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Something is very wrong with my downstairs neighbor.
For starters? She appears completely immune to my charms.
It's odd... Downright suspicious.

But beneath those frowns and pantsuits, I know she feels the connection, too.
Why else would she keep filing noise complaints against me?
It’s like a cry for help. A demand for me to show up at her door…

One look in her barren apartment and I know her job is her life.
The last male to see her bedroom probably had a tail and whiskers.
I can see she needs my skills. Badly.

I happen to have a talent for people — fixing them, persuading them...
pleasing them.

Except my past rears its ugly head at the worst time.
Instead of dating my neighbor, now I’m roped into working with her.
But what’s more romantic than a forbidden office fling?

I’ll find a way to solve my secret little issue and make time for my new office mate.
On the clock, off the clock, on her desk, on my desk…

But first, she needs to agree to go on a date with me.
I think her exact words were “absolutely no way.”

No way? There’s always a way.
There's blackmail, bribery, buckets of charm… Maybe all three?

315 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 30, 2021

646 people are currently reading
546 people want to read

About the author

Penelope Bloom

69 books2,619 followers
USA 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.

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714 (51%)
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432 (30%)
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199 (14%)
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35 (2%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
Profile Image for Tabatha Reed.
1,687 reviews199 followers
December 5, 2021
This is my favorite book in this series so far! I loved this so much, it’s perfect. We’ve seen glimpses of Travis in the previous books but he is SO much better than I could have ever imagined. He’s ridiculously charming, relentlessly confident and impossible to resist. Elizabeth really tries to dislike him but even she’s not immune to his magic.

This definitely has the enemies to lovers vibe in the beginning because Elizabeth is determined not to like Travis. It doesn’t take long for him to find the right path with her and she starts to be charmed by him, in spite of herself. It’s got a sunshine/grump vibe going on, in reverse. She’s not really grumpy per se, but she’s uptight and truly needs the carefree lighthearted way Travis leads his life. Even though it’s clear to her something is afoot and she’s crazy to trust him she is drawn to him. The chemistry they have is amazing, it’s almost tangible coming off the pages.

Aside from Travis himself is that this is a fairly low angst read. Travis is ridiculously lovable and they are so perfect together that it would have been so disappointing to have them get derailed by anything.

Story 5/5, Heat 2/5, Angst 1/5, Comedy 4/5

Medium burn, they get sexy around 55%.

No condoms, virgin h, H might have had dome manwhore ways before h, some push away from h, no OW/OM drama, no breakups or separation. No cheating, no sharing, no cliffhanger and HEA with epilogue.

Safety - some overt interest from a couple OW but H is completely devoted to h. I’d consider this a safe read.
Profile Image for Maria.
1,750 reviews8 followers
December 6, 2021
Opposites attract!!!

Opposites attract! This is about Travis and Elizabeth. Travis is too funny with his love for animals and the way he gets under your skin! Elizabeth thought that she could just file a complaint about the noisy neighbor but instead got Travis as it was his home that was being noisy due to his animal especially Rat. Travis likes a challenge and he hasn’t met one that he has won but this is different as his charm is not helping because Elizabeth is immune to it… The story is funny and here the team is back because their freedom is on the line! An old romance develops but so does a new one! I love it.

Although this book is a standalone one, it is best if you get familiarized with the characters in it, in order to understand their role with each other. You have Adrian from The Boss (Hole) which starts off the Adrian wanting to take down Coleton and unknowing hires Juliette (a Coleton) – very funny! Then you have Room (Hate) with Sebastian and Kenzie and Mr. Meatballs the cat – note – Kenzie is Travis’s sister! In both stories the woman is one to not back down which is great because the men must work for it. We can’t forget the group also includes Noah and Jordan and I hope one of them are next.
Profile Image for Kimberly.
1,217 reviews
December 11, 2021
Travis is one of a kind. Seemingly no worries, never had a problem he couldn't find a way to talk out of and he is a collector of strange animals and knickknacks that aren't worth anything to anyone else. Elizabeth is determined, strong of mind and has one goal, to take over when her boss retires and finally win approval from her mother. Too bad Travis shows up around every corner and drives her crazy, don't know if she wants to strangle him or kiss him, because he is also hot. Love the storyline which completely pulls you in, you so want to know what Travis will do next. Elizabeth must have patience of a Saint, cause I think I would've strangled Travis but he is definitely hilarious. I really loved escaping into this world and hope for more.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Lisa Benison.
580 reviews16 followers
December 3, 2021
Laugh-Out-Loud Romantic Comedy with AMAZING Travis!

