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Love Marks
What do you do when your worst enemy turns out to be your new boss?
Quinn Taylor is flat broke and stuck in the same Brooklyn apartment she’s lived in her whole life. Struggling with student loan payments and medical bills, she works at The Phoenix, an elite Manhattan lounge known for its confidentiality. She’s not waiting around for Prince Charming; in fact, she learned to forget that dream a long time ago. Now, her dream is to open her own restaurant. The only problem? The handsome and elusive real estate mogul Wesley Marks just got her fired.
When Wesley unexpectedly inherits his father’s position as CEO of Marks Properties, he’s desperate to take care of his family and prove he’s nothing like his father. But after the beautiful hostess at The Phoenix betrays his trust, leaking a story that nearly destroys everything, he has a new plan. You know what they say – keep your friends close, and your enemies on your payroll. Both Wesley and Quinn are determined to get their way.
But can they put down their weapons for long enough to discover the connection between them?
*Please note that this book has content warnings for adult language, adult content, a parent with cancer, sexual assault, and sex work
Quinn Taylor is flat broke and stuck in the same Brooklyn apartment she’s lived in her whole life. Struggling with student loan payments and medical bills, she works at The Phoenix, an elite Manhattan lounge known for its confidentiality. She’s not waiting around for Prince Charming; in fact, she learned to forget that dream a long time ago. Now, her dream is to open her own restaurant. The only problem? The handsome and elusive real estate mogul Wesley Marks just got her fired.
When Wesley unexpectedly inherits his father’s position as CEO of Marks Properties, he’s desperate to take care of his family and prove he’s nothing like his father. But after the beautiful hostess at The Phoenix betrays his trust, leaking a story that nearly destroys everything, he has a new plan. You know what they say – keep your friends close, and your enemies on your payroll. Both Wesley and Quinn are determined to get their way.
But can they put down their weapons for long enough to discover the connection between them?
*Please note that this book has content warnings for adult language, adult content, a parent with cancer, sexual assault, and sex work
384 pages, Paperback
Published March 23, 2023
36 people are currently reading
636 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
April 12, 2023
Strong debut
With a fresh spin on a familiar trope, this sexy debut holds a lot of promise. I loved the first half in particular, which saw these strangers becoming instant enemies. Our hero gets the heroine fired, then she is forced to take a job as his maid/cook... and they both pretend not to recognize each other while secretly seething every time they interact. The tension was high as they battled it out, and the forced proximity was fantastic. I flew through the first half with ease, and I couldn't wait to see what happened next. Interestingly enough, it felt like there was a lack of tension in the back half. The buildup from kissing to banging was non-existent, and some of the spicy scenes felt out of place - they'd be talking about something heavy, then instantly shift to sex. That took me out of the story a bit, and made me notice some of the (small) writing issues - like taking off the same set of clothing twice and confusion about positioning. It was remarkably well done for an indie debut though, and I had a great time reading.
The story follows Quinn, a woman who has a lot on her plate. She lives with her mom, who is currently battling cancer for the second time. With medical bills piling up, Quinn needs her job more than ever... which is why it's so devastating when she is unexpectedly fired. One of the wealthy diners at the restaurant Quinn worked at blames her for some family drama being leaked to the press, and no one seems interested in hearing her side of the story. Now blacklisted from working at every nice restaurant in the city, Quinn finds herself taking a job as a private maid/personal chef at a hotel. The only problem, other than the less-than-ideal role? Quinn is in charge of caring for the penthouse suite, which is occupied by none other than Wesley himself, the man who got her fired. When neither acknowledges that they recognize the other, the two begin a silent feud - that only seems to heat up the more time they spend together.
I really loved the originality of the storyline, which felt fresh and familiar at the same time. Enemies to lovers is certainly nothing new, but I've never seen it played out in quite this way. I loved watching these two near-strangers - who genuinely hate each other - slowly start to realize that they've made a few miscalculations. The tension was great, and I liked both characters. Sure, Wes is definitely an entitled jerk at first, but it's easy to see why he acted the way he did. I also thought it was fascinating that they were both dealing with issues in their personal lives, which gave the story some weight. It's lighthearted for the most part, but there are some heavy topics discussed, particularly medical debt. I haven't encountered another book that's explored a character's past experiences taking on sex work to pay medical bills, so that was interesting for sure. I think certain things could've been fleshed out a little more, but I also liked that the book didn't feel overly heavy. For me, it just faltered slightly in the back half. I was pretty confident that I'd be rating this as 5 stars, but it did lose a little of its shine by the end. All in all, very strong for a debut though, and I'm excited to see what's next from the author.
With a fresh spin on a familiar trope, this sexy debut holds a lot of promise. I loved the first half in particular, which saw these strangers becoming instant enemies. Our hero gets the heroine fired, then she is forced to take a job as his maid/cook... and they both pretend not to recognize each other while secretly seething every time they interact. The tension was high as they battled it out, and the forced proximity was fantastic. I flew through the first half with ease, and I couldn't wait to see what happened next. Interestingly enough, it felt like there was a lack of tension in the back half. The buildup from kissing to banging was non-existent, and some of the spicy scenes felt out of place - they'd be talking about something heavy, then instantly shift to sex. That took me out of the story a bit, and made me notice some of the (small) writing issues - like taking off the same set of clothing twice and confusion about positioning. It was remarkably well done for an indie debut though, and I had a great time reading.
The story follows Quinn, a woman who has a lot on her plate. She lives with her mom, who is currently battling cancer for the second time. With medical bills piling up, Quinn needs her job more than ever... which is why it's so devastating when she is unexpectedly fired. One of the wealthy diners at the restaurant Quinn worked at blames her for some family drama being leaked to the press, and no one seems interested in hearing her side of the story. Now blacklisted from working at every nice restaurant in the city, Quinn finds herself taking a job as a private maid/personal chef at a hotel. The only problem, other than the less-than-ideal role? Quinn is in charge of caring for the penthouse suite, which is occupied by none other than Wesley himself, the man who got her fired. When neither acknowledges that they recognize the other, the two begin a silent feud - that only seems to heat up the more time they spend together.
I really loved the originality of the storyline, which felt fresh and familiar at the same time. Enemies to lovers is certainly nothing new, but I've never seen it played out in quite this way. I loved watching these two near-strangers - who genuinely hate each other - slowly start to realize that they've made a few miscalculations. The tension was great, and I liked both characters. Sure, Wes is definitely an entitled jerk at first, but it's easy to see why he acted the way he did. I also thought it was fascinating that they were both dealing with issues in their personal lives, which gave the story some weight. It's lighthearted for the most part, but there are some heavy topics discussed, particularly medical debt. I haven't encountered another book that's explored a character's past experiences taking on sex work to pay medical bills, so that was interesting for sure. I think certain things could've been fleshed out a little more, but I also liked that the book didn't feel overly heavy. For me, it just faltered slightly in the back half. I was pretty confident that I'd be rating this as 5 stars, but it did lose a little of its shine by the end. All in all, very strong for a debut though, and I'm excited to see what's next from the author.
