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Business Casual

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Business Casual

It was supposed to be one night only.
It ended up being the best night of my life.
And everything that happened after that was against company policy.

287 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 20, 2021

181 people are currently reading
1605 people want to read

About the author

Danielle Allen

80 books3,189 followers
Diversity in Romance Advocate.
Life Coach.

XOXO

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5 stars
519 (43%)
4 stars
412 (34%)
3 stars
188 (15%)
2 stars
51 (4%)
1 star
14 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
Profile Image for Jessica .
2,622 reviews16k followers
February 12, 2022
gahhhhhhh this was SUCH an amazing forbidden and office romance! From the moment Imani and Tre meet, sparks immediately fly. They don't know who each other are, but they know they have a connection that is impossible to ignore. But when Imani gets to one of the most important interviews of her life as a social media manager, she realizes Tre is one of the owners of the company. And they have a clear rule in their contract that employees cannot date each other. ENTER ANGST. Wow, I loved this book. I loved the intense emotional and physical connection that Imani and Tre had and how hard it was to stay away from one another. I loved how hard and fast Tre fell for Imani and how he would literally give everything to make her happy. If you love a good forbidden romance with TONS of tension, you need to pick this book up!
Profile Image for mina reads™️.
642 reviews8,468 followers
dnf
March 4, 2022
dnf @ 60% this book feels like the same four scenes repeated over and over again :
1) tre and imani talk/flirt/fuck in tre’s office and then josephine comes in looking suspicious

2) random run ins with the toxic ex

3) imani having commiserating phone calls with keisha while imani ignores keisha’s advice

4) imani gets called for a meeting with mr franklin and is relieved to find out that he doesn’t know about her and tre yet

I’m just bored. it’s not bad, it’s even a pretty sexy but I just don’t feel connected to the story or care to see what develops in the next 40% so I’m dnfing. But if you’re looking for a quick black love workplace romance maybe check this out
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Abby Diana Star.
226 reviews88 followers
May 25, 2022
HOLY CRAP I DEVOURED THIS STORY! There was never a boring moment!
And the ending epilogue was truly perfect it made me super emotional!
I love reading about Black love and soulmates
The spice was spicy😏and it was filled with such incredibly romantic moments!❤️
I absolutely loved this book!!
Profile Image for babygyalreadit.
540 reviews954 followers
January 25, 2022
Okay lets talk about it, Imani is a social media manager who has a new job opportunity that could really take her career to the next level. On the morning of her interview she has an encounter with a man whom she immediately hit it off with. He asks her on a date for that night , she agrees and they part ways bc he’s on his way to a meeting..

As fate would have it when she gets upstairs to the waiting area she runs into him again and realizes that he’s who she is meeting with. They decided after that they will keep things strictly professional for the 6 months that her contract lasts. They lied LMFAO. She ends up going to the place he mentions for dinner but she takes her Bestfriend with her and surprise surprise they run into him. The chemistry is off the charts between them okay. They decided that just this one night they’re going to get everything out of their system and come Monday morning it will be business as usual.

Listen from off the rip I was invested into both of them. Imani was a strong, confident, witty, carefree woman who has worked her butt off to get to where she is. She has a lot to offer to anyone on any type of scale, friendships, business and in a relationship. Tre has the weight of the world on his shoulders. He will be taking over the company from his father very soon bc he is the current COO. He’s working on a new project that’s very important to him and that’s where Imani comes into play.

I was so insanely attracted to Tres character, I loved everything about him and what he stood for. He is the definition of a MAN. He was so confident, attentive, caring, funny, charismatic, charming. I absolutely loved how open he was & that he acted on his feelings for Imani. He didn’t once deny his attraction to her and how he would find a way for them to be together.. if that meant losing his job he did not care. He was written in such an amazing way, he honestly had no flaws.

Danielle captured all the lust, love, yearning and chemistry between them so well this book had me in an absolute chokehold the entire time. I loved every minute of it. I highlighted damn near the entire thing. Ugh this was so so so good. Please read it!
Profile Image for Qiana Groves.
350 reviews64 followers
November 11, 2021
You would think in a fictitious world things would be simple, well that usually isn't the case, and it definitely isn't the case for Imani Jones. Imani almost seems as if she's a magnet for bad luck when this story starts. Things seem to take a turn for the better when she meets a handsome man on the way to her job interview, he even asks her out on a date. Only for Imani to get to the interview and find out that tonight's date is her soon to be boss. "It was supposed to be a one-night stand. It ended up being the best night of my life. And everything that happened after that was against company policy."