Travis may be my favorite of Penelope Bloom's characters which says a lot since so far I have loved them all! We did meet him in The Room(Hate) since he is Kenzie's brother and "catnaps" Meatball. He is a Dr. Dolittle animal lover with a crazy menagerie who can charm his way out of any situation until he meets his strait-laced, uptight, corporate executive neighbor Elizabeth and the sparks fly. Their "courtship" and banter is laugh-out-loud funny as are some of the situations they find themselves in. But he also has a big heart and eventually wins her over. There are is also a sub-plot of corporate intrigue with her boss and co-workers that kept me so engaged I could not put the book down and read it in one sitting. Characters from previous novels make appearances in this book but are not critical to the plot and the relationships are well explained so it can be read as a standalone (although you will want to read the other books in the series after meeting them). I can't wait to see what comes next and am hoping for cameos from Travis and Elizabeth in the next book. Enjoy!
Profile Image for ☆☆Hannah☆☆.
3,182 reviews46 followers
January 14, 2022
This was a good read. Travis is an interesting man and Elizabeth is completely different. However, they start spending time together. They end up enjoying themselves and even fall in love. The good news is everything works out for them and they get their happy ending.
Profile Image for Fa.
56 reviews
December 25, 2021
How can the book be amusing and boring, at the same time, I wonder. More boring than amusing.

This book is about strong willed iron ladies who act strange/ go against their nature, SUDDENLY, including the heroine, the mother of the heroine and then the employer of the heroine. Why? Because……….
Profile Image for Shelley C.
2,961 reviews65 followers
December 9, 2021
Do not underestimate Travis😂

The Ego(maniac) is a sweet and funny story about Travis and his neighbour Elizabeth❣️Travis is astonished when he discovers a neighbour has put in a noise complaint about him but when he confronts her, he makes a decision and slowly torments Elizabeth into agreeing to go out with him🤩

This story was so different but in a good and unique way, because of Travis. He’s what they call a problem solver….there’s no problem he can’t fix, but when he’s doing a job that will potentially keep him and his friends out of jail - he conveniently gets distracted by the gorgeous and serious Elizabeth😳

I received an advanced copy via Booksprout and voluntarily leave my honest review❤️
26 reviews
December 28, 2021
I absolutely loved Travis. What a hilarious, wonderful character! This was a fun story. My only complaints are the little inconsistencies that seem to be an issue with this author’s books. For example, Rat was described as a monitor lizard in the last book, yet a bearded dragon in this book. Also, Elizabeth has blonde hair and yet in one scene it mentions her “dark hair”. It’s hard to take seriously when the author can’t seem to keep her own characters straight. However, I was quite entertained by the story line.
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews128 followers
Want to read
March 18, 2022
🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/18/2022)! 🎁
26 reviews2 followers
December 9, 2021
Travis and Elizabeth are as different as two people can be. Elizabeth is serious and all about her career and Travis is as quirky as he can be. When they get together it is laugh out loud funny how he tries to get her to loosen up. When Elizabeth finds out why Travis is in her life will she go along with his plan or kick him out of her life? This is a great funny, fall in love book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Carla.
10 reviews1 follower
December 9, 2021
I love reading books by Penelope. She always delivers! This was a page turner from start to finish. It grabbed at my heart and even had me wanting to shed a couple tears and then laughing. This book gives you everything you need for a perfect book romance.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1,088 reviews31 followers
December 14, 2021
Travis & Elizabeth’s Enemies-To-Lovers Rom-Com Will Have You In Stitches! Travis Is Certifiable, But There Is A Method To His Madness. 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 Travis Rosenthal and Elizabeth Holland’s wacky romance. It is an enemies-to-lovers story mixed in with a fake relationship and workplace story. It is from The Boss(hole) world. Travis is Kenzie Rosenthal’s older brother.

