What do you think?
Rate this book
Grumpy Boss #2
The Room
USA Today bestselling author Penelope Bloom brings a brand new enemies-to-lovers romance where two total opposites fight to deny their perfect chemistry.
Sebastian St. James needed an ego check in the worst way.
So I gave him the tongue lashing to end all tongue lashings.
But he liked it.
Before I knew it, my dress was up to my ears.
He apparently had a tongue lashing of his own to give.
Mission gloriously failed, if you asked me.
We both agreed to part ways like adults. No strings, no attachments.
Except I couldn’t stand that he’d been able to walk away so easily.
So I handled my disappointment like the totally reasonable woman I am.
I attended one of his book signings and threw coffee in his face.
Then I face-planted over a fence trying to outrun his security.
Before I knew it, I was recovering in Sebastian’s mansion.
Then he offered me a job watching his cat and staying in his house.
I wish I could say I stared into his dreamy eyes and told him to bite me.
But I needed the job more than I wanted to admit.
So now I’m bunked with an obnoxiously attractive roommate.
A roommate I somehow want to strangle and straddle at the same time.
But there's nothing to worry about.
He "doesn't do relationships."
Nope. All he does is brood, glower, and boss me around.
But just like everything else in my life, it gets messier.
I'm pregnant.
Who's the father, you ask? I'll give you a hint.
The baby's probably going to come out with cute little horns and a pitchfork.
A full-length enemies-to-lovers, secret baby romance loaded with laugh-out-loud moments, unapologetic wit, and a lovable heroine who would look the devil in the eyes and make him say "please". Will she drag the jaded millionaire kicking and grumbling to his happily ever after?
Sebastian St. James needed an ego check in the worst way.
So I gave him the tongue lashing to end all tongue lashings.
But he liked it.
Before I knew it, my dress was up to my ears.
He apparently had a tongue lashing of his own to give.
Mission gloriously failed, if you asked me.
We both agreed to part ways like adults. No strings, no attachments.
Except I couldn’t stand that he’d been able to walk away so easily.
So I handled my disappointment like the totally reasonable woman I am.
I attended one of his book signings and threw coffee in his face.
Then I face-planted over a fence trying to outrun his security.
Before I knew it, I was recovering in Sebastian’s mansion.
Then he offered me a job watching his cat and staying in his house.
I wish I could say I stared into his dreamy eyes and told him to bite me.
But I needed the job more than I wanted to admit.
So now I’m bunked with an obnoxiously attractive roommate.
A roommate I somehow want to strangle and straddle at the same time.
But there's nothing to worry about.
He "doesn't do relationships."
Nope. All he does is brood, glower, and boss me around.
But just like everything else in my life, it gets messier.
I'm pregnant.
Who's the father, you ask? I'll give you a hint.
The baby's probably going to come out with cute little horns and a pitchfork.
A full-length enemies-to-lovers, secret baby romance loaded with laugh-out-loud moments, unapologetic wit, and a lovable heroine who would look the devil in the eyes and make him say "please". Will she drag the jaded millionaire kicking and grumbling to his happily ever after?
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 23, 2021
642 people are currently reading
862 people want to read
About the author
Penelope Bloom
69 books2,642 followersUSA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon Charts Bestselling author Penelope Bloom is taking her first flight into romantasy—and yes, there are dragons. After years of contemporary romance, she's temporarily trading meet-cutes for magical academies and coffee shops for castles that reek of blood. She promises the banter is just as sharp, but now it comes with deadly consequences.
Fun fact: “Penelope Bloom” started as a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the family dog, Penelope—never meant to be anything serious. But then the books took off, and the name stuck. Behind the scenes, Penelope Bloom is actually a husband-and-wife team. He handles the writing; she edits, helps with brainstorming, and runs the reader-facing side of things (like social media and messages). So if you’ve chatted with “Penelope” online, you’ve likely been talking to her—with the author chiming in whenever needed. Together, they’ve built the voice readers know and love.
Fun fact: “Penelope Bloom” started as a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the family dog, Penelope—never meant to be anything serious. But then the books took off, and the name stuck. Behind the scenes, Penelope Bloom is actually a husband-and-wife team. He handles the writing; she edits, helps with brainstorming, and runs the reader-facing side of things (like social media and messages). So if you’ve chatted with “Penelope” online, you’ve likely been talking to her—with the author chiming in whenever needed. Together, they’ve built the voice readers know and love.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 294 reviews
October 22, 2021
Take every reading pet peeve and a few dozen nonfunctional plot devices and shove it into knockoff designer handbag ….and you have this book in a nutshell.
Slow, fluffy, wordy start that suddenly turns into the fastest insta fuck and insta obsession I’ve ever read. They barely speak before agreeing to a one and done against the wall of a writer’s convention. She’s immediately becomes obsessive as he walks away. Fast forward four months… she’s still obsessed in a hate you/want you way - attacks him and ends up in his home with a concussion and secret health surprise. Keep in mind that the brief wall screw is the ONLY interaction between the MCs, and it was basically just mundane stick penis in vagina, grunt, and it’s over …. which makes it very hard to buy the obsession from a lust nor romance standpoint.
There is ZERO chemistry here. Zero relationship building. Zero angst, feelings, heat, or drama. It’s just two random people screwing for five seconds and the inner dialogue of him being a reclusive bastard and her being a reckless Fatal Attraction-type idiot. Almost 1/4 of the book hinges on that five second screw, without anything passing between the characters. It’s hard to GAF when that is the only thing holding the threads together.
Where is the witty and funny? All I see is desperate on all accounts. Once there is some dialogue between the MCs, it’s weird, desperate, attention-seeking, offbeat, stilted, etc. It’s icky in how robotically idiotic it comes across. I have no empathy, understanding, nor connection with these flat characters, and the few things I do know about them… it’s all negative.
For the first 30%, I feel like the author is pushing the negatives and struggles of each character being a successful and struggling writer into the story too hard. The idea of being inside an author’s head for the ups and downs is cool, but it takes too much space here when the reader knows NOTHING else about the characters.
Throw in absurd plot devices like a cat sitting job, a millionaire brother she refuses to take help from to keep from being homeless, pregnancy secret, etc and I’m just over struggling through the hyperbole and fluff.
I’ve tried this author a couple of times now, and I just find her writing and stories to be like oatmeal. It really doesn’t matter how much fruit, sugar, and shit you add… it still remains oatmeal.
DNF.
Slow, fluffy, wordy start that suddenly turns into the fastest insta fuck and insta obsession I’ve ever read. They barely speak before agreeing to a one and done against the wall of a writer’s convention. She’s immediately becomes obsessive as he walks away. Fast forward four months… she’s still obsessed in a hate you/want you way - attacks him and ends up in his home with a concussion and secret health surprise. Keep in mind that the brief wall screw is the ONLY interaction between the MCs, and it was basically just mundane stick penis in vagina, grunt, and it’s over …. which makes it very hard to buy the obsession from a lust nor romance standpoint.
There is ZERO chemistry here. Zero relationship building. Zero angst, feelings, heat, or drama. It’s just two random people screwing for five seconds and the inner dialogue of him being a reclusive bastard and her being a reckless Fatal Attraction-type idiot. Almost 1/4 of the book hinges on that five second screw, without anything passing between the characters. It’s hard to GAF when that is the only thing holding the threads together.
Where is the witty and funny? All I see is desperate on all accounts. Once there is some dialogue between the MCs, it’s weird, desperate, attention-seeking, offbeat, stilted, etc. It’s icky in how robotically idiotic it comes across. I have no empathy, understanding, nor connection with these flat characters, and the few things I do know about them… it’s all negative.
