nora to change her mind and give him a chance? Can their relationship survive the inevitable fallout when only one of them gets promoted?
I really enjoyed this story! Norah and Wil were well-developed, likeable, and relatable. I loved the banter and chemistry they shared. I also enjoyed the side characters and don't know if this is the plan, but I wouldn't mind getting to know them better in future books. This lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers story was sexy and fun with a touch of angst. Highly recommended for anybody who loves a good office romance!
*** I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC. ***
July 23, 2021
I'm typically not a big fan of office romance, but this is an office romance with a twist, and I found that I really enjoyed it. We've all heard of enemies-to-lovers, but what about lovers-to-enemies? This is (sort of) how this one starts out...
Wil is coming off of a bad breakup and Norah needs a release after devoting all of her time and attention to her job. It's only supposed to be one night of fun, although neither of them can really deny the connection that they share. Things get complicated though when Wil walks into Norah's office as the new hire who also happens to be her main competition for the promotion that she's spent the last 10 years working toward. Wil becomes Norah's enemy #1, but as much as she wants to hate him, she can't seem to stay away. Neither one of them wants to give up on their dream job, but that may mean that they'll have to give up any chance of being together.
This is a well written story with a little angst, but not too much. I could easily relate to both of these characters, and as much as I love a good alpha hero, Wil was a refreshing all-around good guy. I really felt for Norah and her struggle to heal from her past. This story seemed very true-to-life without any added unnecessary drama, and I really enjoyed it.
Wil is coming off of a bad breakup and Norah needs a release after devoting all of her time and attention to her job. It's only supposed to be one night of fun, although neither of them can really deny the connection that they share. Things get complicated though when Wil walks into Norah's office as the new hire who also happens to be her main competition for the promotion that she's spent the last 10 years working toward. Wil becomes Norah's enemy #1, but as much as she wants to hate him, she can't seem to stay away. Neither one of them wants to give up on their dream job, but that may mean that they'll have to give up any chance of being together.
This is a well written story with a little angst, but not too much. I could easily relate to both of these characters, and as much as I love a good alpha hero, Wil was a refreshing all-around good guy. I really felt for Norah and her struggle to heal from her past. This story seemed very true-to-life without any added unnecessary drama, and I really enjoyed it.
August 19, 2021
Who's ready for a HOT One-Night-Stand turned Enemies-to-Lovers romance? 🙋🏻
This was my first read by this author and I am now maniacally adding her other books to my TBR!
The first chapters of this book are STRAIGHT FIRE. Sometimes when sex happens early in a book it feels way too rushed for me. I get that "rushed" is pretty much the foundation of a One-Night-Stand, but I often miss any kind of emotional connection...it's always just physical. But THE OPPOSITE OF FICTION starts out with Wil and Norah meeting in a bar and you feel BOTH a crazy amount of physical connection and an emotional one. *slow clap for good writing!*
After their crazy-hot sex, fate brings these two together when they realize they are competing for the same job in journalism. Along the way we get awesome hate-banter, wicked chemistry, and wonderfully complex characters. You are not even sure who to root for with the job because the writing is so skilled that you see both sides!
Norah is a hardworking, tough, badass! I loved her character and her tenacity. She is working her ass off for what she wants. And Wil is sexy and broody and sweet!
I took off a star because the middle portion of this book got a bit slow. Yes, we are learning more about the characters in the middle portion, but I wish more had actually happened. It was a lot of day-to-day stuff and it was slower than the first third and last third of the book.
You should definitely read THE OPPOSITE OF FICTION! It's full of snort-laughs, swoon, and smut. That's what we call The Trifecta, bitches!!
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS: anxiety/anxiety attacks, cheating ex
FEELS-O-METER: 2/5 a bit of drama, but still a pretty light read!
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
BUY IT HERE: https://amzn.to/3B0v3Sn (aff.)
👇🏻HANG OUT WITH ME HERE!👇🏻
INSTAGRAM | YEAR OF SMUT CHALLENGE
This was my first read by this author and I am now maniacally adding her other books to my TBR!