July 9, 2023
4.5⭐️this book was actually so adorable i loved quinn and the side characters in this book just made it better!! the only reason this wasn’t a 5 star for me is because in the beginning wes was definitely not my favorite but still super cute and loved my time reading this one!!❤️
February 24, 2023
I could not put this book down! I read it in one sitting because I had to know what happened next and how it ended. This was a grumpy sunshine, enemies to lovers, billionaire romance and was such a good read. The spice is well written and had me gasping at times.
2/5🌶
I really enjoyed seeing the parallels between Quinn and Wesley. They were from 2 different worlds but still had some similar struggles. They each had their own ghosts they had to free themselves from to be able to commit to the relationship.
Definitely recommend this one!
2/5🌶
I really enjoyed seeing the parallels between Quinn and Wesley. They were from 2 different worlds but still had some similar struggles. They each had their own ghosts they had to free themselves from to be able to commit to the relationship.
Definitely recommend this one!
February 19, 2023
“But sometimes being strong means allowing yourself to be weak. To fall down. Love means giving someone the power to hurt you. And he will hurt you, Quinn. You’ll hurt him. But he’ll also love you.” Her words hang in the air between u. She must sense that they’ve hit me some place deep because she squeezes my arm and presses her lips to my forehead. “You just have to ask yourself: will the love be stronger than the hurt?” -Rachael Harriet, Love Marks
Love Marks is the perfect contemporary romance novel by author Rachael Harriet (pub date: 3/23/23).
Quinn Taylor, broke and living with her mother who is battling cancer, loses her job as a hostess at a high end restaurant after Wesley Marks accuses her of leaking a story to the press and calls on her to be fired. In desperate need of money, Quinn applies for a job at a hotel as a maid. On her first day, Quinn is promoted to the maid of the penthouse, at the direction of Wesley Clark, who owns the hotel. Now, Quinn must work in close proximity with her worst enemy every day. Can Quinn and Wesley put aside their assumptions about each other and discover they might actually be meant for one another?
I really enjoyed the dual POV and writing style the author used. I was easily able to follow the story line and feel as though the character development was flawless. I will admit, I did not like Wesley’s character at first, which perhaps was the intent of the author, but I gradually fell for him and was rooting for him throughout the story. Both main characters have such complex personal and family lives, which really leave you so invested in them as they navigate their life with one another.
I could not put this book down and read the majority of it in one day! If you enjoy any of these tropes, this book is for you:
-enemies to lovers
-forced proximity
-grumpy x sunshine
-spicy romance
Thank you to Rachael Harriet for providing me with a gifted ARC of Love Marks.
Love Marks is the perfect contemporary romance novel by author Rachael Harriet (pub date: 3/23/23).
Quinn Taylor, broke and living with her mother who is battling cancer, loses her job as a hostess at a high end restaurant after Wesley Marks accuses her of leaking a story to the press and calls on her to be fired. In desperate need of money, Quinn applies for a job at a hotel as a maid. On her first day, Quinn is promoted to the maid of the penthouse, at the direction of Wesley Clark, who owns the hotel. Now, Quinn must work in close proximity with her worst enemy every day. Can Quinn and Wesley put aside their assumptions about each other and discover they might actually be meant for one another?
I really enjoyed the dual POV and writing style the author used. I was easily able to follow the story line and feel as though the character development was flawless. I will admit, I did not like Wesley’s character at first, which perhaps was the intent of the author, but I gradually fell for him and was rooting for him throughout the story. Both main characters have such complex personal and family lives, which really leave you so invested in them as they navigate their life with one another.
I could not put this book down and read the majority of it in one day! If you enjoy any of these tropes, this book is for you:
-enemies to lovers
-forced proximity
-grumpy x sunshine
-spicy romance
Thank you to Rachael Harriet for providing me with a gifted ARC of Love Marks.
March 13, 2023
4.5 rounded up. If you’ve been around for any amount of time, you already know I’m a huge fan of indie authors and love to shout out their books on my page, and Love Marks is no exception.
What to Expect:
Workplace Romance
Enemies-to-Lovers
Billionaire Boss
TW: mom with cancer, alcoholism/rehab, previous relationship trauma/abuse
Wesley is trying to keep his company and family together but has significant trust issues. Quinn is working multiple jobs to help pay for her mother’s cancer treatment, but she believes she’s not worthy enough to have her own dreams or ambitions thanks to relationships from her past. In this book, both main characters work through their personal issues while also allowing themselves to be open to love and romantic relationships. Do NOT be fooled by this cute cartoon cover - this book is spi-ceeey and had me blushing. The first couple chapters took me some time to get into, but honestly once the story picks up it was impossible to put down - I read almost all of it in one day.
Thank you to the author for an advanced copy – all opinions are my own.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What to Expect:
Workplace Romance
Enemies-to-Lovers
Billionaire Boss
TW: mom with cancer, alcoholism/rehab, previous relationship trauma/abuse
Wesley is trying to keep his company and family together but has significant trust issues. Quinn is working multiple jobs to help pay for her mother’s cancer treatment, but she believes she’s not worthy enough to have her own dreams or ambitions thanks to relationships from her past. In this book, both main characters work through their personal issues while also allowing themselves to be open to love and romantic relationships. Do NOT be fooled by this cute cartoon cover - this book is spi-ceeey and had me blushing. The first couple chapters took me some time to get into, but honestly once the story picks up it was impossible to put down - I read almost all of it in one day.
Thank you to the author for an advanced copy – all opinions are my own.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 5, 2023
4.5 stars!
This was such a great read! This is a DEBUT novel, and I was pleasantly surprised at how wonderfully it was written. Quinn & Wes have such a sweet connection, and I loved watching it blossom! They both had their own demons to battle, but witnessing them overcome them was so lovely.
I took half a star because there were a couple of things I would have liked fleshed out a bit more, but that could just be personal preference!
Love Marks releases on March 23, and I’d recommend it if you enjoy the billionaire boss trope! There’s a decent amount of spice too which we know I love!
This was such a great read! This is a DEBUT novel, and I was pleasantly surprised at how wonderfully it was written. Quinn & Wes have such a sweet connection, and I loved watching it blossom! They both had their own demons to battle, but witnessing them overcome them was so lovely.
I took half a star because there were a couple of things I would have liked fleshed out a bit more, but that could just be personal preference!
Love Marks releases on March 23, and I’d recommend it if you enjoy the billionaire boss trope! There’s a decent amount of spice too which we know I love!
March 15, 2023
If you are looking for a grumpy sunshine, enemies to lovers, contemporary romance this is a must read. The banter between Wesley and Quinn was great! It also had some deep subjects such as sex work and cancer but that didn't bring down the mood of the book at all. The spicy scenes were 🔥. This debut novel by Rachael Harriet is worth your time.
4 star rating. Thanks to Rachael Harriet for an advanced copy for my honest review.
4 star rating. Thanks to Rachael Harriet for an advanced copy for my honest review.