For the first 30%, I feel like the author is pushing the negatives and struggles of each character being a successful and struggling writer into the story too hard. The idea of being inside an author’s head for the ups and downs is cool, but it takes too much space here when the reader knows NOTHING else about the characters.
Throw in absurd plot devices like a cat sitting job, a millionaire brother she refuses to take help from to keep from being homeless, pregnancy secret, etc and I’m just over struggling through the hyperbole and fluff.
I’ve tried this author a couple of times now, and I just find her writing and stories to be like oatmeal. It really doesn’t matter how much fruit, sugar, and shit you add… it still remains oatmeal.
DNF.
October 6, 2021
Grumpy meets Goofy!!
I love Penelope Blooms quirky and funny dialogue in her books. I always look forward to new releases because I know I'm gonna read stuff I couldn't ever expect and it's gonna make me snort giggle. This one did not disappoint.
Sebastian St. James had a painful past. So now he's grumpy and surly and pushes everyone away so he can't get hurt again. He has written a novel that has become a massive hit but he is struggling under the weight of the expectations of the next one. At a writers conference he meets Kenzie, a chaotic ball of energy and sass, after she slaps the mess outta him for his nasty message to the aspiring authors. It's the first thing that's made him feel anything in a while so of course Sebastian asks Kenzie to follow him into a conference room for a "no strings" attached quickie against the wall.
Kenzie is quirky and weird. She said the funniest and most unexpected things. She wormed her way under Sebastian's skin and refused to let him retreat back into himself. No matter how hard he tried, Sebastian couldn't keep himself from falling in love with Kenzie. Neither could deny their intense scorching chemistry.
I really liked this. I loved Kenzie. She was a little neurotic but in a cute way. Sebastian was all smouldering and broody, with a body like brick outhouse that Kenzie literally climbs like a tree. I thought it was a cute quick read and highly entertaining.
Even though this is an ARC review, I will always shoot you straight. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love Penelope Blooms quirky and funny dialogue in her books. I always look forward to new releases because I know I'm gonna read stuff I couldn't ever expect and it's gonna make me snort giggle. This one did not disappoint.
Sebastian St. James had a painful past. So now he's grumpy and surly and pushes everyone away so he can't get hurt again. He has written a novel that has become a massive hit but he is struggling under the weight of the expectations of the next one. At a writers conference he meets Kenzie, a chaotic ball of energy and sass, after she slaps the mess outta him for his nasty message to the aspiring authors. It's the first thing that's made him feel anything in a while so of course Sebastian asks Kenzie to follow him into a conference room for a "no strings" attached quickie against the wall.
Kenzie is quirky and weird. She said the funniest and most unexpected things. She wormed her way under Sebastian's skin and refused to let him retreat back into himself. No matter how hard he tried, Sebastian couldn't keep himself from falling in love with Kenzie. Neither could deny their intense scorching chemistry.
I really liked this. I loved Kenzie. She was a little neurotic but in a cute way. Sebastian was all smouldering and broody, with a body like brick outhouse that Kenzie literally climbs like a tree. I thought it was a cute quick read and highly entertaining.
Even though this is an ARC review, I will always shoot you straight. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read
September 26, 2021This didn’t work for me. DNF 9%. (This is just my opinion, it may be just what you like.)
I have no problem with people having one night stands. My problem with this one, it didn’t make sense. The meeting between the MC’s had no chemistry what so ever. h became angry at the H for insulting his fans. She slaps him, totally drama-style and he invites her to the room next door for some action. She follows, they have sex. She is hurt when he leaves, even though he was clear about not wanting anything more.
It felt pathetic, and I didn’t like anyone of the MC’s. Bad dialogue, no humour, stupid actions, immature characters. I skimmed some to see if it would pick up, unfortunately I was still not impressed. Therefore I will not waste my time. 🤷🏻♀️
”This doesn’t mean I like you or forgive you,” I started.
Sebastian saw me and the pure hunger in his eyes shut me up. He had been sitting, but he stood and took a step towards me, reaching to loosen his tie. “We’re doing this?” he breathed.
Somehow, he was surrounding me now. His palms were against the door above me, and it had snicked shut from his weight as he leaned in. Some of his hair had fallen loose and was dangling sexily in front of his eyes.
I nodded. “Do you have a, uh?”
Sebastian pulled a condom from his pocket and held it up so I could see it.
I nodded again. He reached slowly for the doorknob and turned the lock. “Then you’re mine,” he said. His breath was a husky rasp that sent chills across my skin and straight to my core.
“I’m thinking this is more like a loan,” I whispered.”
I have no problem with people having one night stands. My problem with this one, it didn’t make sense. The meeting between the MC’s had no chemistry what so ever. h became angry at the H for insulting his fans. She slaps him, totally drama-style and he invites her to the room next door for some action. She follows, they have sex. She is hurt when he leaves, even though he was clear about not wanting anything more.
It felt pathetic, and I didn’t like anyone of the MC’s. Bad dialogue, no humour, stupid actions, immature characters. I skimmed some to see if it would pick up, unfortunately I was still not impressed. Therefore I will not waste my time. 🤷🏻♀️
”This doesn’t mean I like you or forgive you,” I started.
Sebastian saw me and the pure hunger in his eyes shut me up. He had been sitting, but he stood and took a step towards me, reaching to loosen his tie. “We’re doing this?” he breathed.
Somehow, he was surrounding me now. His palms were against the door above me, and it had snicked shut from his weight as he leaned in. Some of his hair had fallen loose and was dangling sexily in front of his eyes.
I nodded. “Do you have a, uh?”
Sebastian pulled a condom from his pocket and held it up so I could see it.
I nodded again. He reached slowly for the doorknob and turned the lock. “Then you’re mine,” he said. His breath was a husky rasp that sent chills across my skin and straight to my core.
“I’m thinking this is more like a loan,” I whispered.”
September 29, 2021
This is a hard-pressed 3 for me. In reality, it is more a 2.5.
I had high hopes going into this reading. I loved the blurb and thought with Penelope Bloom at the helm, Room(hate) was going to be a good read. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
1) I had problems with both leads. Neither felt genuine for me to be slipped into their mind space. I didn't feel as if I was a part of the book. More like a bystander from many yards away. I didn't believe the relationship that they wanted or had and things happened that neither felt particularly parental. I understand that the h is quirky, I'm cool with that, but her quirkiness came off immature at times.
2) There were a lot of inaccuracies throughout. Whether that be a second-trimester pregnancy that no one seemed to notice or changing timezones from one side of the country to the other (EST to PST, dinner service in EST, but PST was going to bed at 10:00 PM). If any of y'all know me, I'm a stickler for consistency, timeline, and pacing, which brings me to my next point.
3) The biggest for me was the pacing of the book. I was very close to being lost around 25% and struggled to get to 60%ish. I rarely, if ever, DNF a book, but there were times where I just had to step away and then start again. The flow just wasn't there.
I do give props to Jasper and Mr. Meatball. Side characters that provided comedy relief when needed.
I had high hopes going into this reading. I loved the blurb and thought with Penelope Bloom at the helm, Room(hate) was going to be a good read. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
1) I had problems with both leads. Neither felt genuine for me to be slipped into their mind space. I didn't feel as if I was a part of the book. More like a bystander from many yards away. I didn't believe the relationship that they wanted or had and things happened that neither felt particularly parental. I understand that the h is quirky, I'm cool with that, but her quirkiness came off immature at times.
