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Business Not As Usual
A woman learns the hard way about mixing business with pleasure in this hilarious new romantic comedy by USA Today bestselling author Sharon C. Cooper.
I am beautiful. I am confident. I am lovable. I am a lottery winner.
This is the mantra that will get Dreamy Daniels through each day until she makes it big. So what if she lives in a seedy part of Los Angeles in a house that's one earthquake away from crumbling, or works an unfulfilling secretarial job while struggling to finish her bachelor's degree? All Dreamy needs to do is win the lottery, which she's been entering in as a weekly tradition with her grandfather. When she catches the attention of her boss's potential investor, Dreamy has to remind herself to focus on her career goals so she can be her own boss. Who cares if he has the social grace of the Duke of Sussex and the suaveness of Idris Elba? No distractions allowed.
Growing up with a father who is an A-list actor and a socialite mother, venture capitalist Karter Redford lives in the world of the rich and famous. Instead of attending movie premieres, however, he prefers spending his time helping the less fortunate, backing start-up companies and investing in cutting edge ideas. Karter is used to his life revolving around work, but when he decides he wants someone to share it with, he falls for someone his mother would never approve of: hilarious, quirky Dreamy, who has goals of her own...but also isn't a wealthy, upper-crust socialite. Though it's clear they're from different worlds, their relationship might just be his greatest investment yet.
I am beautiful. I am confident. I am lovable. I am a lottery winner.
This is the mantra that will get Dreamy Daniels through each day until she makes it big. So what if she lives in a seedy part of Los Angeles in a house that's one earthquake away from crumbling, or works an unfulfilling secretarial job while struggling to finish her bachelor's degree? All Dreamy needs to do is win the lottery, which she's been entering in as a weekly tradition with her grandfather. When she catches the attention of her boss's potential investor, Dreamy has to remind herself to focus on her career goals so she can be her own boss. Who cares if he has the social grace of the Duke of Sussex and the suaveness of Idris Elba? No distractions allowed.
Growing up with a father who is an A-list actor and a socialite mother, venture capitalist Karter Redford lives in the world of the rich and famous. Instead of attending movie premieres, however, he prefers spending his time helping the less fortunate, backing start-up companies and investing in cutting edge ideas. Karter is used to his life revolving around work, but when he decides he wants someone to share it with, he falls for someone his mother would never approve of: hilarious, quirky Dreamy, who has goals of her own...but also isn't a wealthy, upper-crust socialite. Though it's clear they're from different worlds, their relationship might just be his greatest investment yet.
321 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2022
105 people are currently reading
8186 people want to read
About the author
Sharon C. Cooper
69 books929 followersUSA Today bestselling author Sharon C. Cooper loves anything involving romance with a happily-ever-after, whether in books, movies, or real life. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, as well as romantic comedy. She enjoys rainy days, carpet picnics, and family game night. Her stories have won numerous awards, including The Rochelle Alers Best Series award for her Atlanta’s Finest Series (2022) and The Beverly Jenkins Author of the Year award (2021). When she isn’t writing, Sharon loves hanging out with her amazing husband, doing volunteer work, or reading a good book (a romance of course). To read more about Sharon and her novels, or to sign up to be notified of her latest releases, visit www.sharoncooper.net
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 435 reviews
March 10, 2022
The beginning of this was so cute and fun, and then the middle of this was so cute and fun, and then the ending was too?
Since when is that possible.
This is just a cute and fun book I guess. It wasn't perfect for me - it was a little silly and a little fairytaley and I found the characters a little forgettable - but it was cute and fun.
I think that's all I have to say?
Bottom line: Cute, fun, what else matters.
3.5
-----------------
pre-review
i said that once i started reading romance again, i would keep going until i found my perfect book.
and i meant it.
(thanks to the publisher / netgalley for the e-arc)
-----------------
reading all books by Black authors for Black History Month!
book 1: caste
book 2: business not as usual
Since when is that possible.
This is just a cute and fun book I guess. It wasn't perfect for me - it was a little silly and a little fairytaley and I found the characters a little forgettable - but it was cute and fun.
I think that's all I have to say?
Bottom line: Cute, fun, what else matters.
3.5
-----------------
pre-review
i said that once i started reading romance again, i would keep going until i found my perfect book.
and i meant it.