The Boss(hole) is Adrian Terranova and Jules Adams’s grumpy boss romantic comedy. It is followed by The Room(hate), Sebastian St. James and Kenzie Rosenthal’s secret baby, enemies-to-lovers romance.

Fans will be thrilled to see that Adrian and the old gang make a few cameo appearances here, as do Sebastian and Kenzie. There are also plenty of interesting characters that may factor into future books. There are hints that perhaps tech genius Jordan’s story is coming next – and it is possible that Adrian’s sister Jordan factors into it.

IN THIS BOOK:


This story opens about two years after Adrian and Jules first met. It is winter again. Like Boss(hole), the story takes place in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Travis Rosenthal, about thirty-four, is completely insane. Or perhaps he is a mad genius because despite the constant state of chaos that surrounds him, he somehow always manages to come out on top. His ADHD is obvious, and it translates to short-term relationships as well. He is known as an eccentric and careless playboy. He gets bored easily and is always in search of the next best thing. People gravitate to him, as do animals, and he has a way of taming both. His penthouse apartment is home to a veritable zoo, with pets as well as a regular parade of exotic animals that come and go. Travis worked for a decade with his middle school friends – Adrian, Jordan, and Noah – to take down Russ Coleton’s business empire in an act of revenge for Adrian. Travis comes from humble beginnings, but along the way, they made a fortune. Since they took Coleton (Juliette’s father) down about two years ago, they have continued to work together in various business pursuits. Travis is typically called in for his persuasive skills. He hates to go into the office, but Adriana occasionally convinces him to and Travis enjoys the challenge.

Elizabeth Holland, twenty-six, started at K.M. Glass Design Studios just four years ago as an intern, but her dedication and sheer willpower have helped her rise in the ranks to become the presumptive candidate to be named CEO once the owner, Mrs. Glass, announces her retirement. Mrs. Glass had taken the small design studio and turned it into an international magazine, and Elizabeth hopes to keep up the momentum with her own ideas once she takes over. Raised by a serious-minded and career-orientated mother, Elizabeth feels the pressure to achieve and win her mother’s approval. It is all she knows, really. She has postponed a personal life in favor of her career – she hasn’t even had a serious boyfriend. But Mrs. Glass is about to retire, and if Elizabeth can just stay on track, the CEO job will be hers. Unfortunately, her upstairs neighbor makes so much noise that when Elizabeth falls sick and works from home, she can hardly focus on work.

When Travis learns about the noise complaint from his downstairs neighbor, he decides to put his people skills to work. Unfortunately for him, his stuffy but beautiful neighbor seems to be the only person on earth that is immune to his vast charms. Undaunted by a challenge, he decides it is his job to help get her to loosen up a bit (and he wouldn’t complain if it led to more). But things only get more complicated when Adrian calls Travis into the office. According to Adrian, they may all go to jail for the less than legal activities they engaged in while taking down Coleton. Apparently, Brandon Glass of Glass Industries was one of the casualties of their undercover operation. He has been in jail for two years now, but his wife has been collecting evidence to take them down. According to Jordan, Mrs. Glass is just weeks away from destroying them all. Adrian assigns Travis to go undercover at K.M. Glass Design Studios and use his people skills to discover what Mrs. Glass has on them and hopefully find a way to stop her. That puts a little damper in his plans for Elizabeth, but he takes it in stride and adjusts accordingly.