March 21, 2023
I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book tells the story of two enemies who find love in an unexpected way. This book captures perfectly the magical energy of witty banter between Quinn and Wesley and really brings them to life.
The reader is gradually taken through their journey as they move from hostile rivals to lovers after a series of hilarious conversations that slowly reveal each other’s true personalities. We soon learn about why exactly these two were enemies in the first place, and how their initial differences aren’t nearly as wide apart once both sides decide to communicate openly with one another.
All throughout this book is filled little thoughtful nuances written by the author that let us get comfortable enough within their relationship - all while never taking away from its fun vibrancy. As much as it may sound cliche - there are laugh out loud moments for sure! And you won’t be able to resist smiling when reading it either!
While there were plenty of passionate moments between them throughout the story, this wasn't just another boring book about sex—it uses clever dialogue to showcase its lead characters' personalities so vividly that I felt like I truly knew them after reading this book. Despite beginning as enemies who eventually fall in love thanks to some mischievous trickery, when all is said and done, readers are left steaming from head to toe after experiencing what these “enemies turned lovers” have gone through together…a perfect ending!
Overall, Love Marks is a romantic read full of heartwarming lessons along plenty delightful entertainment value due solely because of its marvelous dialogue set up between our protagonists. There's no doubt we will remember this story long after putting down this paperbound work – what more could we possibly ask for? That said, if you're looking for an entertaining read with lots of sexual tension AND plenty of humor thrown into the mix then look no further than Love Marks! Thanks to Rachael Harriet for making me remember how fun it was to read fanfictions!
This book tells the story of two enemies who find love in an unexpected way. This book captures perfectly the magical energy of witty banter between Quinn and Wesley and really brings them to life.
The reader is gradually taken through their journey as they move from hostile rivals to lovers after a series of hilarious conversations that slowly reveal each other’s true personalities. We soon learn about why exactly these two were enemies in the first place, and how their initial differences aren’t nearly as wide apart once both sides decide to communicate openly with one another.
All throughout this book is filled little thoughtful nuances written by the author that let us get comfortable enough within their relationship - all while never taking away from its fun vibrancy. As much as it may sound cliche - there are laugh out loud moments for sure! And you won’t be able to resist smiling when reading it either!
While there were plenty of passionate moments between them throughout the story, this wasn't just another boring book about sex—it uses clever dialogue to showcase its lead characters' personalities so vividly that I felt like I truly knew them after reading this book. Despite beginning as enemies who eventually fall in love thanks to some mischievous trickery, when all is said and done, readers are left steaming from head to toe after experiencing what these “enemies turned lovers” have gone through together…a perfect ending!
Overall, Love Marks is a romantic read full of heartwarming lessons along plenty delightful entertainment value due solely because of its marvelous dialogue set up between our protagonists. There's no doubt we will remember this story long after putting down this paperbound work – what more could we possibly ask for? That said, if you're looking for an entertaining read with lots of sexual tension AND plenty of humor thrown into the mix then look no further than Love Marks! Thanks to Rachael Harriet for making me remember how fun it was to read fanfictions!
March 17, 2023
4.5 ⭐️ but I’m big on indie authors so I rounded that up.
Soo let’s start 👏🏼
Tropes:
-enemies-to-lovers
-billionaire
-workplace romance
-grumpy x sunshine (kind of?)
Long story short she’s a hostess in some big-on-privacy place, he’s a billionaire who looks straight out of a wet-dream. Big problem happens and he gets her fired, and now she’s on his payroll and they’re at each other throats.
Let’s start with the fact that I LOVED the transition from enemies to lovers, even if the word enemy seems too big for what they actually were, so let’s say this was more a “we-just-don’t-talk-to-each-other to lovers”.
Quinn has multiple jobs to keep up with her mother’s chemo bills, rent, student loan (you name it) and has some previous relationship trauma that doesn’t let her believe in herself and prevents her from fulfilling her dream, and Wes is a billionaire who is trying to fix everything and struggles to keep his family afloat and has MAJOR trust issues. They try to work through their issues while being vulnerable to each other, and I AM SO SOLD. I really love when authors bring totally normal human struggles in their books 🗣️. The characters development was FLAWLESS.
It took me awhile to get into the book, but once it picked up, I finished it in one sitting.
The dual POV was good and the storyline easy to follow, essentially an easy but good read.
And also the spice was good 🌶️🌶️/5.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Soo let’s start 👏🏼
Tropes:
-enemies-to-lovers
-billionaire
-workplace romance
-grumpy x sunshine (kind of?)
Long story short she’s a hostess in some big-on-privacy place, he’s a billionaire who looks straight out of a wet-dream. Big problem happens and he gets her fired, and now she’s on his payroll and they’re at each other throats.
Let’s start with the fact that I LOVED the transition from enemies to lovers, even if the word enemy seems too big for what they actually were, so let’s say this was more a “we-just-don’t-talk-to-each-other to lovers”.
Quinn has multiple jobs to keep up with her mother’s chemo bills, rent, student loan (you name it) and has some previous relationship trauma that doesn’t let her believe in herself and prevents her from fulfilling her dream, and Wes is a billionaire who is trying to fix everything and struggles to keep his family afloat and has MAJOR trust issues. They try to work through their issues while being vulnerable to each other, and I AM SO SOLD. I really love when authors bring totally normal human struggles in their books 🗣️. The characters development was FLAWLESS.
It took me awhile to get into the book, but once it picked up, I finished it in one sitting.
The dual POV was good and the storyline easy to follow, essentially an easy but good read.
And also the spice was good 🌶️🌶️/5.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 10, 2023
“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟: 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭?”
This is a fantastic debut! I love that it was dual POV. Getting each characters side made the story flow so well. I really liked that both characters struggled with their own set of complex issues both personally and within their family/past. Usually, it's one character struggling to overcome something, but both Wes and Quinn had their own things, and I think that made the 3rd Act break up more emotional.
I found myself getting annoyed when I was interrupted while reading and just wanted to know what was going to happen next. I look forward to reading what Rachel puts out next.
Tropes:
✨️Billionaire
✨️Enemies to Lovers
✨️Forced Proximity
✨️Grumpy/Sunshine
✨️Workplace Romance
This is a fantastic debut! I love that it was dual POV. Getting each characters side made the story flow so well. I really liked that both characters struggled with their own set of complex issues both personally and within their family/past. Usually, it's one character struggling to overcome something, but both Wes and Quinn had their own things, and I think that made the 3rd Act break up more emotional.
I found myself getting annoyed when I was interrupted while reading and just wanted to know what was going to happen next. I look forward to reading what Rachel puts out next.
Tropes:
✨️Billionaire
✨️Enemies to Lovers
✨️Forced Proximity
✨️Grumpy/Sunshine
✨️Workplace Romance
February 16, 2023
I enjoyed this book. The characters were well-rounded and felt luke real people. I loved the grumpy / sunshine - Enemies to Lovers dynamic.
This book kept me wanting to read and I finished it in about 4 hours over a couple of reading sessions I was sad to put it down when I had to (to do work work!)