2) There were a lot of inaccuracies throughout. Whether that be a second-trimester pregnancy that no one seemed to notice or changing timezones from one side of the country to the other (EST to PST, dinner service in EST, but PST was going to bed at 10:00 PM). If any of y'all know me, I'm a stickler for consistency, timeline, and pacing, which brings me to my next point.
3) The biggest for me was the pacing of the book. I was very close to being lost around 25% and struggled to get to 60%ish. I rarely, if ever, DNF a book, but there were times where I just had to step away and then start again. The flow just wasn't there.
I do give props to Jasper and Mr. Meatball. Side characters that provided comedy relief when needed.
October 19, 2021
This was a good read. Kenzie and Sebastian meet at a conference for authors. They have a one night stand. The problem is that Sebastian isn't like other men. He is grumpy and difficult at times. However, he has a hard time staying away from Kenzie. Luckily in the end these two make it work and they get their happy ending.
October 17, 2021
dnf at 20%
simply cannot stand reading a book with a heroine like this just to make an instalust plot work. can some authors please write them with some sense?? 😭 i promise you your book will still slap if your heroine has some brain to use and not her vagina making decisions for her!!! these empty headed heroines are killing ME. is this who we are? is this what we represent??? what a damn shame
simply cannot stand reading a book with a heroine like this just to make an instalust plot work. can some authors please write them with some sense?? 😭 i promise you your book will still slap if your heroine has some brain to use and not her vagina making decisions for her!!! these empty headed heroines are killing ME. is this who we are? is this what we represent??? what a damn shame
October 2, 2021
If you like enemies to lovers with lots of silly, hilarious antics, an absolutely petulant cat, and some eccentric side characters, one-click this one right now!
Kenzie is an aspiring author, who's also very much a hot mess express. She's a little all over the place, but her personal motto is "shoot first, ask questions later." This leads to her being extremely impulsive, and finding herself in some crazy situations.
Sebastian is a wildly successful author who has some deep-seated hurts. He guards them by being cold and flippant with Kenzie. But for some reason he just can't stay away from her no matter how hard he tries.
This was an entertaining read, with some seriously funny banter and some absolutely crazy side characters. I had a hard time relating to Kenzie in some parts because she's so all over the place with her emotions and actions. The majority of the book is spent on Sebastian trying to simultaneously push Kenzie away and keep her close. He finally realizes that fighting his feelings is futile and they try just being together. It all ends with a series of epilogues and a lovely HEA.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Kenzie is an aspiring author, who's also very much a hot mess express. She's a little all over the place, but her personal motto is "shoot first, ask questions later." This leads to her being extremely impulsive, and finding herself in some crazy situations.
Sebastian is a wildly successful author who has some deep-seated hurts. He guards them by being cold and flippant with Kenzie. But for some reason he just can't stay away from her no matter how hard he tries.
This was an entertaining read, with some seriously funny banter and some absolutely crazy side characters. I had a hard time relating to Kenzie in some parts because she's so all over the place with her emotions and actions. The majority of the book is spent on Sebastian trying to simultaneously push Kenzie away and keep her close. He finally realizes that fighting his feelings is futile and they try just being together. It all ends with a series of epilogues and a lovely HEA.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 28, 2021
I absolutely loved reading this book. It made me laugh and hate just a bit. Kennedy is wildly weird, an act before you think type of person, Sebastián is stuffy and seems to wallow in misery. She became a light that he wanted to keep for the wrong reasons, but nothing ruffles Kenzies feathers. I kinda wish I was a bit like her. Penelope brings the characters to life and draws you into their world. I sure hope to hear more about Travis that is sure to be a strange one. I could not put this book down.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 2, 2021
“I’d always lived by a firm “shoot first and ask questions later” philosophy. Did it sometimes lead to crippling embarrassment? Debt? Bodily harm? Yes, to all the above.
But I never wondered “what if.” Because if life had the balls to put an opportunity in front of me, I grabbed it by the horns even if it meant getting rag dolled into the crowd.”
Let me just start by saying that I freaking loved this book!
I absolutely love Penelope Blooms humor and her writing style. It’s always such a pleasure to read her books and unwind and laugh till my belly hurts.
“I had an unfortunate tendency to get hungry when turned on. Yes, I knew that was super weird. It was also super embarrassing when my stomach decided to gurgle and whine every time a cute guy made eye contact with me”
Side note, this happens to me… my belly loves to make loud hungry noises when I’m nervous (not horny), which makes me even more nervous… it’s not at all funny tho.
So Kenzie is our heroine. She is spontaneous, fierce and will stop at nothing to bring a certain entitled author down a few pegs.
“I didn’t speak for a few seconds while my brain did its best attempt at playing dead.”
“If my life came with a narrator, that was around the moment he would’ve burst into cackling, maniacal laughter.”
“Every second was like a wave crashing against my defenses and I’d apparently made them out of sand.”
Sebastian, just hit jackpot with his book. “Embers” just catapulted into stardom and he became a instant millionaire.
The thing is, being a known and in demand author has its downsides. For one, Sebastian has to promote the book and give speeches to wannabe authors and that’s not what he signed for.
All Sebastian wants is to be left alone and write his next romance.
“Every second was like a wave crashing against my defenses and I’d apparently made them out of sand.”
He doesn’t do relationships, romantic or otherwise, but when he meets the little spitfire that is Kenzie, his wall start to crumble little by little.
“She snored, but not in a dainty, gentle sort of way. She snored like a fucking cartoon character on steroids.”
My heart goes out to you Sebastian… I’ve the same problem at home 🙈
But I never wondered “what if.” Because if life had the balls to put an opportunity in front of me, I grabbed it by the horns even if it meant getting rag dolled into the crowd.”
Let me just start by saying that I freaking loved this book!
I absolutely love Penelope Blooms humor and her writing style. It’s always such a pleasure to read her books and unwind and laugh till my belly hurts.
“I had an unfortunate tendency to get hungry when turned on. Yes, I knew that was super weird. It was also super embarrassing when my stomach decided to gurgle and whine every time a cute guy made eye contact with me”
Side note, this happens to me… my belly loves to make loud hungry noises when I’m nervous (not horny), which makes me even more nervous… it’s not at all funny tho.
So Kenzie is our heroine. She is spontaneous, fierce and will stop at nothing to bring a certain entitled author down a few pegs.
“I didn’t speak for a few seconds while my brain did its best attempt at playing dead.”
“If my life came with a narrator, that was around the moment he would’ve burst into cackling, maniacal laughter.”
“Every second was like a wave crashing against my defenses and I’d apparently made them out of sand.”
Sebastian, just hit jackpot with his book. “Embers” just catapulted into stardom and he became a instant millionaire.
The thing is, being a known and in demand author has its downsides. For one, Sebastian has to promote the book and give speeches to wannabe authors and that’s not what he signed for.
All Sebastian wants is to be left alone and write his next romance.
“Every second was like a wave crashing against my defenses and I’d apparently made them out of sand.”
He doesn’t do relationships, romantic or otherwise, but when he meets the little spitfire that is Kenzie, his wall start to crumble little by little.
“She snored, but not in a dainty, gentle sort of way. She snored like a fucking cartoon character on steroids.”
My heart goes out to you Sebastian… I’ve the same problem at home 🙈
April 9, 2024
Sebastian and Kenzie
He’s a best selling author and she dreams of being an author. She’s at a book convention attending his lecture where he shits on wannabe writers. It ticks her off and she chases him down. Somehow it ends in a sex without strings deal… and they have hot and heavy sex in his lounge at the convention. He immediately leaves with nothing sweet to say or do and she realizes that she isn’t really a sex without strings person. She is super mad at him - feeds her anger for 4 months and then hears he’s speaking near her home and she can’t resist going a bit psycho on him with some coffee in his face. Only as she’s running away she falls and knocks herself out.
