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Up the Ladder

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An ordinary day turns extraordinary when a sexy advertising exec walks into her bookshop…
Sara James is drowning in debt and struggling to turn a profit from the secondhand bookshop she inherited from her father.

One day, Hunter Elliot, the son of a Madison Avenue advertising mogul, wanders into the shop and discovers Sara being harassed. Coming to the rescue, he soon becomes smitten and volunteers to help her business.

By harnessing his advertising experience, Hunter soon attracts lots of customers while flirting shamelessly with the inexperienced shop-owner. Sara eventually succumbs to his charms and just as their connection deepens, Hunter’s complicated past threatens to destroy their relationship.

This stand-alone HEA Spicy romance novella is for adults only due to some sexy scenes.

“Fans of romance will enjoy this steamy, imaginative read!" Red Adept

134 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2019

179 people are currently reading
235 people want to read

About the author

J.J. Sorel

29 books597 followers
Book Excellence Finalist Award Recipient in the Romance Category for her title: Dark Descent into Desire

J. J. Sorel whiles away her day writing Steamy Romance novels. She loves conjuring up slightly damaged, seductive men who fall madly in love with smart quirky women. Before becoming a writer ten years ago, she danced and choreographed for her supper. jjsorel.com

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5 stars
163 (27%)
4 stars
143 (23%)
3 stars
183 (30%)
2 stars
73 (12%)
1 star
39 (6%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
Profile Image for atomickitten.
997 reviews161 followers
October 10, 2024
1.5 star

DNF

I had enough when, after talking to the hero for 2 minutes, the heroine said her underwear was saturated.




Also, the writing style isn't my cup of tea at all.
Profile Image for Kayla.
170 reviews6 followers
April 9, 2023
If the biphobia, vauge misogyny, and fat shaming wasn't bad enough for you... They renamed the bookstore "Bookie Nookie."

No but seriously why are both the bisexual side characters cheaters. Why did the main character have to repeatedly meantion every single chapter that she was fat and ugly and make comments about being lazy and overeating.

He's rich too so when he sees this poor girl running her familys bookshop what does he do? Throws money at her, "Please. I can afford it." Calls her a project, WORD FOR WORD. "Call it a project."

Women just can't stop themselves from throwing themselves at his feet! Hanging on everyword and giving him all the money in their pockets. His response? "I've met a ton of women just like her. I'm not interested. It's how it is. And I like natural women. I don't go for all that cosmetic enhancement." Yet you're drooling over Sara's "giant" ass, "oversized tits" and full lips. K my dude.

Spoilers!

oh and the 80% breakup mark where he's accused of being a cheater. It's his twin brother! Suprise! And it their birthday tomorrow. Also the way he defends himself from cheating? He was fake dating his ex-girlfriend who cheated on him because shes bi.... he calls her and tells her to bring her girlfriend and preform a lude act infront of Sara to prove that she's a gay cheater and mister alpha man would never cheat.
Profile Image for Mira.
40 reviews3 followers
December 31, 2023
Super short book. Not overly interesting or exciting. Just a quick way to waste an hour and a half-ish.
Profile Image for Joycee.
1,601 reviews
July 3, 2023
Maybe 3.5 ⭐️.

Interesting premise. The titular scene(s) brought to mind the controversial scene from the first scene of Bridgerton … ? (Which I still haven’t watched!)

I appreciated that although we are aware that the heroine finds herself with spare curves, she doesn’t harp on it. And the hero(?) reminds her that she’s got just enough curves for him. 😃

I’m so glad that troublesome bar scene towards the end was resolved.

Would I be able to find Ivy’s story?
Profile Image for RissaReadsBooks91.
91 reviews6 followers
May 9, 2024
Short and sweet but extra hot!!!

Up the Ladder may be a quick read but it had a bunch of spice and romance. Only took me three days of reading before bed and I enjoyed every bit of it. Hunter only had eyes for Sara from the first moment even though she did not have the confidence to believe so. Loved how he valued her curves and sent her into bliss. Good Good Good read!!!
1,202 reviews6 followers
May 28, 2024
It was okay, a very quick read about 100 pages or so. Sarah is the owner of a new york I think bookshop, inherited from her father who in turn inherited it from his father. The shop is quaint but disorganised, but then every little bookshop is, full of books climbing up the walls and not selling many of them. Until one day a drop dead gorgeous hunk of a guy named Hunter walked in.