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
This book kept me wanting to read and I finished it in about 4 hours over a couple of reading sessions I was sad to put it down when I had to (to do work work!)
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
March 6, 2023
This was a super cute billionaire enemies to lovers romance
I love a grumpy sunshine, and Wes fits in that box perfectly. The book gave me ‘Maid in Manhattan’ vibes. So if you liked that movie, I would recommend this.
I def enjoyed this as a little ‘palette cleanser’. It was cute
I love a grumpy sunshine, and Wes fits in that box perfectly. The book gave me ‘Maid in Manhattan’ vibes. So if you liked that movie, I would recommend this.
I def enjoyed this as a little ‘palette cleanser’. It was cute
March 18, 2024
:)))))))))))))))
March 20, 2023
SUMMARY:
♥️ Wesley + Quinn
💭 Dual POV
😡 Enemies to lovers
🖇️ Forced proximity
☀️ Grumpy/Sunshine
🌶️ Open door spice
💰 Billionaire romance
🤫 Secrets and lies
❤️🔥 Slow burn
REVIEW:
I found this debut novel by Rachael Harriet easy to read and so much fun! When Wesley and Quinn first meet, there are sparks. He entrusts her with a secret and when he things she betrayed him, he gets her fired and tries his best to ruin her life. In an attempt to earn enough money to survive, Quinn gets a job as a maid in a hotel. When she’s promoted to the penthouse, she’s suspicious. When she realises the owner of said penthouse is Wesley Marks and he’s being a giant dick to her, she’s angry. These two characters are fiery and give each other hell.
Once they let go of the assumptions they’ve made about each other, and are honest and open, their relationship blooms. It was great to see the development of both characters - Quinn becoming more confident and pursuing her dream of being a chef and Wesley starting to trust and be more open. I loved the tension and the banter between these two, as well as the spice! I definitely recommend this one!
This will be released on March 23rd and will be available on KU! You can pre-order it now.
♥️ Wesley + Quinn
💭 Dual POV
😡 Enemies to lovers
🖇️ Forced proximity
☀️ Grumpy/Sunshine
🌶️ Open door spice
💰 Billionaire romance
🤫 Secrets and lies
❤️🔥 Slow burn
REVIEW:
I found this debut novel by Rachael Harriet easy to read and so much fun! When Wesley and Quinn first meet, there are sparks. He entrusts her with a secret and when he things she betrayed him, he gets her fired and tries his best to ruin her life. In an attempt to earn enough money to survive, Quinn gets a job as a maid in a hotel. When she’s promoted to the penthouse, she’s suspicious. When she realises the owner of said penthouse is Wesley Marks and he’s being a giant dick to her, she’s angry. These two characters are fiery and give each other hell.
Once they let go of the assumptions they’ve made about each other, and are honest and open, their relationship blooms. It was great to see the development of both characters - Quinn becoming more confident and pursuing her dream of being a chef and Wesley starting to trust and be more open. I loved the tension and the banter between these two, as well as the spice! I definitely recommend this one!
This will be released on March 23rd and will be available on KU! You can pre-order it now.
October 22, 2023
I actually rate this 4.5 stars!
This book has enemies to lovers, billionaire boyfriend/boss, family, heart break, and dreams coming true.
I haven’t finished a book in 2 days in so long and I would of finished it sooner but her looking in the folder causing her to need space from him made me also need space!
The story was enjoyable and the characters were great. I found myself frustrated and laughing while reading. Hopefully we get to see them again because I would love to see how they blossom and how the restaurant does and if Wesley gets back to his music.
I would absolutely read this again and probably a few more times after that.
This book has enemies to lovers, billionaire boyfriend/boss, family, heart break, and dreams coming true.
I haven’t finished a book in 2 days in so long and I would of finished it sooner but her looking in the folder causing her to need space from him made me also need space!
The story was enjoyable and the characters were great. I found myself frustrated and laughing while reading. Hopefully we get to see them again because I would love to see how they blossom and how the restaurant does and if Wesley gets back to his music.
I would absolutely read this again and probably a few more times after that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2023
Entertaining debut!
Love marks is an enemies to lovers workplace romance featuring a billionaire boss and his scrappy employee.
Wesley and Quinn have an unfortunate first meeting which results in them becoming enemies. Quinn loses her job and that’s when Wesley decides to hire her in an attempt to keep his enemy close.
Their relationship started out very antagonistic from the start and it was actually my favorite part of the book, I was constantly grinning and I just flew through it.
As the reader you learn why Wesley behaves the way he does and you start the appreciate him for his protectiveness and responsibility. Quinn on the other hand behaves very differently in an adverse situation, she shows remarkable determination and kindness.
In general, I enjoyed the story and its characters yet at the same time I found it to be lacking certain things that made it a 3-star read:
- too little communication: the mc’s were often in their head and their conversations were brief. I regularly experienced moments when I thought it weird that they skipped over an important topic or simply brushed over it.
- conflicting feelings regarding how sugar baby trauma was handled. I thought this was fascinating to read about as I hadn’t read anything like it before. Quinn experiences trauma and anxiety due to her past, this was shown through physical reactions and her thoughts. Yet when the mc’s had sex for the first time, it was from his pov. I missed her stream of consciousness as this was something she was very anxious about.
- Quinn should have groveled too! I believe Wesley did a great job at groveling even when he wasn’t the one who needed to.
Read if you like:
- Forced proximity
- Billionaire romance
- Workplace
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Love marks is an enemies to lovers workplace romance featuring a billionaire boss and his scrappy employee.
Wesley and Quinn have an unfortunate first meeting which results in them becoming enemies. Quinn loses her job and that’s when Wesley decides to hire her in an attempt to keep his enemy close.
Their relationship started out very antagonistic from the start and it was actually my favorite part of the book, I was constantly grinning and I just flew through it.
As the reader you learn why Wesley behaves the way he does and you start the appreciate him for his protectiveness and responsibility. Quinn on the other hand behaves very differently in an adverse situation, she shows remarkable determination and kindness.
In general, I enjoyed the story and its characters yet at the same time I found it to be lacking certain things that made it a 3-star read:
- too little communication: the mc’s were often in their head and their conversations were brief. I regularly experienced moments when I thought it weird that they skipped over an important topic or simply brushed over it.
- conflicting feelings regarding how sugar baby trauma was handled. I thought this was fascinating to read about as I hadn’t read anything like it before. Quinn experiences trauma and anxiety due to her past, this was shown through physical reactions and her thoughts. Yet when the mc’s had sex for the first time, it was from his pov. I missed her stream of consciousness as this was something she was very anxious about.
- Quinn should have groveled too! I believe Wesley did a great job at groveling even when he wasn’t the one who needed to.
Read if you like:
- Forced proximity
- Billionaire romance
- Workplace
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 25, 2023
“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧: 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵”
“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘯.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. 5
What an incredible debut novel! I was hooked, I just kept wanting to pick it up and keep reading! I flew through it in 2 days.
I was able to follow the story seamlessly and I enjoyed seeing the character development for both of the MCs.