(thanks to the publisher / netgalley for the e-arc)
-----------------
reading all books by Black authors for Black History Month!
book 1: caste
book 2: business not as usual
September 1, 2022
Dreamy is a girl with an extraordinary personality and a lot of goals. We love our eccentric characters okay!! And then Karter is just Karter. I was initially really excited when I started this and didn’t necessarily hate it by the end, but the excitement definitely dimmed down.
The story sort of ended on a “too perfect” note for me. Yes, the reason why we read books is to temporarily live in a different world and revel in a lot of unrealistic stuff, but this one didn’t feel right. There were some challenges here and there but everything fell into place too quickly and kinda “by chance.”
This one was really funny though. Some parts had me laughing out loud. I also liked the family themes in this one, including the toxic parts. This is a fun read and I’m glad I read it.
September 1, 2022
Business Not as Usual by Sharon C Cooper
Contemporary romance. Diverse/own voice.
Dreamy has a goal. She’s going to own her own business one day and she’s going to fund that business by winning the lottery. In the meantime, she’s earning a living and working on her bachelor’s degree. Karter sees something special in Dreamy but his work-life balance needs some adjustments.
Dreamy is ambitious and is willing to do the grunt work to put her time in. Her interactions with Karter are at first playful and later protective. It’s a fun relationship to follow even after a few obvious troupes. At the heart, the romance is heartfelt and adorable.
Contemporary romance. Diverse/own voice.
Dreamy has a goal. She’s going to own her own business one day and she’s going to fund that business by winning the lottery. In the meantime, she’s earning a living and working on her bachelor’s degree. Karter sees something special in Dreamy but his work-life balance needs some adjustments.
Dreamy is ambitious and is willing to do the grunt work to put her time in. Her interactions with Karter are at first playful and later protective. It’s a fun relationship to follow even after a few obvious troupes. At the heart, the romance is heartfelt and adorable.
January 11, 2022
Fun story and Karter is the winner in the story.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This story offers a funny and realistic take on the life of an average gal slugging away at a job that is hated, just trying to make it by. I recognized myself a few times in Dreamy's predicament!
Cooper created two fantastic characters with style and grace, that are kind and caring individuals, perfect for each other. I had fun with this story, the visualization is on point here! Dreamy's wild wardrobe could be a story on its own. But sometimes her mantra got to be a bit much, until it wasn't!
Karter is a dreamboat and the author balanced the pair beautifully while crafting a story that is rich and flavorful, romantic and sexy. Each is powerful in their own right and super supportive.
Business Not As Usual is a how-to guide to juggling all life throws at you while working and creating a business, plus falling for the right person to help carry the load with you. Flirty, fun, and fresh!
* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/business-not...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This story offers a funny and realistic take on the life of an average gal slugging away at a job that is hated, just trying to make it by. I recognized myself a few times in Dreamy's predicament!
Cooper created two fantastic characters with style and grace, that are kind and caring individuals, perfect for each other. I had fun with this story, the visualization is on point here! Dreamy's wild wardrobe could be a story on its own. But sometimes her mantra got to be a bit much, until it wasn't!
Karter is a dreamboat and the author balanced the pair beautifully while crafting a story that is rich and flavorful, romantic and sexy. Each is powerful in their own right and super supportive.
Business Not As Usual is a how-to guide to juggling all life throws at you while working and creating a business, plus falling for the right person to help carry the load with you. Flirty, fun, and fresh!
* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/business-not...
Read
June 13, 2022Millionaire romance with an age gap as well as the financial gap. A very low-angst, high wish fulfilment book, with basically no conflict in the relationship to speak of, and a super lovely rich gorgeous hero who wants to give the heroine everything. Any friction comes from her annoying boss, plus the hero's snobbish mother and Evil Ex (this is a very bad case of the Evil Ex, I'm afraid.)
Dreamy made for a somewhat wacky heroine, with some great lines, and I really liked a sequence in which the klutz who kept knocking things over at the fancy restaurant was the smooth sophisticated hero, not the heroine. PROPS. It was a bit high on the wish-fulfilment side for my personal taste, but YMMV, and we can always use more stories of Black women getting the man, money, career and family of their dreams.
Dreamy made for a somewhat wacky heroine, with some great lines, and I really liked a sequence in which the klutz who kept knocking things over at the fancy restaurant was the smooth sophisticated hero, not the heroine. PROPS. It was a bit high on the wish-fulfilment side for my personal taste, but YMMV, and we can always use more stories of Black women getting the man, money, career and family of their dreams.