In true Travis fashion, he makes a big splash at K.M. Glass. The new work dynamic with Elizabeth is a challenge, but he muddles through with blackmail and bets in his efforts to win her heart. There is a lot of wacky drama as their story unfolds, and a lot is on the line for both. With the intense competition for the CEO job, Elizabeth cannot afford the distraction that Travis brings into the office. And Travis must straddle his efforts to keep himself and his friends out of jail with his growing determination to win Elizabeth’s heart. Should she learn that his efforts could destroy all she has worked for at K.M. Glass, the betrayal would be difficult to swallow. Although it seems impossible, 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!

Travis and Elizabeth’s crazy story is anything but boring. Travis really does operate ten steps ahead, so everyone is always trying to catch up to him. There is a method to his madness, though. Elizabeth, despite her best efforts, finds herself along for the wild and crazy ride with him. His unpredictability eventually leads way to glimpses (however small) of the serious man underneath it all. He is well-intentioned and has a huge heart, even if he does drive everyone around him a little mad. There are a number of interesting characters here. Mrs. Glass turns out to be quite a surprise – and Brandon as well. Travis’s parents make another appearance in this book (and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree). Mr. Meatball has a few scenes here, as do a parrot named Windbag and a giant monitor lizard named Rat. Elizabeth’s relationship with her mother is explored. That is perhaps the most serious part of the story. It is realistic while most everything else is over the top. The story overall is wonderfully playful and a fun ride into the insanity of Travis’s world.

Animal lovers will fall in love with Mr. Meatball.

Travis and Elizabeth’s enemies-to-lovers, fake relationship, workplace romantic comedy will have you in stitches with many laugh-out-loud moments. Travis is certifiable, but there is a method to his madness. There are zany characters and neurotic animals in this unconventional slow burn. The story is nicely written. The plot is fairly simple (but the solution is chaotic). The story is character-driven. It is written in first person. The POV alternates between Travis and Elizabeth, with one chapter in Caroline Glass’s POV. I rate this book 4.5 stars.

I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Kelly (the book hussy).
1,770 reviews71 followers
December 12, 2021
3.5 Stars

Rich playboy hero
Virgin heroine

I know, I know it sounds like a ton of other stories. And while I'm not a fan of playboy heroes, I was a fan of Travis.

I was surprised to learn the heroine was a virgin. She was in her mid to late twenties. I loved that she didn't immediately swoon to his charms. She made him chase her. It was entertaining to watch

I'm glad the conflict didn't pull the H/h apart. I'm not a fan of authors making the couple break up and then create a grand gesture. So overdone and unoriginal.

Looking forward to Noah's book.

Part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone.
Profile Image for Donnaskins.
401 reviews
December 20, 2021
DNF. Travis is a first-class misogynist @$$hole, and it's obvious from the get-go that Elizabeth is going to fall for his b.s.

Two stars because I have read worse.
Profile Image for Elodie’s Reading Corner.
2,554 reviews152 followers
December 5, 2021
🦜 The Ego(maniac) 🦎
A Romantic Comedy
✒️ Penelope Bloom
https://www.facebook.com/PenelopeBloo...
Release Date 12/01/2021
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MV2VCB7/...

𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯

USA Today bestselling author Penelope Bloom brings a brand new hilariously uplifting romance where the chemistry explodes between two total opposites.

Something is very wrong with my downstairs neighbor.
For starters? She appears completely immune to my charms.
It’s odd. Downright suspicious, even.
But beneath those frowns and pantsuits, I know she feels the connection, too.
Why else would she keep filing noise complaints against me?
It’s like a cry for help. A demand for me to show up at her door…

She has the face of a princess and the boring,
laminated agenda life of a future cat-lady.
I can see she needs my skills. Badly.

I happen to have a talent for people — fixing them, persuading them...
pleasing them.

Except my past rears its ugly head at the worst time.
Instead of dating my neighbor, now I’m roped into working with her.
But what’s more romantic than a forbidden office fling?

I’ll find a way to solve my secret little issue and make time for my new office mate.
On the clock, off the clock, on her desk, on my desk…

But first, she needs to agree to go on a date with me.
I think her exact words were “absolutely no way.”