The first chapters of this book are STRAIGHT FIRE. Sometimes when sex happens early in a book it feels way too rushed for me. I get that "rushed" is pretty much the foundation of a One-Night-Stand, but I often miss any kind of emotional connection...it's always just physical. But THE OPPOSITE OF FICTION starts out with Wil and Norah meeting in a bar and you feel BOTH a crazy amount of physical connection and an emotional one. *slow clap for good writing!*
After their crazy-hot sex, fate brings these two together when they realize they are competing for the same job in journalism. Along the way we get awesome hate-banter, wicked chemistry, and wonderfully complex characters. You are not even sure who to root for with the job because the writing is so skilled that you see both sides!
Norah is a hardworking, tough, badass! I loved her character and her tenacity. She is working her ass off for what she wants. And Wil is sexy and broody and sweet!
I took off a star because the middle portion of this book got a bit slow. Yes, we are learning more about the characters in the middle portion, but I wish more had actually happened. It was a lot of day-to-day stuff and it was slower than the first third and last third of the book.
You should definitely read THE OPPOSITE OF FICTION! It's full of snort-laughs, swoon, and smut. That's what we call The Trifecta, bitches!!
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS: anxiety/anxiety attacks, cheating ex
FEELS-O-METER: 2/5 a bit of drama, but still a pretty light read!
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
BUY IT HERE: https://amzn.to/3B0v3Sn (aff.)
👇🏻HANG OUT WITH ME HERE!👇🏻
INSTAGRAM | YEAR OF SMUT CHALLENGE
August 27, 2021
My Catnip
Totally unexpected gem of a novel...journalism, politics, Enemies to Lovers...ahh I read it so fast that I need to re-read it.
Totally unexpected gem of a novel...journalism, politics, Enemies to Lovers...ahh I read it so fast that I need to re-read it.
August 9, 2021
I have to say this is my first ARC review. If you don’t know, “ARC” stands for “Advance Reader Copy”. Part of this responsibility is to give honest reviews and also I was given the opportunity to give the author feedback. I did catch one date inconsistency and a couple of context spelling mistakes that wouldn’t be caught by a spell checker.
What a fun story! I really enjoyed the overall story and right away I rooted for the main characters, Norah and Wil. The development of their professional and personal relationship was seamless and I liked the point of view changes for the two characters.
The sex scenes were hot but didn’t overwhelm the story where you think it’s all about sex. I think it added to my feelings of rooting for their relationship to grow and it also made me think about what I would do in their situation.
With both characters going for the same job, I thought that there was no way there could be any sort of way there could be a happy ending to the story. When the big decision was made, I really sympathized with the character who was left with the disappointment and I even shed a couple tears during that chapter.
I don’t usually care to read ebooks but I am glad that I was able to read this one. I hope other people find this book entertaining and I am excited to read other stories by this author. I’m pretty sure I have one in my book box at home.
What a fun story! I really enjoyed the overall story and right away I rooted for the main characters, Norah and Wil. The development of their professional and personal relationship was seamless and I liked the point of view changes for the two characters.
The sex scenes were hot but didn’t overwhelm the story where you think it’s all about sex. I think it added to my feelings of rooting for their relationship to grow and it also made me think about what I would do in their situation.
With both characters going for the same job, I thought that there was no way there could be any sort of way there could be a happy ending to the story. When the big decision was made, I really sympathized with the character who was left with the disappointment and I even shed a couple tears during that chapter.
I don’t usually care to read ebooks but I am glad that I was able to read this one. I hope other people find this book entertaining and I am excited to read other stories by this author. I’m pretty sure I have one in my book box at home.
August 6, 2021
The Opposite of Fiction is a contemporary romance book written by M. Jane Early. This was my first book by M. Jane, and let me tell you, it was not a disappointment. After finishing up The Opposite of Fiction, I quickly went to the Kindle library to see if her other books were available, and I was happy to find her other three books. Currently, I am reading Before We Get Carried Away, and I can't wait to bring you my thoughts on that one. For now, though, let's talk about: The Opposite of Fiction.