June 6, 2022
Super cute! Super low angst! No third act breakup! She read his mother to filth! A lil bit steamy! Real life fairytale ✨
February 18, 2022
2⭐️
Business Not as Usual is a fun, black, age gap, millionaire hero, grumpy sunshine romance!!! I love all of those things separately, and was so excited to read this for that reason. Unfortunately… this ended up not really working for me for a variety of reasons.
Let’s start with the pros:
⁃ I love Dreamy!! She reminds me so much of Penelope Garcia from Criminal Minds. She’s a free spirit, wears crazy colorful clothes, and is just a ray of sunshine.
⁃ There wasn’t any unnecessary conflict or miscommunication, which I loved!
Now for what didn’t quite work for me:
⁃ I disliked Karter so much, which made it really hard to root for Karter and Dreamy as a couple. He constantly talked poorly about his exes and how “materialistic and shallow” they were, and I am never a fan of men talking down on women. In his eyes Dreamy was so special and “unlike other girls.” Karter villanized women (his sister, exes, etc) for drinking fancy coffee, traveling the world, wearing fancy clothes, caring about their appearance… and it read a lot like misogyny.
⁃ Dreamy is poor and Karter is rich, and this difference was brought up very often - it just seemed a little excessive like those were their only personality traits.
⁃ Some of the dialogue felt a bit unnatural and stilted to me, which made it hard for me to connect with the characters or find any true chemistry between them.
Karters characterization unfortunately made it difficult for me to be invested in this book. He is praised by Dreamy for doing the bare minimum, and he acts like a know it all who has not one ounce of awareness of the experiences of those who are different than him (or emotional intelligence).
I am a bit sad this didn’t work for me, but definitely recommend others try it for themselves!🤍
‼️CW: mentions of suicide, grief, sudden death of a friend, verbally/emotionally abusive ex
Thank you to Netgalley for a free eArc in exchange for an honest review!
Business Not as Usual is a fun, black, age gap, millionaire hero, grumpy sunshine romance!!! I love all of those things separately, and was so excited to read this for that reason. Unfortunately… this ended up not really working for me for a variety of reasons.
Let’s start with the pros:
⁃ I love Dreamy!! She reminds me so much of Penelope Garcia from Criminal Minds. She’s a free spirit, wears crazy colorful clothes, and is just a ray of sunshine.
⁃ There wasn’t any unnecessary conflict or miscommunication, which I loved!
Now for what didn’t quite work for me:
⁃ I disliked Karter so much, which made it really hard to root for Karter and Dreamy as a couple. He constantly talked poorly about his exes and how “materialistic and shallow” they were, and I am never a fan of men talking down on women. In his eyes Dreamy was so special and “unlike other girls.” Karter villanized women (his sister, exes, etc) for drinking fancy coffee, traveling the world, wearing fancy clothes, caring about their appearance… and it read a lot like misogyny.
⁃ Dreamy is poor and Karter is rich, and this difference was brought up very often - it just seemed a little excessive like those were their only personality traits.
⁃ Some of the dialogue felt a bit unnatural and stilted to me, which made it hard for me to connect with the characters or find any true chemistry between them.
Karters characterization unfortunately made it difficult for me to be invested in this book. He is praised by Dreamy for doing the bare minimum, and he acts like a know it all who has not one ounce of awareness of the experiences of those who are different than him (or emotional intelligence).
I am a bit sad this didn’t work for me, but definitely recommend others try it for themselves!🤍
‼️CW: mentions of suicide, grief, sudden death of a friend, verbally/emotionally abusive ex
Thank you to Netgalley for a free eArc in exchange for an honest review!
April 19, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2 Stars (3.5)
This was truly what you would call a slow burn…..This was the story of two people from two different worlds coming together….Dreamy is a Secretary from a working class family and Karter is a Venture Capitalist from a wealthy family and the two meet when Karter goes to Dreamy office for a pitch meeting to potentially invest and sparks fly. I must say, I enjoyed the banter from Dreamy’s family which consisted of her, her sassy cousin Jordan (who is law school and on the verge of graduating)and their hilariously weed smoking grandfather ( who always wants to give Dreamy’s wigs away to his lady friend).The way the author pens, there’s no ridiculous amount of drama….but, there’s a tidbit that must be resolve before this couple can get to their HEA. The narration was decent.