He takes her to his mansion and hires a private doctor to look after her. She finds out she’s 4 months pregnant. She doesn’t tell him right away and ends up telling him in an argument. He reacts sweetly - hugging her and telling her they’ll do this together.
He fights his feelings the whole time until the baby announcement. Then he is like - let’s give this a try…
I loved their banter. She has a funny best friend too who keeps saying he wants to pickle her. I liked the way she revealed the pregnancy in anger. I liked how she always challenged him. And I loved quirky cat Mr. Meatballs - him hitting people in the face and all his demands.
Hea proposal at her book launch- ring in computer
Baby girl
He’s a best selling author and she dreams of being an author. She’s at a book convention attending his lecture where he shits on wannabe writers. It ticks her off and she chases him down. Somehow it ends in a sex without strings deal… and they have hot and heavy sex in his lounge at the convention. He immediately leaves with nothing sweet to say or do and she realizes that she isn’t really a sex without strings person. She is super mad at him - feeds her anger for 4 months and then hears he’s speaking near her home and she can’t resist going a bit psycho on him with some coffee in his face. Only as she’s running away she falls and knocks herself out.
He takes her to his mansion and hires a private doctor to look after her. She finds out she’s 4 months pregnant. She doesn’t tell him right away and ends up telling him in an argument. He reacts sweetly - hugging her and telling her they’ll do this together.
He fights his feelings the whole time until the baby announcement. Then he is like - let’s give this a try…
I loved their banter. She has a funny best friend too who keeps saying he wants to pickle her. I liked the way she revealed the pregnancy in anger. I liked how she always challenged him. And I loved quirky cat Mr. Meatballs - him hitting people in the face and all his demands.
Hea proposal at her book launch- ring in computer
Baby girl
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2023
3 1/2 stars
Now that I have Kindle unlimited I have access to a lot of books that I didn’t before. And they’re kind of weird. I’m doing this thing where I just find quotes from the book and I read the book based on that and it kind of worked out, but also kind of didn’t.
This book was just kind of weird it wasn’t bad or anything but it wasn’t very good either. Despite the title there wasn’t very much roommating going on. The only time with that happened was for a short stint. This book was kind of all over the place and I think the author had a lot that she wanted to do, but wasn’t really sure what to pick. But I also read this whole thing very quickly so it wasn’t terrible.
*edit* 1 1/2 stars
After further deliberation, and a good nights sleep, I realized not good this book actually was. The plot was everywhere, for example, she was watching his cat at one point, and then she was his assistant for a minute and she’s pregnant through all this, and doesn’t tell him. But honestly, the pregnancy wasn’t that big of a deal, even though it was made out to be in the story description. And they didn’t really have a connection either like literally two minutes after meeting each other, and she just slapped him, which led to them sleeping together. The only saving grace was that there was some funny lines, but even then those were pretty far in between.
Now that I have Kindle unlimited I have access to a lot of books that I didn’t before. And they’re kind of weird. I’m doing this thing where I just find quotes from the book and I read the book based on that and it kind of worked out, but also kind of didn’t.
This book was just kind of weird it wasn’t bad or anything but it wasn’t very good either. Despite the title there wasn’t very much roommating going on. The only time with that happened was for a short stint. This book was kind of all over the place and I think the author had a lot that she wanted to do, but wasn’t really sure what to pick. But I also read this whole thing very quickly so it wasn’t terrible.
*edit* 1 1/2 stars
After further deliberation, and a good nights sleep, I realized not good this book actually was. The plot was everywhere, for example, she was watching his cat at one point, and then she was his assistant for a minute and she’s pregnant through all this, and doesn’t tell him. But honestly, the pregnancy wasn’t that big of a deal, even though it was made out to be in the story description. And they didn’t really have a connection either like literally two minutes after meeting each other, and she just slapped him, which led to them sleeping together. The only saving grace was that there was some funny lines, but even then those were pretty far in between.
September 27, 2021
Be prepared to snort laugh!
There is magic in Penelope's rom coms!! This book has all the things that made me fall in love with her writing!
Kenzie is an aspiring author excited to meet an author she adores.
Sebastian is said author.
Except he shows up to the event he's supposed to speak at and proceeds to crush the dreams of those there to learn from him.
Kenzie is infuriated and this leads to a very memorable meeting between the two.
She becomes his biggest enemy to get over him. Which leads to their reunion when she throws coffee at him but also manages to concuss herself.
There is so much crazy! Lots of laugh out loud! Their chemistry is crackling. Their situations ridiculous. And their feelings for each other so sweet.
We get to see our friends Adrian & Juliette. Felicity's brother is insane. Mr. Meatballs is adorable and kooky.
I adore the awkward, hilarious, spicy, sweet, and just completely ludicrous HEA!
There is magic in Penelope's rom coms!! This book has all the things that made me fall in love with her writing!
Kenzie is an aspiring author excited to meet an author she adores.
Sebastian is said author.
Except he shows up to the event he's supposed to speak at and proceeds to crush the dreams of those there to learn from him.
Kenzie is infuriated and this leads to a very memorable meeting between the two.
She becomes his biggest enemy to get over him. Which leads to their reunion when she throws coffee at him but also manages to concuss herself.
There is so much crazy! Lots of laugh out loud! Their chemistry is crackling. Their situations ridiculous. And their feelings for each other so sweet.
We get to see our friends Adrian & Juliette. Felicity's brother is insane. Mr. Meatballs is adorable and kooky.
I adore the awkward, hilarious, spicy, sweet, and just completely ludicrous HEA!
October 28, 2021
Sassy & Cute
Some attempts at rom com fall flat on their face. Sometimes I cringe when I read attempts at humorous dialogue. This book is one of those rare gems that manages humor and romance and quirks to the extreme. I haven't laughed so hard at a book in ages. For the right reasons. There is adult language and crude humor and I AM HERE FOR IT! I loved how goofy some of the secondary characters were and yet how normal they were at the same time. But Kenzie and Sebastian? Off the charts. Amazing read. I recommend it to anyone that loves a little rough and crude adult humor.
Some attempts at rom com fall flat on their face. Sometimes I cringe when I read attempts at humorous dialogue. This book is one of those rare gems that manages humor and romance and quirks to the extreme. I haven't laughed so hard at a book in ages. For the right reasons. There is adult language and crude humor and I AM HERE FOR IT! I loved how goofy some of the secondary characters were and yet how normal they were at the same time. But Kenzie and Sebastian? Off the charts. Amazing read. I recommend it to anyone that loves a little rough and crude adult humor.
September 27, 2021
2.5/5
I didn’t like Kenzie. I mean, she agreed to no strings sex and then turns around and acts all hurt. She proceeds to ‘hate’ Sebastian by make a BLOG and bashing his book. THEN, she THROWS COFFEE at him. In public.
He didn’t do anything. Their first sexual encounter was no strings attached. It was a fling, no, less than a fling. A hookup. There was NOTHING promised. Kenzie just didn’t get the memo. Clearly, she too immature to handle this sort of thing. 🙄
I didn’t like Kenzie. I mean, she agreed to no strings sex and then turns around and acts all hurt. She proceeds to ‘hate’ Sebastian by make a BLOG and bashing his book. THEN, she THROWS COFFEE at him. In public.
He didn’t do anything. Their first sexual encounter was no strings attached. It was a fling, no, less than a fling. A hookup. There was NOTHING promised. Kenzie just didn’t get the memo. Clearly, she too immature to handle this sort of thing. 🙄
September 30, 2021
Oh boy!