Imani convinces herself that she can control herself and her vagina when it comes to Tre Franklin. She's not on the market for a relationship after her ex, Avery, leaves a bad taste in her mouth. But the more she's around Tre and his charismatic energy, the more she finds herself asking some difficult questions. "Can I afford to lose the Franklin Financial contract? Is dick worth losing a six-month contract that is paying more than I made last year? Is dick worth losing a bag? Can I wait six months to ride this man?" It could all be so simple if they had kept things as a one-night stand. "I've never had someone impress me in the bedroom and the boardroom before. That shit is elite."


Alexander "Tre" Franklin is the complete package. "His face was sculpted perfection with a beard that graced his jawline sexily. His broad shoulders were covered in an expensive-looking grey suit. but it was the way the 6'2" bronze Adonis looked at me that caused a chill to run down my spine." He's smart, he's charming and he's white-collar excellence. There's just one catch... He's Imani's boss. And although she's only a contracted employee, it's still a bad look for the company. "You're a partner. She's a lawsuit." Imani had Tre willing to risk it all and readers will be on pins and needles waiting to see how their story ends.


This was a cute Insta-Love story. The chemistry and the energy between Imani and Tre was everything. The sex scenes were bomb and nasty, I clutched my imaginary pearls while reading. This book was fun to read, but I loved the seriousness in the underlying message as well. "As a Black woman in this country, it's hard enough for us. And unfortunately, because they like to lump us together, your situation becomes a justification for not including women, particularly Black women, to have a seat at the table." I would love to see an update on these characters in the future. Great job Danielle!!

Profile Image for OhhSlimmm.
506 reviews31 followers
September 20, 2021
Corporate passion

This black excellence office, erotica love story was sooooo good! Imani and Tre was such a beautiful sight to read and fantasize about lol. Hot, sexy, steamy, NASTY sex scenes that will have you squirming in your seats(be prepared). I loved to see her write about black CEOs and smart corporate men and women in high positions doing well; that was a bonus. This book is for GROWN FOLKS ONLY!!!! Definitely recommend
Profile Image for Whit.
3,640 reviews51 followers
January 9, 2022
Although interesting, there were a few "Wait, what?" moments.
On one hand, Imani is a Boss when it comes to her creative side. But why, on earth, would you jeopardize your career and reputation to have sex in the office, during business hours? Really? Animals gone wild? Where is your restraint, your self-respect, your common sense?
No wonder that sleazy Avery treated Imani like a "street woman". Because on too many occasions she acted like one!
Profile Image for JBucky.
450 reviews32 followers
September 14, 2025
Cute 🥰

3.5 ⭐️ This was a very cute, decent read! I loved Tre & Imani!!! This would have gotten a higher rating if it had dual POV. I feel like the story would have been nearly perfect if we got Tre’s POV.
Profile Image for Myriamnadia.
26 reviews1 follower
February 2, 2022
You know me! I don't jeopardize my career for a man. And now look at me-fucking and sucking on the clock

I've read a lot of workplace romances and I usually am able to get swept up in the thrill of a forbidden lust. But this book had me STRESSED!

I appreciated that they fell for each other before the job interview but it was downhill from there. He was her boss and it was a family business! Talk about power dynamic. The business had already dealt with one workplace romance that ended poorly and almost caused them to fold. She was a contracted employee so they decided to wait until the end of the contract in 6 months. That lasted about a week. They had absolutely no self control. NONE. They were getting down in the office almost everyday!

I liked how well they got along, how qualified they were at their respective jobs, and the vision for what they were doing for work. But the fact that they consistently put that at risk was difficult to read. I wanted it to be a decision they made to risk it all for love or whatever but it felt like it was happening to them and they could do nothing to stop it. When it came to sex they lost all of their reason; they decided to have sex the first night they met because they technically hadn't started working together and that would hold them over for the next 6 months, then they continued in their sexual relationship ONLY at work, and there was no mention of protection!!

And the book ended with everything tied neatly in a bow which is my favorite way for a romance book to end. However the ending showed how thin the conflict was and that was disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Christi (christireadsalot).
2,793 reviews1,433 followers
August 2, 2022
3.5 stars/rounded up. The steamy times in this really delivered, these 2 were 🔥 together! Lots of sneaking around times, office steam and under the desk action 👀🔥. The first half I really enjoyed more than the second half, wasn’t a fan of some of the ex drama going on in the background. But pretty short, less than 300 pages on KU and mostly a fun workplace romance!