This was truly what you would call a slow burn…..This was the story of two people from two different worlds coming together….Dreamy is a Secretary from a working class family and Karter is a Venture Capitalist from a wealthy family and the two meet when Karter goes to Dreamy office for a pitch meeting to potentially invest and sparks fly. I must say, I enjoyed the banter from Dreamy’s family which consisted of her, her sassy cousin Jordan (who is law school and on the verge of graduating)and their hilariously weed smoking grandfather ( who always wants to give Dreamy’s wigs away to his lady friend).The way the author pens, there’s no ridiculous amount of drama….but, there’s a tidbit that must be resolve before this couple can get to their HEA. The narration was decent.
June 26, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
1 🌶
So cute!!
1 🌶
So cute!!
April 5, 2022
HAPPY RELEASE DAY!
Thanks to Netgalley and Chelsea Pascoe over at Berkley for reaching out to me first with an ARC. This book releases April 5th.
3.5 rounded up; I went a little back and forth here but I was entertained and the book was cute overall.
Heads up that it is, like the title might suggest, an office-ish romance with both an age and wealth gap. The age gap was no biggie for me, given their respective ages - 28 and about 38.
Okay, good things first:
Dreamy is very relatable. She's still pursuing an undergraduate degree in the latter half of her twenties, she's an independent self-starter, and she reliably helps support the family.
I didn't care for the "she's not like other girls" attitude Karter adopts (ugh that trope again!) but you can't deny Dreamy's a protagonist with flavor. She likes to dress flamboyantly, has relatable money woes, and speaks frankly about her love for wigs. I was laughing aloud at a scene with a runaway afro wig.
The insta-lust was funny because you just...Suspend rational thought, and imagine this millionaire and secretary eyefucking each other at a first professional business meeting, and I was chuckling. I could see this easily as a romcom because it's so ridiculous in a fun way.
This leads me into the main con: you gotta suspend your disbelief. Like you're watching a Lifetime movie. I found it hard to believe a really organized, efficient secretary would forget to pay utility bills. Or could get so lost in lustful daydreams at work that she makes embarassing noises. Then there's her cute but preposterous belief that she's gonna win the lottery any day and fund her own business.
Karter's frequent maligning of his exes does at times read like misogyny, it should be noted.
But you know what, when I didn't look too closely this was cute, AND conflicts were smoothed over quickly. We need fluff in these times, and hot love scenes, and ridiculous cushy happy endings!
Kudos to the cover artist, too, I like it a lot.
Thanks to Netgalley and Chelsea Pascoe over at Berkley for reaching out to me first with an ARC. This book releases April 5th.
3.5 rounded up; I went a little back and forth here but I was entertained and the book was cute overall.
Heads up that it is, like the title might suggest, an office-ish romance with both an age and wealth gap. The age gap was no biggie for me, given their respective ages - 28 and about 38.
Okay, good things first:
Dreamy is very relatable. She's still pursuing an undergraduate degree in the latter half of her twenties, she's an independent self-starter, and she reliably helps support the family.
I didn't care for the "she's not like other girls" attitude Karter adopts (ugh that trope again!) but you can't deny Dreamy's a protagonist with flavor. She likes to dress flamboyantly, has relatable money woes, and speaks frankly about her love for wigs. I was laughing aloud at a scene with a runaway afro wig.
The insta-lust was funny because you just...Suspend rational thought, and imagine this millionaire and secretary eyefucking each other at a first professional business meeting, and I was chuckling. I could see this easily as a romcom because it's so ridiculous in a fun way.
This leads me into the main con: you gotta suspend your disbelief. Like you're watching a Lifetime movie. I found it hard to believe a really organized, efficient secretary would forget to pay utility bills. Or could get so lost in lustful daydreams at work that she makes embarassing noises. Then there's her cute but preposterous belief that she's gonna win the lottery any day and fund her own business.
Karter's frequent maligning of his exes does at times read like misogyny, it should be noted.
But you know what, when I didn't look too closely this was cute, AND conflicts were smoothed over quickly. We need fluff in these times, and hot love scenes, and ridiculous cushy happy endings!
Kudos to the cover artist, too, I like it a lot.
October 11, 2024
Broke the scale!
This is my first time reading a book by Sharon C. Cooper and I did enjoy it! Dreamy and Karter were different yet alike, which I adored and it worked for them. "I am beautiful. I am confident. I am lovable. I am a lottery winner." Go ahead, Dreamy. She was serious about winning that lottery and I love it for her.
I'm buying it and reading it atleast once a year.