No way? There’s always a way.
There's blackmail, bribery, buckets of charm… Maybe all three?

Full-length office rom com about a grouchy bosswoman who has forgotten how to have fun and her obnoxiously charming neighbor turned co-worker who won’t stop until he wins a smile. Hilarious banter, crackling chemistry, and a gooey happily-ever-after await if he can find a way past her fangs.

𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

Can he make their item work beyond his mission …

I discovered the author last summer with the previous book in this (no name) series, I so liked it I immediately after read the first book and so now it is the third one with the heroine’s brother of book two as hero.
From the moment Travis was first introduced, I loved this grown-up version of Peter Pan. As it is difficult to describe who Travis is, he has the soul and spirit of a child, and the attention span time too. And while fairytales kid only thinks to amusement, Travis is a rescuer in the core, seing past everyone’s walls, determined to raise the spirits of those who need a bit of joy, whatever they are two or four legged or with fur or feathers.
Elizabeth is a kind of Scrooge without Christmas. She only seeks success, more to gain her mother’s approval than anything else. Why she does not know how to let loose. She has based her life’s goals on following her mother’s footsteps, so no distractions. Until a determined neighbor can’t no for a no, blackmailing her in a date.

Like the two previous books, I loves there is no second shoes drop, her heroes are honest even in their wrong doings, trying to compromise to hurt the least possible. Travis is such a sweetheart and a romantic at heart, whatever he believes, he is a man when he falls, he falls hard.
4.5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scenes

have been granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CXGRusLI...

https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...

#bookstagram #historicalromance #romance #romancebookblog #romancebookblogger #bookblog #romanceauthor #bookblogger #2021read #bookstagrammer #bookreview #romancebookreviewer #arcreader #bookquote #romancestagram #readersofinstagram
1,240 reviews10 followers
December 9, 2021
The Ego(maniac) is a romantic comedy set within the same world as The Boss(hole) and The Room(hate). The romance stands alone, but previous characters do play a part in this book. When his downstairs neighbor has a noise complaint, Travis can’t help but be intrigued when the lovely Elizabeth doesn’t fall for his charms immediately. Between blackmailing her into a date, embellishing their relationship to others, and working directly with her, only with a fake name and secret purpose, can Travis convince Elizabeth to give him her trust and heart, or will her career always come first?

Oh my goodness, this book was awesome and seriously so much fun! You always hear about the lovable and joy filled woman taming the growly alpha of a man, but Elizabeth and Travis were the exact opposite! Elizabeth was almost robotic with her drive to succeed in her career, and everything that wasn’t work related fell to the side, including relationships. I absolutely loved watching her open up and start to believe in herself and what love could bring into her life. Travis was… Travis, haha. He was eccentric, he collected animals and trinkets, and he was incredibly persuasive. I loved how his mind worked, how he wanted the best possible outcome in a crazy scheme, and how quickly he became fascinated by and focused on Elizabeth. I loved them together. I loved their connection and passion! I loved their crazy dates and their love for the exotic animals wherever they went. I liked some of the drama of this book and how their budding relationship played a part at their work. I honestly just really enjoyed this book! I didn’t want to put it down! I laughed, giggled, and was completely hooked while reading this book!
1,017 reviews
December 10, 2021
Travis needs to help his friends stop someone from going to the police about something they did a while ago. He's a fixer because he's so darn charming. He's also a little odd and often unfocused. Elizabeth has been groomed her whole life to run a company. She's driven and focused and doesn't have time for a relationship. They don't meet under the best conditions but Travis takes up the pursuit because she intrigues him. Can they make a lasting love connection? Will she ever get used to his odd collection of pets?