The Room(hate) is hilarious and full of pent up everything.
Pent up hate...check.
Pent up lust...without a doubt.
Pent up strings...tangled so bad they can't extract themselves.
The robotic (alleged) man meets his wild miniature match. This pint sized beauty takes no crap and it is a hilarious thing of beauty.
Also he knew Travis was so dorky! Can't wait to learn more on that one!
The Room(hate) is hilarious and full of pent up everything.
Pent up hate...check.
Pent up lust...without a doubt.
Pent up strings...tangled so bad they can't extract themselves.
The robotic (alleged) man meets his wild miniature match. This pint sized beauty takes no crap and it is a hilarious thing of beauty.
Also he knew Travis was so dorky! Can't wait to learn more on that one!
September 24, 2021
I liked this book. I thought this was a very fun read. The barbs and sparks really fly as the story unfolds. Kenzie and Sebastian are really quite the pair and boy, can they generate some heat. Things get intense between these two very quickly and you can expect plenty of humor, drama and emotions as you read. I am posting an unbiased, unsolicited review.
December 2, 2021
This is something else. I did feel a tiny bit unsatistified by this book but it finished lovely. There were some parts that I absolutely loved and some parts I hated. This was all brooding male who thinks the world is against him when it comes to love. He just absolutely doesn't believe it. This is kind of a grumpy/sunshine trope book slightly. The pregnancy was something that I can't describe. I wish she would have told him sooner. I really loved the ending when she was living with Seb and him loving his girls.
If you enjoyed reading the you will enjoy reading RoomHate.
If you enjoyed reading the you will enjoy reading RoomHate.
October 16, 2021
Cute!
What a cute story. I loved Kenzie she was quirky and different . A breathe of fresh air. And Sebastian was a moody guy but he grew on me. I loved the flow and the not so flirty banter. It was different and fun. Looking forward to Adrians book.
What a cute story. I loved Kenzie she was quirky and different . A breathe of fresh air. And Sebastian was a moody guy but he grew on me. I loved the flow and the not so flirty banter. It was different and fun. Looking forward to Adrians book.
Read
November 19, 2021Wow. Unexpectedly brilliant.
This was everything the book cover leads you to believe its not.
Ignore the cover and the title and just jump in with no expectations . I promise you will be delighted with the humor, insight and romance in this well written gem of a story.
This was everything the book cover leads you to believe its not.
Ignore the cover and the title and just jump in with no expectations . I promise you will be delighted with the humor, insight and romance in this well written gem of a story.
December 23, 2021
An okay read.
Well I went into this with high hopes and while I didn’t hate it, it wasn’t a great read for me. I didn’t really care for our hero, Sebastian, I really wanted to like him, it just never happened.
This was a grumpy/sunshine trope.
Well I went into this with high hopes and while I didn’t hate it, it wasn’t a great read for me. I didn’t really care for our hero, Sebastian, I really wanted to like him, it just never happened.
This was a grumpy/sunshine trope.
September 27, 2021
More like 2.5 stars
As much as I enjoyed the Boss(hole) that much I disliked this book. First of all the title doesn’t really make sense, second of all the writing was all over the place like it was someone else writing it and third of all? The whole plot, chemistry between the characters… kinda sucked. The pregnancy? I feel like out author maybe haven’t been pregnant before… I’m almost 80% sure, after reading how the accidental baby and the whole situation was portrayed. Oh well… I’ll continue on her books but with caution ⛔️ also, will do my research on the author 🤪
As much as I enjoyed the Boss(hole) that much I disliked this book. First of all the title doesn’t really make sense, second of all the writing was all over the place like it was someone else writing it and third of all? The whole plot, chemistry between the characters… kinda sucked. The pregnancy? I feel like out author maybe haven’t been pregnant before… I’m almost 80% sure, after reading how the accidental baby and the whole situation was portrayed. Oh well… I’ll continue on her books but with caution ⛔️ also, will do my research on the author 🤪
October 16, 2021
Had to stop reading. I couldn’t connect to the characters and the story felt contrived. She couldn’t accept the monthly million or two from her brother, but she had no problem accepting help from Sebastian? I wish Mr. meatball would slap them all.
October 15, 2021
The story of Kenize and Sebastian is a twist on the enemies to lovers trope. Kenize is a fan of the Sebastian. They have a fiery meet cute and shenanigans ensue. While the story revolves around the how the two become a couple the subplot delves in how writers write a story. This is a big part in how the characters develop. This is an enjoyable rom-com
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 27, 2021
I couldn't put this book down. I've come to expect excellent work from Ms. Bloom and I wasn't disappointed at all. It was hilarious right from the get go and I found myself snorting right to the very end. It had enough steam not to overwhelm the story. Sebastian had such a big stick up his ass and who better to take it out than our very own Ms. Kenzie :)? As always, the supporting characters were fantastic. Waiting to see what happens to Travis hopefully soon. Another excellent book from Ms. Bloom
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 17, 2021
Sebastian & Kenzie’s Secret Baby, Enemies-To-Lovers Rom-Com Will Have You In Stitches! There Are Zany Characters & Neurotic Animals In This Unconventional Slow Burn. Don’t Forget To Download The Free Bonus Epilogue Via The Link At The Back Of The Book.
This standalone book is Sebastian St. James and Kenzie Rosenthal’s secret baby, enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy. It is in the same world as The Boss(hole), which is Adrian White and Jules Adams’s grumpy boss, enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy.
Fans will be thrilled to see that Adrian and Jules make a few cameo appearances here. There are also plenty of interesting characters that may factor into future books. There are hints about an upcoming book about the eccentric billionaire playboy and animal lover Travis Rosenthal.
IN THIS BOOK:
This story opens a few months after Adrian and Jules first meet. Winter has just set in. Like in Boss(hole), the story takes place in North Carolina.
Sebastian St. James, probably in his thirties, is in a rut. The anticipated overnight success of his soon-to-be-released debut book, Embers, is burying him alive. When he quit the rat race to become CEO in favor of pursuing his dreams of becoming a writer five years ago, he never envisioned what success would look like. He only pictured himself locked away, writing in the privacy of his home. He isn’t exactly a people person, and the idea of seclusion suited him. He hadn’t entirely meant to never return to the world of business and investments, but the fallout with his ex, Patricia, burned that bridge. His neurotic cat, Mr. Meatball, is a constant reminder of the mess that was made of his former life. With his father’s disappointment in his choices and his publisher’s demands that he embark on a publicity tour, getting back to the business of writing seems further and further away. The idea of publicity and interacting with the public was the last thing he wanted, and he hoped his publisher would let that idea go.
Kenzie Rosenthal, roughly twenty-five or twenty-six, is an aspiring writer – it is all she ever wanted to do. She skipped college because she felt it was impractical to take on debt that didn’t seem entirely necessary. She supports herself with odd jobs that don’t seem to last too long. Her family worries about her, though they support her dreams. Her older brother Travis keeps offering to give her a helping hand, but her keen sense of pride has her stubbornly refusing, much to his chagrin. The eccentric billionaire playboy wouldn’t feel the loss, but she desperately wants to be able to say that she made it all on her own. She is thrilled to score tickets to a writer’s conference featuring a brand new author for whom she is an ARC reader. His writing is so brilliant that Kenzie is certain he will become an overnight success. The opportunity to hear him speak and offer advice to up-and-coming writers has her beside herself with anticipation. His speech, however, leaves something to be desired, to say the least.