This is my first time reading a book by Sharon C. Cooper and I did enjoy it! Dreamy and Karter were different yet alike, which I adored and it worked for them. "I am beautiful. I am confident. I am lovable. I am a lottery winner." Go ahead, Dreamy. She was serious about winning that lottery and I love it for her.
I'm buying it and reading it atleast once a year.
September 26, 2022
This was very sweet although I was really annoyed by the lottery storyline.
Very light and will leave you with a smile.
Very light and will leave you with a smile.
May 27, 2022
Dreamy Daniels has been gifted with the power of positive thinking. She speaks things into existence and sees life no other way. She knows her beauty. Her worth. Her future - in a sense. In fact, one of the things she says is that she is a lottery winner. Well, one day her mantra rings true. She wins millions.
Dreamy wasn't just waiting around for lady luck. She had a good job, albeit unfulfilling. She was even working to finish her bachelor's degree. Her career goals are important to her, but there is one thing she hadn't expected. Or person. That would be venture capitalist Karter Redford. He grew up with wealthy parents, and is wealthy in his own right, and work has always been important to him. But he wants more in life. Could the beauty named Dreamy be the one who will bring his life to complete fulfillment?
Instant attraction, sure? Manifesting a lottery winning? Well, who knows? But, both worked in this book. Dreamy. Karter. Altruism. Millions. Fun. Yes, all of it together worked in this delightful read by Sharon C. Cooper.
Many thanks to Berkley Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy the following YouTube video review -
https://youtu.be/9zLxSBFopeo
Dreamy wasn't just waiting around for lady luck. She had a good job, albeit unfulfilling. She was even working to finish her bachelor's degree. Her career goals are important to her, but there is one thing she hadn't expected. Or person. That would be venture capitalist Karter Redford. He grew up with wealthy parents, and is wealthy in his own right, and work has always been important to him. But he wants more in life. Could the beauty named Dreamy be the one who will bring his life to complete fulfillment?
Instant attraction, sure? Manifesting a lottery winning? Well, who knows? But, both worked in this book. Dreamy. Karter. Altruism. Millions. Fun. Yes, all of it together worked in this delightful read by Sharon C. Cooper.
Many thanks to Berkley Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy the following YouTube video review -
https://youtu.be/9zLxSBFopeo
April 15, 2022
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It had its laugh out loud moments, tension, angst, and romance. I love Dreamy and Karter and think that there chemistry was fantastic.
My only gripe with this book is that once you get to the smut scenes, they were such a let down. They were just bland and over before you know it. It felt like all of the build up and tension was gone in a flash.
I’ll still read more from this author because I really did enjoy the story otherwise.
Thank you Berkley for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
My only gripe with this book is that once you get to the smut scenes, they were such a let down. They were just bland and over before you know it. It felt like all of the build up and tension was gone in a flash.
I’ll still read more from this author because I really did enjoy the story otherwise.
Thank you Berkley for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
January 15, 2023
I really, really loved the heroine in this one! Hoping to open her own nonprofit in the future, Dreamy Daniels was bursting with confidence and ambition. Her positive outlook was just so admirable, even though I questioned her ridiculous determination to win the lottery (haha)!
Currently working under a micromanaging boss as an assistant, her office path crosses with Karter Redford, multi-millionaire venture capitalist. With minimal conflict and great communication regarding their differences, this romance was sweet. Karter was so tender and compassionate, but majorly stuck in a workaholic routine. Dreamy brought so much energy and fun to his life!
It did feel a bit over-the-top in how perfectly everything concluded for Dreamy—very much like a fairytale, I'd say. But overall this was an easygoing, lighthearted, and happy read! I liked it.
(heat level: a few open-door scenes, explicit details)
Currently working under a micromanaging boss as an assistant, her office path crosses with Karter Redford, multi-millionaire venture capitalist. With minimal conflict and great communication regarding their differences, this romance was sweet. Karter was so tender and compassionate, but majorly stuck in a workaholic routine. Dreamy brought so much energy and fun to his life!
It did feel a bit over-the-top in how perfectly everything concluded for Dreamy—very much like a fairytale, I'd say. But overall this was an easygoing, lighthearted, and happy read! I liked it.
(heat level: a few open-door scenes, explicit details)
February 7, 2023
Ahh this book was truly like a breath of fresh air!
It was the perfect rom-com!! This was such a great book to start off Black History Month with!
Karter and Dreamy are such a power couple! Dreamy is independent, quirky, and so freaking funny!