Wesley is your hot grumpy billionaire, with some hard family issues he is sorting through, but Quinn stole the show being such a strong FMC. The way she handled the horrible things that happened to her, and more importantly was there for her mother, did everything she could to support her.
I will mention that the book talks about her mother who has cancer, I found that a bit triggering - I don’t have a parent with cancer - but I feel like we all know someone who has been affected by cancer it was a bit difficult at times.
Tropes
- Grumpy x sunshine
- Billionaire boss
- Enemies to lovers
- Forced proximity
- Dual POV
Overall it was a great book, I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the story line. Can’t wait to see what’s next from Rachael Harriet!
I’m so thankful to be able to read an ARC copy of Love Marks thanks to Booksprout
“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘯.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. 5
What an incredible debut novel! I was hooked, I just kept wanting to pick it up and keep reading! I flew through it in 2 days.
I was able to follow the story seamlessly and I enjoyed seeing the character development for both of the MCs.
Wesley is your hot grumpy billionaire, with some hard family issues he is sorting through, but Quinn stole the show being such a strong FMC. The way she handled the horrible things that happened to her, and more importantly was there for her mother, did everything she could to support her.
I will mention that the book talks about her mother who has cancer, I found that a bit triggering - I don’t have a parent with cancer - but I feel like we all know someone who has been affected by cancer it was a bit difficult at times.
Tropes
- Grumpy x sunshine
- Billionaire boss
- Enemies to lovers
- Forced proximity
- Dual POV
Overall it was a great book, I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the story line. Can’t wait to see what’s next from Rachael Harriet!
I’m so thankful to be able to read an ARC copy of Love Marks thanks to Booksprout
October 11, 2023
Absolutely loved this book! It was so good from beginning to end. Both main characters were lovable. Loved all the other characters too minus Ian and Wesley’s dad. Perfect writing and I’ll be following this Author to see what else she has!
May 24, 2023
Do not let the cover deceive you like I was. This book is EVERYTHING and not at all what you'd expect. Props to the author for promo'ing it so well on TikTok that it encouraged me to give it a try. Like the author's TikTok, no spoilers are in my review.
The plot - workplace romance, enemies to lovers, grumpy X sunshine, forbidden romance. CHECK YA TRIGHERS PEOPLE there are some surprisingly deep topics covered in this, check the content warnings. It is a HEA, but the book seemed to go on forever for me? Like I fully expected the HEA to be around 43% into the book... And it wasn't? There was so much more storyline. Smut was good, not lifechanging, like a 2.5/5 on the spice scale.
The MC - I really liked Quinn. She's got a dark past, too much responsibility on her shoulders, and trust issues for days. She has so much angst potential, and I loved it. But where the fuck was the dissociation after it was mentioned? So we get this in depth backstory about her, with this gritty, angsty, hurt/comfort vibe, and then there is NO evidence of it being a thing in present times? Like at all? It's never mentioned again. Severely let down by that fact, a major plot hole for me.
The male counterpart - Who the fuck is named Wesley/Wes and why did it throw me for such a loop? I don't know. I loved him, the possessive alphahole boyfriend who makes you want to give him everything. However I do think he was more selfish than he was portrayed to be. He's quite self centered. Yeah okay so he made up for it, but the original actions were a dick move for sure.
The plot - workplace romance, enemies to lovers, grumpy X sunshine, forbidden romance. CHECK YA TRIGHERS PEOPLE there are some surprisingly deep topics covered in this, check the content warnings. It is a HEA, but the book seemed to go on forever for me? Like I fully expected the HEA to be around 43% into the book... And it wasn't? There was so much more storyline. Smut was good, not lifechanging, like a 2.5/5 on the spice scale.
The MC - I really liked Quinn. She's got a dark past, too much responsibility on her shoulders, and trust issues for days. She has so much angst potential, and I loved it. But where the fuck was the dissociation after it was mentioned? So we get this in depth backstory about her, with this gritty, angsty, hurt/comfort vibe, and then there is NO evidence of it being a thing in present times? Like at all? It's never mentioned again. Severely let down by that fact, a major plot hole for me.
The male counterpart - Who the fuck is named Wesley/Wes and why did it throw me for such a loop? I don't know. I loved him, the possessive alphahole boyfriend who makes you want to give him everything. However I do think he was more selfish than he was portrayed to be. He's quite self centered. Yeah okay so he made up for it, but the original actions were a dick move for sure.
Read
March 20, 2023Talk about a PAGE TURNER!!! Holy! I read the first few chapters one evening, then finished the rest the following day 🥰
Thank you so much @rachaelharrietauthor for an early copy 💗💗💗
The passion shown through both characters when it comes their families & their jobs was spot on! I loved getting to know Quinn through her tough history, & watching her work to overcome her challenges 💕 And Wesley was the biggest cinnamon roll! I loved his relationship with his niece 🥰 she was the star of every scene she was in!
This book was full of some amazing characters, & the relationships were some of my favs! In some ways, the secondary characters really round the story out, & it was done very well with this one 💕
There were some tough topics throughout, but I was pleased with the way they were treated. And greatly appreciated the addition of a content warning at the beginning 👍🏻
Overall, this book was filled with passion, love, self discovery, so much growth, & just the right amount of spice 🔥
Keep your eyes open for this! You don’t want to miss out! Love Marks comes out March 23rd!!!
•
•
✨
Thank you so much @rachaelharrietauthor for an early copy 💗💗💗
The passion shown through both characters when it comes their families & their jobs was spot on! I loved getting to know Quinn through her tough history, & watching her work to overcome her challenges 💕 And Wesley was the biggest cinnamon roll! I loved his relationship with his niece 🥰 she was the star of every scene she was in!
This book was full of some amazing characters, & the relationships were some of my favs! In some ways, the secondary characters really round the story out, & it was done very well with this one 💕
There were some tough topics throughout, but I was pleased with the way they were treated. And greatly appreciated the addition of a content warning at the beginning 👍🏻
Overall, this book was filled with passion, love, self discovery, so much growth, & just the right amount of spice 🔥
Keep your eyes open for this! You don’t want to miss out! Love Marks comes out March 23rd!!!
•
•
✨
June 30, 2023
I can’t believe this was a debut! You would think Rachael has written a book before. Very well written and the plot was done really well too. It was an enemies to lovers, boss/employee trope and I’m here for it. The miscommunication was hard because I was just screaming at Quinn to just talk to Wesley about her finding's instead of assuming the worst. But aren’t all prone to jump to conclusions at times? Some part seemed long but overall I really enjoyed this one! I can’t wait to see what else Rachael puts out!.
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.
March 17, 2023
Didn’t found the story or the characters that interesting. They both got a big sacrifices themselves complex who for me makes them boring.
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.
June 6, 2023
📚BOOK REVIEW📚
Love Marks by Rachael Harriet
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/3
Genres: contemporary romance
Tropes: enemies to lovers, miscommunication, forced proximity, billionaire boss, grumpy vs sunshine
Quinn loses her job at a high end restaurant after a high profile patron falsely accuses her of leaking sensitive information to the press. She currently lives with her mom, who is battling cancer, and trying (and failing) to keep up with all the bills, including massive debt from medical bills.