A bit of truth right up front, I went into this book with high expectations because I really liked the first book in this series. I tried to set that aside for the purposes of this review but I fear that I didn't fully succeed. I really liked Travis as a concept but as the main character of the book, he was kind of annoying. His childlike attitude wore a little thin by the end. Maybe it's unfair but I felt like he didn't have any substance as compared to other characters. I really liked Elizabeth and her growth curve in the book. As the book progressed and Elizabeth changes, it made sense (no, I'm not going to tell you how she changed because it's a spoiler). I enjoyed the characters from the prior story being part of this story. I also enjoyed the side characters that were introduced in this book.

I would recommend this to anyone that has read the prior book because the storyline is a direct tie-in (actions = consequences and all of that). This is a contemporary story that takes place primarily in North Carolina but that's not particularly important to the story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
486 reviews5 followers
December 15, 2021
4.5-stars for The Ego(maniac)

I get that Penelope Bloom's writing style and humor may not be for everyone but personally I love it, love the humor, witty banter and hilarious laugh out loud moments found in her books. Elizabeth is short-sighted with her singular focus on work, driven some my say but never really gives anything else, like romance, her time or focus. Even though Travis is opposite in a lot of ways, such as he never really seems to be serious or focused (except kinda of on his animals), there is one huge thing they have in common, no not that get your mind of the sexy times, Elizabeth's focus on her work leaves no time for her heart so it's basically on lockdown similar to Travis' light-hearted ways keep his heart on lockdown too. Personally loved Travis's personality, although I get it's probably not for everyone, loved he was there for his friends and supports them, but what I loved most was he gives his whole heart especially to his animals which were great 'secondary characters' plus whole doesn't think an amazing book boyfriend is an alpha who once he lets the walls down around his heart and allows himself to fall in love, he gives his whole heart ..... forever!
This is a standalone, although characters from other (...) books do make an appearance in this one, full length read with classic Bloom humor, it's witty with amazing banter, awesome laugh out loud moments, quirky funny times, along with being hot and steamy at points too; sigh..... it's just an all around fantastic read that I 100% recommend other readers should read and enjoy. Don't miss The Ego(maniac) by Penelope Bloom (I enjoyed it so much I added it to my Must Read Again list!
Even though I did receive an advanced review copy of this book, I also purchased the book / read it with Kindle Unlimited and am voluntarily leaving my own unsolicited opinion with my voluntary review.
Profile Image for Charmaine Nouwen.
5,468 reviews23 followers
December 10, 2021
The Ego(maniac) by Penelope Bloom is another great book by the author,entertaining,steamy with a touch of drama..this is Travis and Elizabeth fake romance/enemies to lovers romance story..Two neighbors,one who is a pet lovers and love to rescue animals,cool,funny and gorgeous and the other is a serious,and only focussing herself to her succes and to get her mothers approval..Travis is on a mission to save him and his friends from prison when they put the the husband of Elizabeth boss in prison,so he went undercover and applied for a job on Elizabeth company, but Travis didnt expected that Elizabeth is the one who will conduct the interview and for her to question him why his not using his real name..Travis being an easy and cool guy they love him and they become partner..;untill they fell inlove but Elizabeth is scared specially now she knows what Travis is up to but even her career is on the line she still help him but Travis has a good heart when he knows that his lady boss is inlove to a man of her past he became the matchmaker..finally the Lady boss put her fet down and destroy all the evidence that they gathered for her husband who is greedy and thinking only himself, and she and ask for a divorce to follow her heart once and for all..

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
578 reviews5 followers
December 8, 2021
Opposites attract!

by Susana M.S.

The Ego(maniac) is a romantic comedy by Penelope Bloom, featuring, Travis Rosenthal (at last), aka Barry Boulders in office context, and Elizabeth Holland, neighboors, career driven in their own way, recent acquaintancess and the very opposite of each other.
Their story starts askew, on Elizabeth' side, at least, Tavis is a firm believer in his peculiar charm and accepts the challenge he posed himself of bending his stuck up beautiful neighbor.
I really enjoyed Travis' bouncing personality, his bizarre behavior and his vision of life, work and pretty much everything. Elizabeth carried the weight of approval and saw life in black in white, objectively, with a goal in sight and that particular way to attain it. They're a fabulous couple that truly complement each other, but will a plan under false premises derange their happily ever after? It happened what neither Travis or Elizabeth were expecting, they fell slow, but furious and their joint course will very much depend on trust, loyalty, luck, some timely actions and how strong their love really is.
Funny, engaging and absolutely worth all the trouble they went through!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Profile Image for Debbie Orazi.
1,755 reviews26 followers
December 10, 2021
Another enjoyable book in this series. The characters were well developed. The story was funny, steamy and sweet.