Carter is hard-working, incredibly caring and sweet and treated Dreamy like the queen that she was!
Yes this book was corny lol but also a sweet light hearted story. And I don't know...some thing about books like this just always hit, it brings me so much joy.
The story had very little angst, and I felt like I was just reading about a beautiful couple finding each other, laughing at their silly antics, and having their wonderful happily ever after! So it's safe to say that I really enjoyed this book and it made me feel all the feels!!❤️
💖"I can't even remember what my world was like before you came along. All I know is that my life is finally complete ... because of you."💖
It was the perfect rom-com!! This was such a great book to start off Black History Month with!
Karter and Dreamy are such a power couple! Dreamy is independent, quirky, and so freaking funny!
Carter is hard-working, incredibly caring and sweet and treated Dreamy like the queen that she was!
Yes this book was corny lol but also a sweet light hearted story. And I don't know...some thing about books like this just always hit, it brings me so much joy.
The story had very little angst, and I felt like I was just reading about a beautiful couple finding each other, laughing at their silly antics, and having their wonderful happily ever after! So it's safe to say that I really enjoyed this book and it made me feel all the feels!!❤️
💖"I can't even remember what my world was like before you came along. All I know is that my life is finally complete ... because of you."💖
January 18, 2023
THIS MAN IS SO FINE🫶🏼
April 10, 2022
Business Not As Usual by Sharon C. Cooper is a fun, lighthearted rom-com, that is just a delight. It’s fluffy and fun with many LOL moments. Escapism reading at its best.
Dreamy Daniels has dreams to make it big in business, and her plans include her winning the lottery in order to fund her start-up. She works as a secretary to a horrible boss by day and is finishing her business degree by night.
Karter Redford is a venture capitalist and the son of wealthy parents. When he meets Dreamy during a meeting with her boss, he is immediately intrigued by the flamboyant, intelligent woman behind the secretary's desk.
Business Not As Usual is romantic escapism at its best. This lighthearted romantic comedy has a sassy, bright, ambitious heroine, and a wealthy, sexy, and compassionate hero. The book is a bit predictable but in a comforting way. I enjoyed the banter between the main characters and I just loved Dreamy’s attitude.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romantic comedy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Dreamy Daniels has dreams to make it big in business, and her plans include her winning the lottery in order to fund her start-up. She works as a secretary to a horrible boss by day and is finishing her business degree by night.
Karter Redford is a venture capitalist and the son of wealthy parents. When he meets Dreamy during a meeting with her boss, he is immediately intrigued by the flamboyant, intelligent woman behind the secretary's desk.
Business Not As Usual is romantic escapism at its best. This lighthearted romantic comedy has a sassy, bright, ambitious heroine, and a wealthy, sexy, and compassionate hero. The book is a bit predictable but in a comforting way. I enjoyed the banter between the main characters and I just loved Dreamy’s attitude.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romantic comedy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
September 12, 2024
This book gave me such warm and fuzzy feels🤗🤗🤗
Hear me when I say, black women write romance the best way🔥
I liked how the story was paced, I love books that don’t have tonnes of filler chapters where no story progression takes place. I loved how well the characters were developed over the course of the book. I had a good understanding of most of them by the end of the book.
Karter is dreamy & full of BDE & I LOVED HIM!
I looooved Dreamy. (Wasn’t a fan of her name & I loved that the author took the time to make a joke about it coz I thought the exact same thing🤣 she’s confident, capable, beautiful & kind but I didn’t like that she felt she was less than when she met Karter…That she felt he was out of her league…Girl pls🙄 respect yourself & see yourself as the bad b*** you are!! That’s the one thing I would dock points off for.
I loved how Karter stood up to his mum for his woman. Wheeew, inject it in my veins😍😍 loved the dynamic between Dreamy, her cousin Jordyn & their grandfather. So beautiful.
This was a fun, romantic & beautiful read. I enjoyed it a lot!
Hear me when I say, black women write romance the best way🔥
I liked how the story was paced, I love books that don’t have tonnes of filler chapters where no story progression takes place. I loved how well the characters were developed over the course of the book. I had a good understanding of most of them by the end of the book.
Karter is dreamy & full of BDE & I LOVED HIM!