She gets essentially blacklisted from the restaurant industry after this incident, so she takes a job as a maid at a big hotel. After being hired, she is surprised when she is immediately promoted and tasked with maintaining the penthouse suite and its resident.
On her first day, she discovers the resident is no other than the guy who got her fired from her restaurant job (Wesley).
This book is written as dual POV between Quinn and Wesley.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Overall, I really liked this book. I think it was a cute story with a happy ending, and spicy romance throughout. I’m a big fan of the grumpy vs sunshine trope.
Quinn has been through a lot in her life, but somehow manages to take it all in stride. She felt like a very relatable character, and her reaction to Wesley’s betrayal felt believable.
In general, as well, the progression of their relationship felt realistic and believable as well.
I did feel like some of the character personalities/actions weren’t consistent. It didn’t make sense to me why Wesley, who is the CEO of a business, would not just fire her when he finds out she’s working at his hotel. Instead, he promotes her? He complains about how she ruined his and his family’s life by leaking sensitive information, but then gives her access to all of his personal/business documents as “bait”? It doesn’t make sense to me.
Quinn decides to take a shower in her boss’s bathroom, waterfalls his mouthwash (to avoid germs, I guess) but then uses his bar soap?? Is that not grosser??
Additionally, her friendship with Shiela felt out of place and didn’t really add to the story.
I did really like this story, don’t get me wrong. I still recommend this to anyone who likes contemporary romance.
Love Marks by Rachael Harriet
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/3
Genres: contemporary romance
Tropes: enemies to lovers, miscommunication, forced proximity, billionaire boss, grumpy vs sunshine
Quinn loses her job at a high end restaurant after a high profile patron falsely accuses her of leaking sensitive information to the press. She currently lives with her mom, who is battling cancer, and trying (and failing) to keep up with all the bills, including massive debt from medical bills.
She gets essentially blacklisted from the restaurant industry after this incident, so she takes a job as a maid at a big hotel. After being hired, she is surprised when she is immediately promoted and tasked with maintaining the penthouse suite and its resident.
On her first day, she discovers the resident is no other than the guy who got her fired from her restaurant job (Wesley).
This book is written as dual POV between Quinn and Wesley.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Overall, I really liked this book. I think it was a cute story with a happy ending, and spicy romance throughout. I’m a big fan of the grumpy vs sunshine trope.
Quinn has been through a lot in her life, but somehow manages to take it all in stride. She felt like a very relatable character, and her reaction to Wesley’s betrayal felt believable.
In general, as well, the progression of their relationship felt realistic and believable as well.
I did feel like some of the character personalities/actions weren’t consistent. It didn’t make sense to me why Wesley, who is the CEO of a business, would not just fire her when he finds out she’s working at his hotel. Instead, he promotes her? He complains about how she ruined his and his family’s life by leaking sensitive information, but then gives her access to all of his personal/business documents as “bait”? It doesn’t make sense to me.
Quinn decides to take a shower in her boss’s bathroom, waterfalls his mouthwash (to avoid germs, I guess) but then uses his bar soap?? Is that not grosser??
Additionally, her friendship with Shiela felt out of place and didn’t really add to the story.
I did really like this story, don’t get me wrong. I still recommend this to anyone who likes contemporary romance.
March 18, 2023
Love Marks by Rachael Harriet 👩🍳
Quinn is broke and lived in the same small Brooklyn apartment with her mom her whole life. She works at the Phoenix, an elite Manhattan lounge known for its confidentiality. One night the handsome and elusive real estate mogul Wesley visits and asks her to pass along a document. The next day he ends up getting her fired after mistakenly thinking she leaked a story about him and his company. Quinn luckily finds a new job as a maid for the penthouse suite at a hotel, but quickly finds out that the person living in the penthouse is none other than Wesley.
I really enjoyed this debut! It had some of my favorite tropes in it - workplace, rich hero, enemies to lovers with fun banter, and forced proximity. Plus while this has a lovely cartoon cover it brings the spice! 🔥
Quinn is a strong character who is doing everything she can to support her mom who currently is undergoing treatment for cancer. She has a dream to open her own restaurant sometime in the future but that's on hold until she's in a better spot financially. I appreciate the bi representation with her character as well.
Wesley's grumpy but he's also dealing with his own struggles after abruptly taking over his family's company. He has a sweet side buried underneath the front he puts on and does what he can to protect those he loves.
I loved seeing Quinn and Wesley grow to trust each other. The transition from "enemies" to lovers was done really well! There's smooth shifts from that strong dislike, to almost in-difference, to why am I always thinking of this person, to accepting that there's something between them, to finally acting on those feelings.
It took me a little bit to become fully invested in Wesley and Quinn's chemistry but once I got there it was smooth sailing. There were a few moments where I thought the scene ended a little abruptly and would have loved to have seen more, which might have helped at the beginning and helped me get invested sooner.
"Somehow, after all this time, she still makes me nervous. Like my skin is buzzing. Like I've come alive."
Thank you so much Rachael for the eARC!
dual POV
4/5 stars ⭐️
2.5/5 spice level 🌶️
Quinn is broke and lived in the same small Brooklyn apartment with her mom her whole life. She works at the Phoenix, an elite Manhattan lounge known for its confidentiality. One night the handsome and elusive real estate mogul Wesley visits and asks her to pass along a document. The next day he ends up getting her fired after mistakenly thinking she leaked a story about him and his company. Quinn luckily finds a new job as a maid for the penthouse suite at a hotel, but quickly finds out that the person living in the penthouse is none other than Wesley.
I really enjoyed this debut! It had some of my favorite tropes in it - workplace, rich hero, enemies to lovers with fun banter, and forced proximity. Plus while this has a lovely cartoon cover it brings the spice! 🔥
Quinn is a strong character who is doing everything she can to support her mom who currently is undergoing treatment for cancer. She has a dream to open her own restaurant sometime in the future but that's on hold until she's in a better spot financially. I appreciate the bi representation with her character as well.
Wesley's grumpy but he's also dealing with his own struggles after abruptly taking over his family's company. He has a sweet side buried underneath the front he puts on and does what he can to protect those he loves.
I loved seeing Quinn and Wesley grow to trust each other. The transition from "enemies" to lovers was done really well! There's smooth shifts from that strong dislike, to almost in-difference, to why am I always thinking of this person, to accepting that there's something between them, to finally acting on those feelings.
It took me a little bit to become fully invested in Wesley and Quinn's chemistry but once I got there it was smooth sailing. There were a few moments where I thought the scene ended a little abruptly and would have loved to have seen more, which might have helped at the beginning and helped me get invested sooner.
"Somehow, after all this time, she still makes me nervous. Like my skin is buzzing. Like I've come alive."