Sarah was up a ladder trying to reach a book whilst a pervy guy was looking up her skirt. Hunter eyed him up and he left the shop, along with the book. Sarah thanked him and he just melted really. He had fallen in love with this messy red haired woman with the curves. It's glad to know that not all men go for the stick insects in this world!! Being curvy is just fine too! Hunter had exited his family's firm and was looking for something else to occupy his time and Sarah's bookshop felt like a good option for him. And it was! He turns it around with some very good ideas and they both realise that their lives belong together. End of short love story with raunchy bits in the middle.

I take issue with the cover of the book though, it shows two quite slim people when in the story Sarah is a girl with curves and Hunter is a well built guy. Why didn't the author pick a more appropriate picture? It's like looking at a cover picture of a couple next to a mansion whereas in the story they live in a shack.
Profile Image for Paging_Anastasia.
241 reviews8 followers
May 4, 2024
This was a cute quick read. I love that Sara was an ordinary chubby girl living an ordinary life. Hunter came in and was in love at first sight it seems. The story was good it just wasn’t great. When there would start to be a moment of “dun dun dun” it would be resolved quickly and with little effort. For me there was no WOW moments. Also Hunter! Why was he the way he was. So many red flags there.
448 reviews3 followers
December 5, 2024
In this novella our FMC has taken over her family bookstore, and isn't doing the best job. One done while helping out a creepy customer our MMC comes in and helps her. He was drawn to her instantly, but due to her size and confidence she doesn't think he is being real. Throw in the fact that she is a virgin and unsure of her self - it makes for interesting banter. But he's going to help her with her store and prove that she drives him crazy.
Profile Image for Ireland Lorelei.
Author 118 books91 followers
September 27, 2022
Oh I am very much a diehard romantic and this book fulfilled that desire!

The rich man from the other side of the tracks fell in love with an average girl!

This love story between Hunter and Sara will have your heart pounding out of your chest!
Profile Image for Brett Tourscher.
Author 10 books18 followers
January 2, 2023
First book read of 2023 and it was a good one!! The characters were great, the story was good!! And the spice was amazinggg!! Short & quick!

The only part I hated was the epilogue! It was short and vague! Could of left the book without it! But otherwise, highly recommend!
3 reviews
March 4, 2023
Attraction at is best

I liked the easy going feel from the righting style. The description was enough to help you visualize the scenes perfectly but holds back enough to let your own perceptions come through.
Profile Image for Sarah.
1,042 reviews
June 5, 2023
Hunter and Sara meet at Sara's bookstore. There is insta attraction, and they both fall fast.

Up the Ladder is a short but sweet story. It has some drama, funny moments and good friends with good advice. I can't wait to read Ivy's story
Profile Image for Nicola Dean.
270 reviews3 followers
August 23, 2023
This was a short, quick easy read.
I enjoyed it, it is a cute story with a lovely happy ending but something was wrong and I just can't put my finger on what that is.

Perhaps it is not knowing Hunter's back-story although once he found Sara he knew he wasn't going to let her go.
Profile Image for Linda Elliott.
1,565 reviews9 followers
January 5, 2024
A good book but needs some editing

I enjoyed this short little book. Good characters good story line. I like the new name of the little bookstore that the story was based around. There were some editing that needs fine tuning in the story but not much.
Profile Image for Ronetta Turner.
17 reviews
June 4, 2024
Great Read

This book was a good read. The main character Sara started off a little on the shy side. Hunter brought her out of her shell. Well the side she showed to her two best friends. Short read, but nice
5 reviews
May 22, 2023
LOVED IT!!

It was such a great book and I would read it over and over again! 100/10 recommend to anyone that loves these kind of books’
Profile Image for Kelly potter.
244 reviews
September 3, 2023
A quiet life

Lovely short read. Boys meets girl, and the story goes from there. Quiet ones are the ones to watch. A nice story
1,674 reviews5 followers
September 30, 2023
Beautiful

Brilliant book well written and a great cast of characters and story line absolutely loved it I couldn't put it down superb
Profile Image for Sam Phillips.
233 reviews
November 14, 2023
It was cute. The ending was a bit spend up, but I'm grateful that he communicated instead of there being 20 chapters of them both fretting over stupid stuff.
Profile Image for Karen Pierce.
143 reviews
September 18, 2024
Very simple basic read. I was in a small reading rut so it was an easy quick read to get me out of it. I was enjoying it then about 3/4 of the way through it was just predictable.
Profile Image for Lyndsey Noble.
69 reviews1 follower
December 3, 2024
Such a cute storyline with some spice in it really enjoyed reading this.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews

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