I looooved Dreamy. (Wasn’t a fan of her name & I loved that the author took the time to make a joke about it coz I thought the exact same thing🤣 she’s confident, capable, beautiful & kind but I didn’t like that she felt she was less than when she met Karter…That she felt he was out of her league…Girl pls🙄 respect yourself & see yourself as the bad b*** you are!! That’s the one thing I would dock points off for.
I loved how Karter stood up to his mum for his woman. Wheeew, inject it in my veins😍😍 loved the dynamic between Dreamy, her cousin Jordyn & their grandfather. So beautiful.
This was a fun, romantic & beautiful read. I enjoyed it a lot!
July 28, 2022
Lighthearted, fun read!
January 14, 2025
Easy read and funny. Pacing of the story felt a bit rushed. Corny at times. But enjoyed it. 3.5/5 🌟
March 10, 2025
Overall, really fluffy but I read it in less than 24 hours so it’s a 4 star read for that and no third act breakup up.
February 13, 2023
A fun, sexy quick read that I couldn't put down. Hope we get some sequels focusing on the leads' sister and cousin.
May 5, 2022
Business Not As Usual by Sharon C. Cooper was such a well-written workplace romance! I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did, and that was such a lovely, lovely surprise. 4.5/5 stars 💫 Many thanks to Berkley Romance for the e-ARC!
I love it when I get to I fall in love with characters from the very first page. That’s exactly what happened when I read about Dreamy Daniels, the female lead from Business Not As Usual. Her eccentric and sunshine attitude made my heart smile countless times throughout the story. I loved how the author portrayed her financial struggles so realistically. Many people tried to bring her down, but she worked hard for her goals anyway. That was such an inspirational aspect for me.
And then there’s Karter. :’) His caring nature made me swoon. I absolutely loved how understanding he was regarding Dreamy’s issues, even though their social/wealth differences were HUGE. Their easy chemistry and conversations were my favorite part of reading this book. I have never been a huge fan of the insta-love or age-gap romance genres, but the plot of Business Not As Usual was executed these tropes perfectly and reasonably.
Both Dreamy and Karter had their own set of problems – for Karter it was his workaholic nature and for Dreamy, it was her financial woes – which is why it was so wonderful to see how both of them supported each other to be better people. I could definitely see how perfect they were for each other. They connected and grew together – WE LOVE TO SEE THAT.
Business Not As Usual covered a lot of important themes like workplace toxicity, wealth gaps, class, and workaholism. It might seem like a lot of things to include in a single novel, but wow – the author did an amazing job of writing a romance with all of these aspects. I can’t wait to read more from her! 🥺💜
I love it when I get to I fall in love with characters from the very first page. That’s exactly what happened when I read about Dreamy Daniels, the female lead from Business Not As Usual. Her eccentric and sunshine attitude made my heart smile countless times throughout the story. I loved how the author portrayed her financial struggles so realistically. Many people tried to bring her down, but she worked hard for her goals anyway. That was such an inspirational aspect for me.
And then there’s Karter. :’) His caring nature made me swoon. I absolutely loved how understanding he was regarding Dreamy’s issues, even though their social/wealth differences were HUGE. Their easy chemistry and conversations were my favorite part of reading this book. I have never been a huge fan of the insta-love or age-gap romance genres, but the plot of Business Not As Usual was executed these tropes perfectly and reasonably.
Both Dreamy and Karter had their own set of problems – for Karter it was his workaholic nature and for Dreamy, it was her financial woes – which is why it was so wonderful to see how both of them supported each other to be better people. I could definitely see how perfect they were for each other. They connected and grew together – WE LOVE TO SEE THAT.
Business Not As Usual covered a lot of important themes like workplace toxicity, wealth gaps, class, and workaholism. It might seem like a lot of things to include in a single novel, but wow – the author did an amazing job of writing a romance with all of these aspects. I can’t wait to read more from her! 🥺💜
April 11, 2022
Dreamy is working as an executive assistant and going to school at night. She has big dreams and big plans for her future and they don’t include dating after a bad break up with her boyfriend, but they do include winning the lottery so she can fund some charities and startups.
Karter is a super successful tech executive who comes across Dreamy at a meeting and is immediately smitten. His trouble is getting her to break her no dating rule and go out with him. Dreamy can’t deny their chemistry, so she eventually caves and the flames ignite! Dreamy is worried about p their economic and social differences, but Karter works to convince her that she’s different than his normal women and he really wants her to give them a chance. The steam factor is pretty high once they give in to it.