Thank you so much Rachael for the eARC!
dual POV
4/5 stars ⭐️
2.5/5 spice level 🌶️
November 9, 2023
3.5 Stars
Overall, I enjoyed the journey this book took me on. I thought the spice was very well-written and interesting, and both characters had depth and flaws that made them seem more real and believable. I only had a few negative experiences, as the pacing seemed a little choppy and strange. I enjoyed the way Quinn and Wesley's relationship developed, although it seemed like it was developing more as friendship, as I thought the tension was lacking a little. Their banter and chemistry was good, and there are some good quotes and moments throughout the book. I thought the relationship and building was 4/5 stars. Personally, I thought they got together too quickly and I would have loved to see even more tension, but that's just my preference.
As for the plot, I thought it was hit or miss. Some parts that should've moved slowly went by or were resolved too quickly, and some parts that should've been resolved quicker dragged out a little too long. Continuity seemed a bit strange, for example it was weird that That plotline I thought was resolved much too quickly, even though
I am a firm hater of the miscommunication trope as well as when the Third-Act breakup is caused by it, and this book definitely has that; but my statement still stands. This story tends to have one problem come up, then it gets resolved quickly, then another problem pops up and the cycle repeats. I wish just 1 had been chosen to focus on. Plot gets a 2.5-3/5 stars from me.
I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more of Rachael's novels in the future, however, because the moments that I thought were good were GREAT.
Overall, I enjoyed the journey this book took me on. I thought the spice was very well-written and interesting, and both characters had depth and flaws that made them seem more real and believable. I only had a few negative experiences, as the pacing seemed a little choppy and strange. I enjoyed the way Quinn and Wesley's relationship developed, although it seemed like it was developing more as friendship, as I thought the tension was lacking a little. Their banter and chemistry was good, and there are some good quotes and moments throughout the book. I thought the relationship and building was 4/5 stars. Personally, I thought they got together too quickly and I would have loved to see even more tension, but that's just my preference.
As for the plot, I thought it was hit or miss. Some parts that should've moved slowly went by or were resolved too quickly, and some parts that should've been resolved quicker dragged out a little too long. Continuity seemed a bit strange, for example it was weird that That plotline I thought was resolved much too quickly, even though
I am a firm hater of the miscommunication trope as well as when the Third-Act breakup is caused by it, and this book definitely has that; but my statement still stands. This story tends to have one problem come up, then it gets resolved quickly, then another problem pops up and the cycle repeats. I wish just 1 had been chosen to focus on. Plot gets a 2.5-3/5 stars from me.
I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more of Rachael's novels in the future, however, because the moments that I thought were good were GREAT.
March 20, 2023
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. This is a new to me author & it's their debut novel. The synopsis gives you a good idea of what to expect & be sure that you pay attention to the content warnings the author provides. It's a good enemies to lovers workplace dual pov romance.
Focusing on not falling even more behind on payments & worrying about her mother's health has left Quinn little time to think about anything else. They have a close relationship & only each other so Quinn wants to make sure that she continues to be there for her mother in any way that she can. She does dream about opening her own restaurant but it stays a thought. As she spends more time with Wesley, she voices those dreams out loud more & starts to think she can have someone else by her side besides her mother. However, scars from the past make her wonder if she really does deserve good things.
After his father's scandal, Wesley feels responsible to protect his family & their reputation. He is determined to get back at Quinn for what he thinks she did & is cold towards her. However, some of his coldness comes from his attraction towards her, especially after he quickly realizes she isn't like what he thought she was. Once he warms up towards her, Wesley is caring & thoughtful towards her. His gestures aren't always received as he intended them to be but he tries his best to respect Quinn's wishes.
The development has a good pacing that fans of the enemies to lovers trope will enjoy. Quinn & Wesley can be frustrating at times but you can understand why they act the way that they do. Aside from themselves, there isn't much conflict for their relationship. The start can be slow but it's a decent debut that I think others may like & want to read more from the author.
Focusing on not falling even more behind on payments & worrying about her mother's health has left Quinn little time to think about anything else. They have a close relationship & only each other so Quinn wants to make sure that she continues to be there for her mother in any way that she can. She does dream about opening her own restaurant but it stays a thought. As she spends more time with Wesley, she voices those dreams out loud more & starts to think she can have someone else by her side besides her mother. However, scars from the past make her wonder if she really does deserve good things.
After his father's scandal, Wesley feels responsible to protect his family & their reputation. He is determined to get back at Quinn for what he thinks she did & is cold towards her. However, some of his coldness comes from his attraction towards her, especially after he quickly realizes she isn't like what he thought she was. Once he warms up towards her, Wesley is caring & thoughtful towards her. His gestures aren't always received as he intended them to be but he tries his best to respect Quinn's wishes.
The development has a good pacing that fans of the enemies to lovers trope will enjoy. Quinn & Wesley can be frustrating at times but you can understand why they act the way that they do. Aside from themselves, there isn't much conflict for their relationship. The start can be slow but it's a decent debut that I think others may like & want to read more from the author.
March 23, 2023
Finding Love the Hard Way . . .
Quinn Taylor is struggling to pay both her mother’s cancer treatment bills and her own student loan bills. When she gets fired at her hostess job at an upscale restaurant because of Wesley Marks’ accusation that she leaked defamatory information to the press, her denial is ignored. Having to find another job, her mom finds her a maid position at a hotel. She is concerned how she can pay the bills with a reduced salary like that.
Mark Wesley moves into the penthouse suite of his new hotel. With construction delays, he will be working “from home” for a while. Quinn is starting her maid job and is not pleased with the tight pink and white uniform with the extremely low-cut top. Then Marguerite who hired her tells her she is reassigned to the Penthouse! This is her first day! Why didn’t an experienced maid get the assignment? Apparently she will also have to cook. As she finishes mopping the floors, she trips, the water spills from the bucket, and she is drenched – just as Wesley Marks walks through the door! He acts like he doesn’t recognize her, but his words are sharp as if he hates her. In truth, he is angry at her betrayal for leaking the story, but he hasn’t been able to get her out of his head. Making her his maid he can keep an eye on her and find what she is up to by coming here. Will he discover that she wasn’t the one who leaked that information? Can they each stop assuming the worst of each other and begin to fall in love?
So much is going on in this story and these two just seem to be fighting against themselves and each other. What will it take for them to realize how much they do care? Will they learn to trust each other and find that HEA they keep pushing aside?
Quinn Taylor is struggling to pay both her mother’s cancer treatment bills and her own student loan bills. When she gets fired at her hostess job at an upscale restaurant because of Wesley Marks’ accusation that she leaked defamatory information to the press, her denial is ignored. Having to find another job, her mom finds her a maid position at a hotel. She is concerned how she can pay the bills with a reduced salary like that.
Mark Wesley moves into the penthouse suite of his new hotel. With construction delays, he will be working “from home” for a while. Quinn is starting her maid job and is not pleased with the tight pink and white uniform with the extremely low-cut top. Then Marguerite who hired her tells her she is reassigned to the Penthouse! This is her first day! Why didn’t an experienced maid get the assignment? Apparently she will also have to cook. As she finishes mopping the floors, she trips, the water spills from the bucket, and she is drenched – just as Wesley Marks walks through the door! He acts like he doesn’t recognize her, but his words are sharp as if he hates her. In truth, he is angry at her betrayal for leaking the story, but he hasn’t been able to get her out of his head. Making her his maid he can keep an eye on her and find what she is up to by coming here. Will he discover that she wasn’t the one who leaked that information? Can they each stop assuming the worst of each other and begin to fall in love?