Devastated to learn that a man she so esteemed could be such a royal jerk, Kenzie cannot let things go. She isn’t one to second guess herself and often acts before thinking. Her confrontation takes him by surprise, but her response to his suggestion is probably even more surprising. In the aftermath, she spends months convincing herself that she hates the man, even starting her own blog just for the purpose of roasting him and poking fun of his book.
With his publisher’s demands that he turn in the next best-seller, the pressure is only working against Sebastian. His writer’s block isn’t budging, and he finds himself obsessing over critiques rather than finding a new source of inspiration. He often reflects back to his encounter with the petite, feisty, in-your-face aspiring author he met at a writer’s conference four months ago. Despite the fact that she is not his type, she seems to have gotten under his skin. So when she shows up at a book signing four months later, he takes a personal interest in her, manufacturing an excuse to keep her in his home. Battling it out with the little firecracker inspires him to write again, but he isn’t in the market for a relationship. Still, if he has any hopes of writing the next bestseller, he needs to find a way to keep her. The couple eventually finds a happy ending.
Don’t forget to download the free bonus epilogue via the link at the back of the book!
Wow! Kenzie and her family are a riotous bunch and highly entertaining. Kenzie is the mildest, but she stands out in contrast to Sebastian’s stuffy suits and relatively reserved personality. He clearly doesn’t understand himself very well and grapples to come to terms with the idea of a new relationship. His ex burned him so badly that a commitment was the last thing he wanted. Kenzie is short, sweaty, and doesn’t’ have a filter. She is fiercely independent and determined to follow her dreams. She is absolutely hilarious. There are a number of unique supporting characters as well that add to the overall chaos of the story. Animal lovers will fall in love with Mr. Meatball.
Sebastian and Kenzie’s secret baby, enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy will have you in stitches with many laugh-out-loud moments. There are zany characters galore in this unconventional slow burn. The story is nicely written. The plot is fairly simple. The story is character-driven. It is written in first person. The POV alternates between Sebastian and Kenzie, with one chapter in Dennis’s POV. I rate this book 4.5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This standalone book is Sebastian St. James and Kenzie Rosenthal’s secret baby, enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy. It is in the same world as The Boss(hole), which is Adrian White and Jules Adams’s grumpy boss, enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy.
Fans will be thrilled to see that Adrian and Jules make a few cameo appearances here. There are also plenty of interesting characters that may factor into future books. There are hints about an upcoming book about the eccentric billionaire playboy and animal lover Travis Rosenthal.
IN THIS BOOK:
This story opens a few months after Adrian and Jules first meet. Winter has just set in. Like in Boss(hole), the story takes place in North Carolina.
Sebastian St. James, probably in his thirties, is in a rut. The anticipated overnight success of his soon-to-be-released debut book, Embers, is burying him alive. When he quit the rat race to become CEO in favor of pursuing his dreams of becoming a writer five years ago, he never envisioned what success would look like. He only pictured himself locked away, writing in the privacy of his home. He isn’t exactly a people person, and the idea of seclusion suited him. He hadn’t entirely meant to never return to the world of business and investments, but the fallout with his ex, Patricia, burned that bridge. His neurotic cat, Mr. Meatball, is a constant reminder of the mess that was made of his former life. With his father’s disappointment in his choices and his publisher’s demands that he embark on a publicity tour, getting back to the business of writing seems further and further away. The idea of publicity and interacting with the public was the last thing he wanted, and he hoped his publisher would let that idea go.
Kenzie Rosenthal, roughly twenty-five or twenty-six, is an aspiring writer – it is all she ever wanted to do. She skipped college because she felt it was impractical to take on debt that didn’t seem entirely necessary. She supports herself with odd jobs that don’t seem to last too long. Her family worries about her, though they support her dreams. Her older brother Travis keeps offering to give her a helping hand, but her keen sense of pride has her stubbornly refusing, much to his chagrin. The eccentric billionaire playboy wouldn’t feel the loss, but she desperately wants to be able to say that she made it all on her own. She is thrilled to score tickets to a writer’s conference featuring a brand new author for whom she is an ARC reader. His writing is so brilliant that Kenzie is certain he will become an overnight success. The opportunity to hear him speak and offer advice to up-and-coming writers has her beside herself with anticipation. His speech, however, leaves something to be desired, to say the least.
Devastated to learn that a man she so esteemed could be such a royal jerk, Kenzie cannot let things go. She isn’t one to second guess herself and often acts before thinking. Her confrontation takes him by surprise, but her response to his suggestion is probably even more surprising. In the aftermath, she spends months convincing herself that she hates the man, even starting her own blog just for the purpose of roasting him and poking fun of his book.
With his publisher’s demands that he turn in the next best-seller, the pressure is only working against Sebastian. His writer’s block isn’t budging, and he finds himself obsessing over critiques rather than finding a new source of inspiration. He often reflects back to his encounter with the petite, feisty, in-your-face aspiring author he met at a writer’s conference four months ago. Despite the fact that she is not his type, she seems to have gotten under his skin. So when she shows up at a book signing four months later, he takes a personal interest in her, manufacturing an excuse to keep her in his home. Battling it out with the little firecracker inspires him to write again, but he isn’t in the market for a relationship. Still, if he has any hopes of writing the next bestseller, he needs to find a way to keep her. The couple eventually finds a happy ending.
Don’t forget to download the free bonus epilogue via the link at the back of the book!
Wow! Kenzie and her family are a riotous bunch and highly entertaining. Kenzie is the mildest, but she stands out in contrast to Sebastian’s stuffy suits and relatively reserved personality. He clearly doesn’t understand himself very well and grapples to come to terms with the idea of a new relationship. His ex burned him so badly that a commitment was the last thing he wanted. Kenzie is short, sweaty, and doesn’t’ have a filter. She is fiercely independent and determined to follow her dreams. She is absolutely hilarious. There are a number of unique supporting characters as well that add to the overall chaos of the story. Animal lovers will fall in love with Mr. Meatball.
Sebastian and Kenzie’s secret baby, enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy will have you in stitches with many laugh-out-loud moments. There are zany characters galore in this unconventional slow burn. The story is nicely written. The plot is fairly simple. The story is character-driven. It is written in first person. The POV alternates between Sebastian and Kenzie, with one chapter in Dennis’s POV. I rate this book 4.5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 28, 2021
Love Kenzie, she’s my spirit animal. She has spunk and will tell you the way it is no matter who you are, so watch out Sebastian, she’s coming for you. Sebastian is her favorite author that is until he opens his mouth and speaks and she can’t help herself by letting him know what’s what. One fleeting moment, no strings and hey why not, right? These two are oil and water, he’s been hurt in the past and won’t open up to anyone. Will Kenzie be the one? I guess you have to read to find out. I found this book on BookSprout.
September 25, 2021
📠 The Room(hate)📠
A Secret Baby Romance
✒️ Penelope Bloom
https://www.facebook.com/PenelopeBloo...
Release Date 09/23/2021
➪ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09H37VFJ3/...
𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯
Sebastian St. James needed an ego check in the worst way. All my instincts screamed "run" the moment we met. The instructions were unclear, so I ran after him. I slapped him. Then I gave him the tongue lashing of a lifetime. And then... well, he locked the door and returned the favor.
Mission gloriously failed, if you asked me.
We both agreed to part ways like adults.
No strings. No attachments.
Except I couldn’t stand that he’d been able to walk away so easily.
So I did the only reasonable thing I could.
I threw coffee in his face a few months later at his book signing.
I escaped security over a fence and broke my fall with my face.
Before I knew it, I was recovering in Sebastian’s mansion.
Then he offered me a job watching his cat and staying in his house.