This book was written in a style, as M. Jane herself stated, that was a different format from what she is used to writing. The technique takes our two leads Wil and Norah, and writes back and forth chapters from their point of view. Giving us the reader an insight into how they are thinking and feeling. I love this type of writing; getting to see situations from another point of view is excellent and makes for exciting writing. The storytelling with this type of format is fresh and breaks up the rhythm and pace of the book. Helping to combat the feeling of one-note when we only see the story through one person's eyes.
I understand why some writers don't do this format right off the back, but instead re-write the book from another main charter POV if the first book did well (looking at you, E.L. James, and Stephenie Meyer). Still, I find that unless the story has somehow drastically changed, or the author really didn't convey well what this main character was thinking, feeling, or doing in the first book, it's just a rehash of the original.
This story centers around Wil, young, sexy as hell, with an athletic body, short dark blond curly hair, and blue eyes that you can get lost in. Though don't think he's just all looks, this man has a brain about him and a way with words, not only spoken but written as well. We find out that Wil is a writer, a journalist who just moved back to New York, not only for a job but also to get away from his past in California. Wil's not looking to commit to anything right now, that's part of why he left California, but I don't want to give too much away. Let's just say when Wil meets Norah in the bar that first night, the plan was to be one night and done. Oh, silly boy, M. Jane has bigger plans for you.
As we see from Norah's perspective, she was in the same mindset as Wil that night, looking for a 'no strings attached' kind of night. Norah, young and beautiful in her own right, with blond long wavy hair and dark blue eyes. Although her looks were an attraction for Wil that first night, the way he describes it, it was her quick wit and ease at which she could handle herself around his friends that really impressed him.
Neither Wil nor Norah give each other significant details about their life. Still, since we as readers know that Norah is also a writer and has a possible job promotion at the paper she has been working for up for grabs, we can see the writing on the wall. See the promotion that Norah is going after and the job opportunity that Wil has moved for are one and the same!
So I follow M. Jane on social media, and she did a fantastic promotional post about this book and describe the central trope of this book as lovers to enemies to friends to lovers. That is spot-on; this book is a rollercoaster of a ride from the one-night or two stands to find out who each other is and what they are competing for. They try to work through this situation as now co-workers and competitors, and try and be friends. But fate or M. Jane has other plans, and they fall back in love with each other. As a reader, I was invested and bought into the story from the first line, and honestly, I have read many romance stories, but this one kept me guessing after every chapter.
M. Jane gave these characters layers, believable backstories. Both Wil and Norah have their baggage and try their best not to bring it into the relationship, but it enables does, and we get to see them help each other out. We get a great cast of side characters that M. Jane develops well also. Sometimes stories focus solo on the main characters that secondary characters get lost or only brought in when the plot moves along. M. Jane doesn't do that. The chapters with Wil's family in California and Norah's sister in Texas were strong and added to the story organically.
I would like to see more on Norah's roommate Janet and her relationship with Byron, one of Wil's friends, but I could also see where they could have their own book….hmmm, just saying.
As a contemporary romance book, we have to talk about the spicy scenes. Oh, those spicy scenes, girl! So good! I will state again that I have read my fair share of romance books and stories over the years, and I think I have read it all. From the barely-there, just a few kisses, to the full-out description with too much and completely NSFW content, and M. Jane rides that line of just right. The goldilocks of spicy scenes. Enough explanation, to get the point across but not too much, that you feel like you need a shower afterward or that you just read a how-to manual. Authors need to know their audience and give them some giddiness on things but know that they can draw their own conclusions.
Final thoughts, if you couldn't tell I really enjoy this book, I think it's a great stand-alone book, hoping for a stand-alone book for Janet and Byron (no pressure), but everything was wrapped up nicely for storylines that M. Jane told (I am just greedy and always want more). This is a good book for someone just starting off in the contemporary romance genre; there is a good balance of romance and non-romance scenes; sometimes, romance books can feel heavy on the romance and less substance. I think M. Jane did a great job switching back and forth from Wil and Norah's POV, and if she enjoyed writing in that style, I would encourage her to continue. I would recommend checking out her other books, along with following her on Instagram and TickTock to keep up with what she is working on.