Imani is going in for an interview for a new job as social media manager for a company, while in the lobby of the building a very hot stranger, Tre, comes over and they hit it off right away. Sparks fly, lots of flirting, he asks her out to dinner, she accepts and gives him her card. It’s all going so well! That is until she gets upstairs to the interview and Tre is not only interviewing her, but the owner of the financial firm! And in the company policy/her contract, they aren’t supposed to date or have any relationship.
Profile Image for ReadnliftwithShar.
1,854 reviews
July 9, 2022
🥰

I love a good office Romance story and when it’s forbidden, it’s even better! This was my first Danielle Allen book and I love the way she told this story about Tre and Imani. It was super cute and I loved the ending.
2,063 reviews14 followers
September 29, 2021
Whew!!

Hot, steamy, sexy office romance story about a one night stand that turned into a love story between a supervisor and subordinate. Danielle Allen touched on the issues of having and inter office affair and the excitement of sneaking around during office hours. I absolutely loved the relationship between Tre and Imani, along with the fact that they were willing to do anything to keep the other one from being hurt. Well written book that I’d definitely recommend to anyone who likes a good love story.
Profile Image for Erika B..
Author 45 books108 followers
September 27, 2021
Business Casual

😍 as always this author continues to deliver! Imani and Tre will have you giddy, laughing, and completely in love with their love. They were a great pair and I highly recommend taking the time to read this book. You’ll love it!
Profile Image for Delanique Waller.
472 reviews23 followers
August 29, 2022
is it bad that i wished this was longer.. like even tho i was stressing while reading i ate this book up and i need more tre and imani in my life.. the steam! the tension! the everything!! so good
59 reviews
September 21, 2021
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I’m not that great at reviews but I believe that if an author took the time to create a masterpiece then I can do a review. This book was everything!!! I did not even read the synopsis because if it says by Danielle Allen then I’m all in. I loved their relationship in this story. It was steamy, heartwarming, and cute. It definitely gives you all the feels you’re looking for in a romance book. Excellent read!
Profile Image for Toya  Davis-Stokley.
2,546 reviews99 followers
October 3, 2021
Okay, Miss Allen you have hit the bulls eye again with this one! An innocent, flirty conversation between two strangers, sparked an all out sexy love affair! Tre and Imani's chemistry was scorching hot! Then comes the little issue of company policy! Hmm.. there has to be a way around that right? This connection is too good to be worried about that right? I loved the playfulness that Tre and Imani shared, as well as the ducking and dodging trying not to get caught up! They were some risk takers for real, for real! 😂 I didn't know what to think of Josephine at first, as I thought she was just a hater! But, glad to find out that she was just trying to help a sister out. Message received loud and clear, about the how differently superiors and subordinates are treated, in these situations. I was a bit stressed at times, wondering if they were going to make it; or would they run for fear of being found out. Then Mr. Franklin being all dramatic with his meetings, scared the hell out of both Tre and Imani! 😂 This was a beautiful love where the risk was definitely worth it! 👍👍👍
Profile Image for Toyah.
148 reviews6 followers
December 8, 2021
What can I say about this gem of a book. I don't even know where to even start 😫.

All I can say is Danielle is the queen of black love. All of the books I have read from her so far get me so hyped when I'm reading it's not even funny(well it's a little bit funny 😂). The type of books she writes makes you totally believe in love 😫😭.

Imani and Tré are definitely my favourite couple out of all of the books I've read so far. Tré like most of my book friends is my baby Daddy and I absolutely love him!!!!!❤️❤️😭

This will defo be on my top 10 books of the year hands down🤲🏾❤️.

If you're thinking of reading it, don't think just jump in, trust me you won't regret it 😏😁.