I wish I could say I stared into his dreamy eyes and told him to bite me.
But I needed the job more than I wanted to admit.
So now I’m bunked with an obnoxiously attractive roommate.
A roommate I somehow want to strangle and straddle at the same time.
But there's nothing to worry about.
Sebastian "doesn't do relationships."
All he does is brood, glower, and boss me around.
And just when I think I've put up the perfect walls, the plot (and my waistline) thickens...
I'm pregnant, and the baby's probably going to come out with cute little horns and a pitchfork.
𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
Will his past come between them …
I was scrolling down for upcoming read, usually I only look into my favorite category, historical romance. Not this time. It was the title that caught my eyes, then I looked more closely the cover. It has every elements I usually pass by in contemporary romance, a languid yummy male specimen in a sexy pose, but for once there was not an inch of skin, all the usual sexiness with a plus. So I read the blurb. Not an office romance, a catch!
So here I am.
One thing is sure, I do not regret my choice.
How I laughed at Kenzie’s antics. I am always a bit scared by rom com as I fear my English will not be up enough to catch all the language subtleties.
But my mind was able to interpret the quips and barbs that flow from Kenzie’s mouth.
She has a kind of life rule when facing a choice, a change, “shoot first, ask questions later”. And she lives by it literally.
Thus how she finds herself, pregnant, recovering from her last stunt in the mansion of the man she has tried to hate for four month. And now she is cat sitting for him.
Kenzie is impulsive, reckless but true to herself. She wants to succeed as much as everyone, but it has to be only from her own labor.
I love her relationship with her friends, her brother ( I see him perfectly starting in an future story), her kin. They are all on the weird side, with no filter, words rushing out as they think them.
Sebastian closed him to everyone after a manipulative harpy crushed his whole life. Since he believes relationship is not worth the try. Yet from the first time he saw Kenzie and made his salacious offer, he mourned what could not be.
Worse, success ate his muse and only Kenzie is able to reawaken his fickle inspiration.
Together they are in for a rollercoaster ride, a journey during which they will have to explore the depth of their soul. There is no villain, they are their own evil. Up to Sebastian to see past his hurts, fears and choose life instead of survival.
Now I am quite curious about the first book is non series.
4.5 stars
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scenes.
I have been granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUPNaRPgi...
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
#bookstagram #romancereader #bookblog #readersofinstagram romancebookstragrammer #romancebookblog #romancebookblogger #romanceauthor #bookblogger #2021read #romcom #bookstagrammer #bookreview #bookquote #romancebookreviewer #arcreader
A Secret Baby Romance
✒️ Penelope Bloom
https://www.facebook.com/PenelopeBloo...
Release Date 09/23/2021
➪ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09H37VFJ3/...
𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯
Sebastian St. James needed an ego check in the worst way. All my instincts screamed "run" the moment we met. The instructions were unclear, so I ran after him. I slapped him. Then I gave him the tongue lashing of a lifetime. And then... well, he locked the door and returned the favor.
Mission gloriously failed, if you asked me.
We both agreed to part ways like adults.
No strings. No attachments.
Except I couldn’t stand that he’d been able to walk away so easily.
So I did the only reasonable thing I could.
I threw coffee in his face a few months later at his book signing.
I escaped security over a fence and broke my fall with my face.
Before I knew it, I was recovering in Sebastian’s mansion.
Then he offered me a job watching his cat and staying in his house.
I wish I could say I stared into his dreamy eyes and told him to bite me.
But I needed the job more than I wanted to admit.
So now I’m bunked with an obnoxiously attractive roommate.
A roommate I somehow want to strangle and straddle at the same time.
But there's nothing to worry about.
Sebastian "doesn't do relationships."
All he does is brood, glower, and boss me around.
And just when I think I've put up the perfect walls, the plot (and my waistline) thickens...
I'm pregnant, and the baby's probably going to come out with cute little horns and a pitchfork.
𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
Will his past come between them …
I was scrolling down for upcoming read, usually I only look into my favorite category, historical romance. Not this time. It was the title that caught my eyes, then I looked more closely the cover. It has every elements I usually pass by in contemporary romance, a languid yummy male specimen in a sexy pose, but for once there was not an inch of skin, all the usual sexiness with a plus. So I read the blurb. Not an office romance, a catch!
So here I am.
One thing is sure, I do not regret my choice.
How I laughed at Kenzie’s antics. I am always a bit scared by rom com as I fear my English will not be up enough to catch all the language subtleties.
But my mind was able to interpret the quips and barbs that flow from Kenzie’s mouth.
She has a kind of life rule when facing a choice, a change, “shoot first, ask questions later”. And she lives by it literally.
Thus how she finds herself, pregnant, recovering from her last stunt in the mansion of the man she has tried to hate for four month. And now she is cat sitting for him.
Kenzie is impulsive, reckless but true to herself. She wants to succeed as much as everyone, but it has to be only from her own labor.
I love her relationship with her friends, her brother ( I see him perfectly starting in an future story), her kin. They are all on the weird side, with no filter, words rushing out as they think them.
Sebastian closed him to everyone after a manipulative harpy crushed his whole life. Since he believes relationship is not worth the try. Yet from the first time he saw Kenzie and made his salacious offer, he mourned what could not be.
Worse, success ate his muse and only Kenzie is able to reawaken his fickle inspiration.
Together they are in for a rollercoaster ride, a journey during which they will have to explore the depth of their soul. There is no villain, they are their own evil. Up to Sebastian to see past his hurts, fears and choose life instead of survival.
Now I am quite curious about the first book is non series.
4.5 stars
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scenes.
I have been granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUPNaRPgi...
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
#bookstagram #romancereader #bookblog #readersofinstagram romancebookstragrammer #romancebookblog #romancebookblogger #romanceauthor #bookblogger #2021read #romcom #bookstagrammer #bookreview #bookquote #romancebookreviewer #arcreader
December 11, 2021
So this wasn’t terrible but it also wasn’t very good (for me.)
The story doesn’t divert from the Blurb so what you read is definitely what you get.
Kenzie is a book nerd who can’t keep a steady job and dreams of writing a great best seller book one day. When she attends a panel with one of her favorite writers and is shocked to find out he isn’t who she dreamed him up to be, she confronts him.
First thing about Kenzie that threw me off her character is her personality. She is described as the kind of person who acts before she thinks and she finds herself in awkward or embarrassing situations because of it. She knows she’s doing it, other people know she’s doing it but NOBODY stops her from being an idiot. Red Flag #1
The Hero, Sebastian, has just published his first book and it has exploded pretty much overnight. But now he is feeling the pressure to write his second book. When he gets forced to attend a book expo and take part in a panel, he isn’t very agreeable and lashes out at the audience.
Which brings us to what (I’m guessing here) is their meet cute?!?
Kenzie calls Sebastian out on crushing aspiring writers with his cruel blunt words but in the middle of her tirade, they both are hit with insta-lust and what starts as a pushy reprimand ends up with them both hate f*cking backstage.
Long story short because I don’t want to ramble on and on about this, Kenzie ends up pregnant, in one of her signature act-before-she-thinks, she ends up accosting Sebastian at a book signing, ends up with a concussion and he ends up nursing her at his home. This leads to her not tellling him about the pregnancy just yet, him offers her a job as his assistant and they both end up using each other for their own gain.
I honestly didn’t feel any chemistry between the MCs, even the sex was just meh. There was A LOT of inner dialogue but VERY little dialogue between them. They each found the other irritating and the only nice thing they had to say about each other was the sex so their relationship came off as very hollow and fake.