Elizabeth Holland is a typical type A personality and is obsessed with gaining the approval and living up to the expectations of her mother and her boss Mrs. Glass. She works as the right hand of the CEO of K.M. Glass Studios. She has focused soley on her career and ignored any type of personal or dating life.

Travis Rosenthal is filthy rich, has ADHD and owns several exotic pets. He lives in the penthouse apartment above Elizabeth. He is ultra laid back and chaotic. He loosely works with his friends.

After receiving a noise complaint Travis goes down to Elizabeth's apartment to deal with the situation. Once there he decided he wants to date her and cons her into a few dates. As part of an undercover operation he interviews with her at her work and gets hired. He is so well liked and charming he gets promoted by Mrs. Glass and ends up sharing office space with Elizabeth. Mrs. Glass also does her best to matchmaker with the two of them. They end up falling in love and getting their HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Kim Nicole.
704 reviews1 follower
March 27, 2022
I had totally forgotten about the world of Adrian and Juliette until I started reading this book. I had no idea she would write a story about his group of friends, which means there’s more possibly coming! I love this group and love how the women in their life eventually become aware of their business and want to immediately be a part of it with no anger or remorse about it. It brings a different vibe to the whole romance theme. It’s nice not having to read through a disagreement, misunderstanding or miscommunication that temporarily breaks them up. For once, it’s amazing that they can both be on the same page and agree with each other. I loved how she made the enemies to lovers aspect be one sided. Usually it’s both of them but in this case it was only Elizabeth who didn’t want to be a part of Travis. I’m glad she was able to get over not letting her walls down with him and ultimately decided to trust him and let her heart want it wants. You see a subtle change in vulnerability each time I went further in the story with both of them. Even though it took a while for it to happen, I’m glad that some part of their walls came down each time they got to know each other. Very enjoyable book and I look forward to the next one.
2,555 reviews23 followers
December 4, 2021
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of "THE EGO MANIAC" OMG!!!! This book hooks from the start full of intrigue, mystery, secrets, laugh out loud moments, steam, twists that make for a very addicting read.
Travis is an ego maniac his love of exotic animals his character is just to hilarious when he meets his straight laced uptight neighbor he makes it his mission to get her to loosen up & have some fun but he's got his work cut out for him she all about work no play.
Travis doesn't give up easily he such a charmer thinks alot of himself he'll win her over get her to go on a date with him it's what he dies he's a fixer after all.
Elizabeth finally goes out with Travis their chemistry is explosive eventually she starts to loosen up & have fun he's only got one problem her boss may send Travis & his friends to jail.
The secret Travis & his friends have been keeping he's got to fix things before their all found out what will Elizabeth do if she finds out what they've done.
I definitely recommend to this excellently well written hilarious book you'll the characters especially Travis he such a hoot it's a must have book for sure it won't disappoint. AWESOME AWESOME READ!!!!
1,642 reviews16 followers
December 22, 2021
Hilarious Rom-Com with little steam but lots of passion
Travis’ ego is only surpassed by his outrageousness...in a good way. He reminds me so much of William from “Her Cherry” from the “Objects of Attraction” series. I love both guys! We were introduced to Travis in the other books in this new series, and I am so happy he’s gotten his own story. Travis lives in the penthouse above Elizabeth who is pretty up-tight about EVERYTHING. When she finds out what all the noise is about, we have one of many LOL moments. Let me tell you, I rarely laugh-out-loud while reading, but Ms. Bloom’s Rom-Coms sneak up on me and I find that I’m surprised that I’m truly guffawing over some characters’ shenanigans. This will happen over-and-over in this book.
Through a seriously hilarious series of events, Travis finds a solution to a dilemma that his friends and he brought on in the first place. There is passion but not a lot of explicitness. Loved the humor, the characters, the resolution and I can’t wait for the next one. If you like humor with your romance, you will truly love this book. I volunteered to review an ARC of it.
Profile Image for Ann Mihailovic.
701 reviews7 followers
December 8, 2021
The Ego(maniac) is a fun and flirty romantic comedy by Penelope Bloom. This is an opposites attract, neighbors/fake relationship story with so much fun and quirky elements that will have you laughing out loud throughout. If you've read The Boss(hole) or Room(hate), you'll have already met the hero Travis. He is an outgoing, animal loving fun guy with a knack for charming people. With one too many pets in his apartment, his place can get pretty loud with him constantly running after them. Enter Elizabeth. A workaholic who just wants her mother's approval by working her way up the corporate ladder. She has no time for relationships and when a noise complaint by Elizabeth has her neighbor Travis visiting her, she'll do whatever it takes for him to keep quiet and leave her alone. But as soon as Travis lays eyes on her, he knows he needs to get her to loosen up and smile. Slowly bulldozing his way into her life, these two build a relationship full of fun banter, situations and sizzling chemistry.
Profile Image for Vee.
344 reviews2 followers
December 11, 2021
This series has been so fun. I've been intrigued by Travis since he first appeared on "The Team" in The Bosshole, and he did not disappoint. Travis is the happy go lucky sure of himself guy who pulls off crazy schemes without ever breaking a sweat. He seems to work in his spare time, spending more time caring for his many odd pets. Travis has the biggest heart, but he keeps it locked away where humans are concerned. He infuriates his downstairs neighbor, Elizabeth who is home trying to work while his menagerie of animals are making lots of noise above.