⭐⭐⭐⭐🌟!!!!
Profile Image for Ronnie Renee.
224 reviews
November 24, 2024
4.5 Stars
What starts as a steamy one-night stand unexpectedly blossoms into a forbidden workplace romance—and I couldn’t get enough of it! The storyline felt so authentic, like something you could easily imagine happening in real life, which makes it the perfect contemporary romance. Danielle's writing style stands out, especially her use of dialogue. It’s so natural and abundant, making the book flow effortlessly and keeping you hooked from start to finish. If you love realistic, fast-paced romances with characters you can root for, this one’s a must-read!
Profile Image for WellReadRuby.
534 reviews111 followers
October 25, 2021
So lets just say this title is very fitting because the casual encouters at the office were off the chain! lol! This was a fun book where I enjoyed both the hero Tre and the heroine Imani. What started out as causual quickly turned into more and them working in the same office added to the spice and thrill of getting caught. I feel there were some leads that didn't get resolved but it didn't take away from the overall story. Definitely a good read if you want a steamy office romance!
Profile Image for Tsholonki .
443 reviews7 followers
January 27, 2023
One thing about Danielle Allen, she will written an epic romance. This one had slight moments of "why don't they just open up about how they feel" which kinda bores me but it adds to the story because it still has realistic touches, it isn't all whimsical yet it is just a perfect balance. The ending felt too familiar with it from one of the author's other books or another romance author. But overall I enjoyed it thoroughly
Profile Image for Monae Nicole.
Author 76 books188 followers
October 22, 2021
Love is worth the risk.

I loved Tre and Imani. Not only was their chemistry hot but they also built a solid relationship outside of the bedroom. I just couldn't get enough of them. I didn't want their story to end.
Profile Image for Hannah.
723 reviews9 followers
February 8, 2022
Tre and Imani are an amazing couple, the way they’d do anything for each other after only knowing each other for a couple of months is incredible.
Profile Image for daeshaaa .
133 reviews1 follower
May 1, 2023
won me over at the end, they were cute.
221 reviews5 followers
June 27, 2023
These two stressed me TF out!! Self-control? They don't know her. But it was hot and I loved it.
Profile Image for Lady.
211 reviews3 followers
November 29, 2021
What a BIRD!

Based on the description and the reviews of the book, I was looking forward to reading it, but ended up so disappointed instead. I was ready to give up at the 38% mark because it moved too damn slow and was repetitious as hell, but I hung on because it got a little better once I crossed the halfway point. Only a little though.

I don't know what to make of the female character but she was such a bird! Hell, with the exception of Ms. Josephine, who I LOVED, Mr. and Mrs. Franklin, and Sydney, everybody else in this book was trash. There's no f*cking WAY I'm a risk f*cking up my bag and my career over some man. I don't care how fine he is, and if his character was decent, HE wouldn't allow me to do so either. THEE moment I realized that people were on to us, I would've taken a step back and moved differently. I would be more worried about MY reputation and future than his, because I would have more to lose. Imani's dumb ass wasn't thinking about ANY of this! Just when he was going to finally bend her over his desk.

I don't know if Imani was supposed to be this horny and stupid, or if the author was horny at the time she wrote this book. Either way, I'll be glad when authors stop writing about these simple minded chicks. There were times I wondered if Imani's Mother, or any women of substance PERIOD were in her life because she was totally clueless about a lot of common sense stuff. Her best friend Keisha was the WORST kind of friend. Instead of giving Imani good, solid advice, she egged the mess on when she wasn't 'jokingly' telling her something that made sense. The last thing Imani needed was a 'yes' friend. She needed a reality check.

This book read like a Tyler Perry production (play, TV show, movie - take your pick) the first 20% of the book, and I knew then that this probably wasn't going to be as good as I had hoped.
60 reviews
August 27, 2024
I was so excited to read this book. I heard nothing but positive reviews. Let’s start with the things I did liked…

-Black love
-Black multibillion businesses
-Black Wealth
-Miss Josephine( she the only one with some sense)

Things I didn’t like…. Literally everything else.. but let me be specific. Lol but for real It’s going to be a lot

-mostly all characters didn’t have any depth to them.
-not a strong plot
The plot has many holes and unnecessary characters. In the story. There were times where are events, characters, and dialogue did not add up. Like you can skip pages and still understand what’s going on. And the ending fell flat.
-it was a instalove story
The MC and FMC met each other on the first couple of chapters then the FMC godfather mentioned they might love each other, which was too fast
-there was no tension
It is written as a office, Romance, and that the empty and the FMC was supposed to have this tension brewing in the office, but is wasnt . No build up to their sexual. Instead it was more awkward, forced and weird. It’s not that hard to not only not mess around in the office, but to remain calm around each other.
-the intimacy scenes were OK nothing special I feel as though they could’ve done more with the foreplay and aftercare.
And lastly both the MC and the FMC kept making so many stupid decisions..
I wanted to like this book, so bad, but I really didn’t
PS. I have to come back to fix my grammar and spelling.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews

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