This book was written in a style, as M. Jane herself stated, that was a different format from what she is used to writing. The technique takes our two leads Wil and Norah, and writes back and forth chapters from their point of view. Giving us the reader an insight into how they are thinking and feeling. I love this type of writing; getting to see situations from another point of view is excellent and makes for exciting writing. The storytelling with this type of format is fresh and breaks up the rhythm and pace of the book. Helping to combat the feeling of one-note when we only see the story through one person's eyes.
I understand why some writers don't do this format right off the back, but instead re-write the book from another main charter POV if the first book did well (looking at you, E.L. James, and Stephenie Meyer). Still, I find that unless the story has somehow drastically changed, or the author really didn't convey well what this main character was thinking, feeling, or doing in the first book, it's just a rehash of the original.
This story centers around Wil, young, sexy as hell, with an athletic body, short dark blond curly hair, and blue eyes that you can get lost in. Though don't think he's just all looks, this man has a brain about him and a way with words, not only spoken but written as well. We find out that Wil is a writer, a journalist who just moved back to New York, not only for a job but also to get away from his past in California. Wil's not looking to commit to anything right now, that's part of why he left California, but I don't want to give too much away. Let's just say when Wil meets Norah in the bar that first night, the plan was to be one night and done. Oh, silly boy, M. Jane has bigger plans for you.
As we see from Norah's perspective, she was in the same mindset as Wil that night, looking for a 'no strings attached' kind of night. Norah, young and beautiful in her own right, with blond long wavy hair and dark blue eyes. Although her looks were an attraction for Wil that first night, the way he describes it, it was her quick wit and ease at which she could handle herself around his friends that really impressed him.
Neither Wil nor Norah give each other significant details about their life. Still, since we as readers know that Norah is also a writer and has a possible job promotion at the paper she has been working for up for grabs, we can see the writing on the wall. See the promotion that Norah is going after and the job opportunity that Wil has moved for are one and the same!
So I follow M. Jane on social media, and she did a fantastic promotional post about this book and describe the central trope of this book as lovers to enemies to friends to lovers. That is spot-on; this book is a rollercoaster of a ride from the one-night or two stands to find out who each other is and what they are competing for. They try to work through this situation as now co-workers and competitors, and try and be friends. But fate or M. Jane has other plans, and they fall back in love with each other. As a reader, I was invested and bought into the story from the first line, and honestly, I have read many romance stories, but this one kept me guessing after every chapter.
M. Jane gave these characters layers, believable backstories. Both Wil and Norah have their baggage and try their best not to bring it into the relationship, but it enables does, and we get to see them help each other out. We get a great cast of side characters that M. Jane develops well also. Sometimes stories focus solo on the main characters that secondary characters get lost or only brought in when the plot moves along. M. Jane doesn't do that. The chapters with Wil's family in California and Norah's sister in Texas were strong and added to the story organically.
I would like to see more on Norah's roommate Janet and her relationship with Byron, one of Wil's friends, but I could also see where they could have their own book….hmmm, just saying.
As a contemporary romance book, we have to talk about the spicy scenes. Oh, those spicy scenes, girl! So good! I will state again that I have read my fair share of romance books and stories over the years, and I think I have read it all. From the barely-there, just a few kisses, to the full-out description with too much and completely NSFW content, and M. Jane rides that line of just right. The goldilocks of spicy scenes. Enough explanation, to get the point across but not too much, that you feel like you need a shower afterward or that you just read a how-to manual. Authors need to know their audience and give them some giddiness on things but know that they can draw their own conclusions.