Travis decides he needs way more time with Elizabeth, much to her chagrin. But their chemistry wins out, bringing these two opposites together. Their tale has many twists and turns, some crazy animal interactions, appearances from past characters in this series, and some hilarious hijinks. This was a very lighthearted and fun read that also touched on some personal growth barriers for both main characters.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1,900 reviews13 followers
December 5, 2021
If I ever thought that the author had already exhausted the weird characters, I already changed my mind. Travis is something from another world! He had already intrigued me in his brief appearance in The Room (hate). And now I had a lot of fun watching him get his ideas out of his sleeve and hit the mark. Elizabeth had no escape! The animals, especially the dragon, had me intrigued trying to imagine them walking around. What an occurrence! Interesting the reasoning used by Travis to justify everything he did. A thinker! I was attentive to what he said and what he did. It made me laugh that Elizabeth, despite trying and I say trying because she did not go from there, she did not stop enjoying the attention that the man was giving her. I found the plan with the elders very ingenious. Second chances! A win-win for everyone. I liked this story that is interesting, funny, romantic, relaxing, with a problem to be solved and with heated passion.
Profile Image for Ruth Hinojos.
374 reviews4 followers
December 5, 2021
Cuando Travis conoce a Elizabeth es atracción a primera vista, pero para Elizabeth es odio a primera vista, tratando de que Elizabeth salga con él. Es encantador, divertido, confiado y tan persistente, que no hay nada más que hacer mas que estar de acuerdo con lo que dice.
Una comedia romántica divertida, entretenida y de risa a carcajadas. Realmente me gustó el libro, no puedo esperar al siguiente y definitivamente voy a leer los otros dos.

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When Travis meets Elizabeth is attraction at first sight, but for Elizabeth is hate at first sight, He tries to make Elizabeth date him. He's charming, hilarious, confident and so persistent, that there's nothing more to do for Elizabeth that to agree to what he says.
Funny, entertaining and laugh out loud romantic comedy. Really liked the book, can't wait for the next and definitely going to read the other two.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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