So much is going on in this story and these two just seem to be fighting against themselves and each other. What will it take for them to realize how much they do care? Will they learn to trust each other and find that HEA they keep pushing aside?
March 20, 2023
Quinn is struggling to make ends meet between her student loans and her mother's medical bills. She has dreams of opening her own restaurant, so her hostess job, while not quite her dream job, helps toward her goal. But when Wesley Marks, CEO of Marks Properties, comes into her restaurant and trusts her to handle something confidential for him and somehow it leaks to the press, Wesley gets her fired. Worse, her name is blacklisted in every restaurant in the city. She is forced to take a job as a maid in the Hyatt hotel, but when she shows up for her first shift, she finds out she's been reassigned to the penthouse suite as an assistant to none other than Wesley himself.
When Wesley sees the name of the woman who almost ruined his company and his family on a list of new hires for his hotel, he gets her reassigned to keep an eye on her. Is she after finding out more confidential information? Why else would she apply for a job at his hotel? But the more time she spends in his suite cleaning and cooking his meals, the more tempting she becomes.
This story reminded me somewhat of Pretty Woman and Maid in Manhatten. Two people in drastically different circumstances, him willing to give anything to make her happy and her too proud and stubborn to take it. Her reasons for leaving him were heartbreaking but the over-the-top romantic gesture at the end was just perfect, funny and sweet.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
When Wesley sees the name of the woman who almost ruined his company and his family on a list of new hires for his hotel, he gets her reassigned to keep an eye on her. Is she after finding out more confidential information? Why else would she apply for a job at his hotel? But the more time she spends in his suite cleaning and cooking his meals, the more tempting she becomes.
This story reminded me somewhat of Pretty Woman and Maid in Manhatten. Two people in drastically different circumstances, him willing to give anything to make her happy and her too proud and stubborn to take it. Her reasons for leaving him were heartbreaking but the over-the-top romantic gesture at the end was just perfect, funny and sweet.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 22, 2023
4.5/5
First of all:
TW:
- sexual assault
- sex work
- bit of mental abuse/ manipulation
- alcolohism
- parent with cancer
What a cute story. It's a enemies-to-lovers story. It basically starts with the Male MC falsely accusing a girl MC, whom is struggling taking care of both her mom and their bills, and basically making her life hell. By coincidence the MC finds a job by a hotel that now also belongs to the Male MC. The male MC assigns her to his pent house so he can keep an eye on her. And that's where their bantering begins. Both already felt an attraction towards each other by their first meeting and continue to develope those feelings while being forced by the male MC to be near each other. As they say: there's a thin line between love and hate. At one point in the book they crossed that line and start acting on those feelings. The male MC was in the beginning an a*hole, and it really annoyed me, but in a good way. Both characters struggle with insecurity due to the circumstances they grew up in.
I found the story adorable and had me kicking my feet and smiling like an idiot. The Male MC seems closed off at the beginning but starts to open up to the Female MC. They both make a development, with one starting to think better of themselves and the other finally standing up for themselves.
If you like:
- a cute read with a lot of struggles
- a delicious sexual tension
- grumpy x sunshine
- enemies-to-lovers
- kinda forced proximity.
Go read this book!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
First of all:
TW:
- sexual assault
- sex work
- bit of mental abuse/ manipulation
- alcolohism
- parent with cancer
What a cute story. It's a enemies-to-lovers story. It basically starts with the Male MC falsely accusing a girl MC, whom is struggling taking care of both her mom and their bills, and basically making her life hell. By coincidence the MC finds a job by a hotel that now also belongs to the Male MC. The male MC assigns her to his pent house so he can keep an eye on her. And that's where their bantering begins. Both already felt an attraction towards each other by their first meeting and continue to develope those feelings while being forced by the male MC to be near each other. As they say: there's a thin line between love and hate. At one point in the book they crossed that line and start acting on those feelings. The male MC was in the beginning an a*hole, and it really annoyed me, but in a good way. Both characters struggle with insecurity due to the circumstances they grew up in.
I found the story adorable and had me kicking my feet and smiling like an idiot. The Male MC seems closed off at the beginning but starts to open up to the Female MC. They both make a development, with one starting to think better of themselves and the other finally standing up for themselves.
If you like:
- a cute read with a lot of struggles
- a delicious sexual tension
- grumpy x sunshine
- enemies-to-lovers
- kinda forced proximity.
Go read this book!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 16, 2023
Enemies-to-lovers steamy romance 5*
This is a debut novel of a good writer! The result is a very well-written book with plenty of angst in the interesting plot with well-placed tension points, making this novel a very steamy, entertaining, and enjoyable page-turner. All the characters were developed and described very well and the protagonists, Quinn and Wesley, with all their shortcomings, were likeable. They go from being enemies to lovers with a stop of being boss/employee in between. Quinn is working as a hostess in an elegant New York restaurant, dreaming of once opening her own restaurant. A very talented cook herself, facing incredible financial hardship, looking after her sick mother trying to stay above the mounting medical bills. She undertakes to deliver a folder for Mr. Wesley Walker, an entitled billionaire. With the folder lost and the contents plastered all around the newspapers, he stands to lose millions. Events speed up, Quinn is promptly fired and ends up working for Wesley. He does his level best to make her life unbearable. Amazing, how both characters manage to evade the truth owing to on the one hand a kind of “my mind is made up, I’m not interested in your version of events and Quinn’s inability to be more assertive, to the point of frustration. They do however arrive at a comfortable truce that leads to a steamy liaison and beyond, to love. The novel finishes on a pleasant HEA, bringing all the tension to a welcome resolution.
This is a debut novel of a good writer! The result is a very well-written book with plenty of angst in the interesting plot with well-placed tension points, making this novel a very steamy, entertaining, and enjoyable page-turner. All the characters were developed and described very well and the protagonists, Quinn and Wesley, with all their shortcomings, were likeable. They go from being enemies to lovers with a stop of being boss/employee in between. Quinn is working as a hostess in an elegant New York restaurant, dreaming of once opening her own restaurant. A very talented cook herself, facing incredible financial hardship, looking after her sick mother trying to stay above the mounting medical bills. She undertakes to deliver a folder for Mr. Wesley Walker, an entitled billionaire. With the folder lost and the contents plastered all around the newspapers, he stands to lose millions. Events speed up, Quinn is promptly fired and ends up working for Wesley. He does his level best to make her life unbearable. Amazing, how both characters manage to evade the truth owing to on the one hand a kind of “my mind is made up, I’m not interested in your version of events and Quinn’s inability to be more assertive, to the point of frustration. They do however arrive at a comfortable truce that leads to a steamy liaison and beyond, to love. The novel finishes on a pleasant HEA, bringing all the tension to a welcome resolution.
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