Final thoughts, if you couldn't tell I really enjoy this book, I think it's a great stand-alone book, hoping for a stand-alone book for Janet and Byron (no pressure), but everything was wrapped up nicely for storylines that M. Jane told (I am just greedy and always want more). This is a good book for someone just starting off in the contemporary romance genre; there is a good balance of romance and non-romance scenes; sometimes, romance books can feel heavy on the romance and less substance. I think M. Jane did a great job switching back and forth from Wil and Norah's POV, and if she enjoyed writing in that style, I would encourage her to continue. I would recommend checking out her other books, along with following her on Instagram and TickTock to keep up with what she is working on.
August 14, 2021
This ARC was provided to me by the author in exchange for my honest opinions. Thank you!
This book was so much fun! I flew through it. The chemistry was the best I've read in a long time. I loved Norah's character build and growth throughout the story. The side characters were also so much fun ( I loved Janet ). But I really was not a huge fan of Wil's character. He did get some redeeming qualities at the end but I still have mixed feelings about him. Overall, I truly had a fun time reading this book!
This book was so much fun! I flew through it. The chemistry was the best I've read in a long time. I loved Norah's character build and growth throughout the story. The side characters were also so much fun ( I loved Janet ). But I really was not a huge fan of Wil's character. He did get some redeeming qualities at the end but I still have mixed feelings about him. Overall, I truly had a fun time reading this book!
August 30, 2021
Couldn’t put it down
This is my first book by M. Jane Early but won’t be my last. I was emotionally invested with Norah and Wil from the get go and rooting for them to find their HEA despite the big pink elephant obstacle in their way. The author has a real talent for creating complex but realistic characters you feel like you know in real life. Bravo!
This is my first book by M. Jane Early but won’t be my last. I was emotionally invested with Norah and Wil from the get go and rooting for them to find their HEA despite the big pink elephant obstacle in their way. The author has a real talent for creating complex but realistic characters you feel like you know in real life. Bravo!
August 8, 2021
Norah and Wil's story was really great and intense. The story had plenty of steam and chemistry. What I enjoyed the most was the conflict. Norah and Wil were faced with a really difficult situation, that at times neither of them handled well. But I loved how real and genuine that also felt.
A very good read. I strongly recommend.
A very good read. I strongly recommend.
August 26, 2021
3.5 STARS
Really great writing, but the third act greatly annoyed me. These two characters who fall in love, both wanting this editor job so much and then ofc… leave the important “talk” to the very last minute. Ugh, it was a realistic conflict but it exposed the wobbly strength of their relationship? Norah undermined Wil’s work and worth and their relationship almost the entire time and capped it off with a crap apology to him…
Really great writing, but the third act greatly annoyed me. These two characters who fall in love, both wanting this editor job so much and then ofc… leave the important “talk” to the very last minute. Ugh, it was a realistic conflict but it exposed the wobbly strength of their relationship? Norah undermined Wil’s work and worth and their relationship almost the entire time and capped it off with a crap apology to him…
August 17, 2021
I received this as my first ARC and the stakes have been set high! I love a good office romance. Especially if both of the main characters go after the same goal! Wil and Norah are both great characters but couldn't be more different from each other. Wil is kind and amazing. Norah is a little more rough around the edges but they balance each other out well.
September 19, 2021
A one night stand is hired to help her become a better writer can it work out or will there be trouble.
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November 25, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (11/25/2021)! 🎁
June 6, 2022
DNF'd at almost 50%. It lost it for me when, even though Wil and Norah weren't together, he slept with another woman. At that stage of the book that isn't something I want to read about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2022
I sat on this review for a while, but felt it was necessary to write. If you like The Hating Game, this is a tiny bit like Hating Game Lite... not as good, cheesier sex scenes, and a lack of attention to writing the surrounding work place. As other reviewers have pointed out, there's a strange perception while reading that the newspaper has a total staff of 3 -- female protagonist, male love interest/career rival, and fatherly boss. The workplace scenes mention no background chatter, no coworkers popping in to ask questions or drifting through the background, not even a staff meeting until halfway through the book, when you receive it with shock! Aside from that, I did kind of like the romance, but as I mentioned, the sex scenes were pretty cheesy and very frequent. Not bad for a quick entertaining enemies-to-lovers romance, but definitely not the peak of the trope.
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