I will say that I liked that Sebastian didn’t blow up or get OTT dramatic when he finds out about a) the baby and b) Kenzie’s immature blog. He reacts but not in a negative cheesy villain way. I found it very refreshing, if a bit anti-climactic.
Overall, this rom-com had too many fails for me and not enough emotion connection to really root for the MCs. Not one I would re-read or recommended. If you want to check it out, definitely borrow it first!
* * * ARC provided for an honest review * * *
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
SAFETY INFO:
The story doesn’t divert from the Blurb so what you read is definitely what you get.
Kenzie is a book nerd who can’t keep a steady job and dreams of writing a great best seller book one day. When she attends a panel with one of her favorite writers and is shocked to find out he isn’t who she dreamed him up to be, she confronts him.
First thing about Kenzie that threw me off her character is her personality. She is described as the kind of person who acts before she thinks and she finds herself in awkward or embarrassing situations because of it. She knows she’s doing it, other people know she’s doing it but NOBODY stops her from being an idiot. Red Flag #1
The Hero, Sebastian, has just published his first book and it has exploded pretty much overnight. But now he is feeling the pressure to write his second book. When he gets forced to attend a book expo and take part in a panel, he isn’t very agreeable and lashes out at the audience.
Which brings us to what (I’m guessing here) is their meet cute?!?
Kenzie calls Sebastian out on crushing aspiring writers with his cruel blunt words but in the middle of her tirade, they both are hit with insta-lust and what starts as a pushy reprimand ends up with them both hate f*cking backstage.
Long story short because I don’t want to ramble on and on about this, Kenzie ends up pregnant, in one of her signature act-before-she-thinks, she ends up accosting Sebastian at a book signing, ends up with a concussion and he ends up nursing her at his home. This leads to her not tellling him about the pregnancy just yet, him offers her a job as his assistant and they both end up using each other for their own gain.
I honestly didn’t feel any chemistry between the MCs, even the sex was just meh. There was A LOT of inner dialogue but VERY little dialogue between them. They each found the other irritating and the only nice thing they had to say about each other was the sex so their relationship came off as very hollow and fake.
I will say that I liked that Sebastian didn’t blow up or get OTT dramatic when he finds out about a) the baby and b) Kenzie’s immature blog. He reacts but not in a negative cheesy villain way. I found it very refreshing, if a bit anti-climactic.
Overall, this rom-com had too many fails for me and not enough emotion connection to really root for the MCs. Not one I would re-read or recommended. If you want to check it out, definitely borrow it first!
* * * ARC provided for an honest review * * *
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
SAFETY INFO:
September 29, 2021
Kenzie is super excited to attend a speech by an up-and-coming new author. Sebastian does not want to do speaking engagements talking about being an up-and-coming author. After Sebastian acts like a jerk and Kenzie confronts him they go their separate ways until Kenzie shows up at one of his book signings. And then the fun begins! They have a chasm between them and all the time in the world to build a path to be together.
Kenzie lives by the rule to do it and then deal with whatever happens afterward. She knows that her attitude gets her into some trouble but she's okay with that as long as she's experiencing life. For example, she doesn't have a job at the moment but buys expensive tickets to a book conference. Sebastian lives a pretty solitary life. He prefers to keep people at arm's length so they can't hurt or disappoint him. He has a huge growth curve in the story because he has to learn to accept not just Kenzie into his world but a whole cast of characters. The verbal sparring between Kenzie and Sebastian was really good. They were never mean-spirited or nasty when they sparred and always talked later to work things out. Speaking of the cast of characters, there are many and they are all unique and special and I look forward to reading more stories that include them (that is a promise the author makes at the end of the book and I'm now waiting for it). There is even an incredibly fat cat that has a nasty attitude. He's kind of cool for such a picky cat!
I'm a little bit confused by the name of the book. I expected roommates that hate each other and then decide they love each other but that's not exactly the timeline. I don't know what I would call the book but something else. I don't understand why there wasn't some kind of closure on his relationship with Sebastian's father and former friends. It bugs me because there is a point made at the end that they have a big party with family and friends. Basically, I had unmet expectations so that's on me.
This is a contemporary romance that takes place in North Carolina and Washington State. If you like secret baby, miscommunication, instant attraction type stories, then give this a try. It's a really quick read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Kenzie lives by the rule to do it and then deal with whatever happens afterward. She knows that her attitude gets her into some trouble but she's okay with that as long as she's experiencing life. For example, she doesn't have a job at the moment but buys expensive tickets to a book conference. Sebastian lives a pretty solitary life. He prefers to keep people at arm's length so they can't hurt or disappoint him. He has a huge growth curve in the story because he has to learn to accept not just Kenzie into his world but a whole cast of characters. The verbal sparring between Kenzie and Sebastian was really good. They were never mean-spirited or nasty when they sparred and always talked later to work things out. Speaking of the cast of characters, there are many and they are all unique and special and I look forward to reading more stories that include them (that is a promise the author makes at the end of the book and I'm now waiting for it). There is even an incredibly fat cat that has a nasty attitude. He's kind of cool for such a picky cat!
I'm a little bit confused by the name of the book. I expected roommates that hate each other and then decide they love each other but that's not exactly the timeline. I don't know what I would call the book but something else. I don't understand why there wasn't some kind of closure on his relationship with Sebastian's father and former friends. It bugs me because there is a point made at the end that they have a big party with family and friends. Basically, I had unmet expectations so that's on me.
This is a contemporary romance that takes place in North Carolina and Washington State. If you like secret baby, miscommunication, instant attraction type stories, then give this a try. It's a really quick read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 28, 2021
Kenzie is an unpublished romantic comedy writer whose philosophy has always been to act first and ask questions later, but she often gets into trouble by acting impulsively. She was very excited to hear reclusive, best selling author Sebastian was giving a talk at a writer’s conference but he was not happy to be there and only spoke a few sentences stating that all potential writers should give up the elusive dream of success because it rarely happened. Kenzie was so enraged she confronted him, slapped him, and after verbally sparring he offered a no relationship encounter backstage and after they were intimate, he walked away. In the intervening months she began to hate him, began a blog criticizing his book, and threw coffee at him at a book signing event. She was injured while running away from the event and was surprised to wake up the next morning at his mansion after being seen at the hospital. She finds out that she is pregnant from their earlier encounter but doesn’t tell Sebastian because she is afraid he might just leave or take the baby from her. Sebastian was a loner who had been burned by a relationship in the past but he was intrigued by Kenzie and hired her to cat sit for his spoiled cat. He was under pressure by his publisher to write another book and found he was able to write again when Kenzie was around. Will Sebastian get over his fear of becoming involved and can he and Kenzie find happiness together?
I loved this story with the argumentative, smart mouth Kenzie and the loner Sebastian who has no interest in a relationship after he was hurt by a vindictive ex. Sebastian was afraid of getting involved and hurting Kenzie so he wanted to drive her away even though he had developed feelings for her. I loved Kenzie’s impulsiveness and her great relationships with her friends, brother, and parents. I enjoyed the humor and laugh out loud moments in the story with Mr Meatball as well as Kenzie’s friends and parents. The epilogue was a great ending for their story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I loved this story with the argumentative, smart mouth Kenzie and the loner Sebastian who has no interest in a relationship after he was hurt by a vindictive ex. Sebastian was afraid of getting involved and hurting Kenzie so he wanted to drive her away even though he had developed feelings for her. I loved Kenzie’s impulsiveness and her great relationships with her friends, brother, and parents. I enjoyed the humor and laugh out loud moments in the story with Mr Meatball as well as Kenzie’s friends and parents. The epilogue was a great ending for their story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 294 reviews