There were some major Cinderella vibes of course and some of the storyline was pretty unrealistic because the characters said and did things that didn’t really gel with their personality, but that’s the point of fiction, isn’t it. To set aside reality and jump in. So this was a mixed bag for me, but overall a quick and easy read.
Thanks to Berkley Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.
Karter is a super successful tech executive who comes across Dreamy at a meeting and is immediately smitten. His trouble is getting her to break her no dating rule and go out with him. Dreamy can’t deny their chemistry, so she eventually caves and the flames ignite! Dreamy is worried about p their economic and social differences, but Karter works to convince her that she’s different than his normal women and he really wants her to give them a chance. The steam factor is pretty high once they give in to it.
There were some major Cinderella vibes of course and some of the storyline was pretty unrealistic because the characters said and did things that didn’t really gel with their personality, but that’s the point of fiction, isn’t it. To set aside reality and jump in. So this was a mixed bag for me, but overall a quick and easy read.
Thanks to Berkley Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.
June 15, 2022
Business Not As Usual by Sharon C. Cooper 307 pages
Genre: Romance > Contemporary Romance, African-American Romance; Adult Fiction, Women's Fiction > Chick Lit; Humor, Cultural > African-American
Featuring: Lottery Tickets, Office Setting, Affluent People, Age Gap, Mature Students, Wigs, Fashion, Family Drama, Sex - Detailed w/ Onomatopoeia
Rating as a movie: R for adult content
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
My thoughts: Page 35 of 307 - Ch. 5 - It's kinda cute so far, but not funny.
145 Ch. 17 - Its enjoyable, something hilarious finally happened.
This story started out better than okay but it went downhill shortly before the sex scene and never fully recovered. It was corny in parts and almost good in others but overall the delivery wasn't my cup of tea. A lot of the developments made little sense.
Recommend to others?: Maybe. I could see some people enjoying this story but it was just okay for me.
Genre: Romance > Contemporary Romance, African-American Romance; Adult Fiction, Women's Fiction > Chick Lit; Humor, Cultural > African-American
Featuring: Lottery Tickets, Office Setting, Affluent People, Age Gap, Mature Students, Wigs, Fashion, Family Drama, Sex - Detailed w/ Onomatopoeia
Rating as a movie: R for adult content
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
My thoughts: Page 35 of 307 - Ch. 5 - It's kinda cute so far, but not funny.
145 Ch. 17 - Its enjoyable, something hilarious finally happened.
This story started out better than okay but it went downhill shortly before the sex scene and never fully recovered. It was corny in parts and almost good in others but overall the delivery wasn't my cup of tea. A lot of the developments made little sense.
Recommend to others?: Maybe. I could see some people enjoying this story but it was just okay for me.
May 10, 2022
Thank you Berkley Romance for my free copy.
Tropes:
Grumpy/Sunshine
Rich/poor
Age gap
What I liked:
Funny.
Out of pocket Grandfather. 🤣😩
First date hijinks.
Minimal drama.
Good communication skills between the two.
Issues:
I didn’t feel the connection fully between Dreamy and Karter while reading this story.
I would have liked to see Dreamy adapt in her new business venture. It was such a large part of the story and it was hardly mentioned towards the end.
Tropes:
Grumpy/Sunshine
Rich/poor
Age gap
What I liked:
Funny.
Out of pocket Grandfather. 🤣😩
First date hijinks.
Minimal drama.
Good communication skills between the two.
Issues:
I didn’t feel the connection fully between Dreamy and Karter while reading this story.
I would have liked to see Dreamy adapt in her new business venture. It was such a large part of the story and it was hardly mentioned towards the end.
June 8, 2022
not too shabby..
Super lighthearted story, I liked the unexpected love connection between Karter and Dreamy. Karter was all work and no play, he needed Dreamy. It was interesting because Karter didn’t seem like the type of character to chase but he wanted Dreamy in the worse way! There was some unrealistic parts but overall I liked the storyline. When Dreamy lost her wig in the parking lot I was legit laughing out loud! 🤣
Super lighthearted story, I liked the unexpected love connection between Karter and Dreamy. Karter was all work and no play, he needed Dreamy. It was interesting because Karter didn’t seem like the type of character to chase but he wanted Dreamy in the worse way! There was some unrealistic parts but overall I liked the storyline. When Dreamy lost her wig in the parking lot I was legit laughing out loud! 🤣
September 10, 2022
I had a rough week and listening to Dreamy and Karter's love story was just what I needed. There were some scenes where I laughed out loud.
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