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New York Billionaires #1
Think Outside the Boss
Thinking outside the box resulted in the best night of my life. Until I discover the man I spent it with is my new boss.
Attending a secret party where clothes are optional wasn't a life goal of mine. But when the exclusive invitation ends up in my mailbox by accident... well. Who wouldn't be curious? It's not like I'm going to do anything.
The handsome stranger I meet has different plans. One glance across the crowded party, and an hour later we're stretched out on silk. Our night together is glorious. No names and no regrets.
But I'd forgotten there's always a price to pay for pleasure.
I find out the cost when I start my internship. Because who is the new venture capitalist CEO?
Tristan Conway, aka my handsome stranger. Powerful, determined, intriguing... and single. Oh, and he wants to see me in his office.
Thinking outside the box got me into this mess. Now if I could just stop thinking about the boss...
Attending a secret party where clothes are optional wasn't a life goal of mine. But when the exclusive invitation ends up in my mailbox by accident... well. Who wouldn't be curious? It's not like I'm going to do anything.
The handsome stranger I meet has different plans. One glance across the crowded party, and an hour later we're stretched out on silk. Our night together is glorious. No names and no regrets.
But I'd forgotten there's always a price to pay for pleasure.
I find out the cost when I start my internship. Because who is the new venture capitalist CEO?
Tristan Conway, aka my handsome stranger. Powerful, determined, intriguing... and single. Oh, and he wants to see me in his office.
Thinking outside the box got me into this mess. Now if I could just stop thinking about the boss...
264 pages, Paperback
First published January 7, 2021
6095 people are currently reading
9548 people want to read
About the author
Olivia Hayle
30 books3,292 followersHi there! I'm Olivia.
I write romance with billionaire heroes (despite never having met one in person). They're strong, ambitious, they don't need love... until they meet the women who change their minds.
I love witty banter, smart heroines, big cities and perfectly tailored suits. You'll find all four in every one of my books! 💜
➡ Explore the bonus content: https://oliviahayle.com/bonus-content
➡ Visit https://oliviahayle.com
READING ORDER
You can read any of the books as standalones, because each book follows a new couple. But if you ask me? This is my personal preference...
The Connovan Chronicles
- Best Enemies Forever
- The Perfect Mistake
- One Wrong Move
New York Billionaires
- Think Outside the Boss
- Saved by the Boss
- Say Yes to the Boss
- A Ticking Time Boss
- Suite on the Boss
- 12 Days of Bossmas
Seattle Billionaires
- Billion Dollar Enemy
- Billion Dollar Beast
- Billion Dollar Catch
- Billion Dollar Fiancé
Brothers of Paradise
- Dark Eyed Devil
- Ice Cold Boss
- Red Hot Rebel
- Small Town Hero
Standalones
- Arrogant Boss
- Look But Don't Touch
- The Billionaire Scrooge Next Door
- How to Honeymoon Alone
I write romance with billionaire heroes (despite never having met one in person). They're strong, ambitious, they don't need love... until they meet the women who change their minds.
I love witty banter, smart heroines, big cities and perfectly tailored suits. You'll find all four in every one of my books! 💜
➡ Explore the bonus content: https://oliviahayle.com/bonus-content
➡ Visit https://oliviahayle.com
READING ORDER
You can read any of the books as standalones, because each book follows a new couple. But if you ask me? This is my personal preference...
The Connovan Chronicles
- Best Enemies Forever
- The Perfect Mistake
- One Wrong Move
New York Billionaires
- Think Outside the Boss
- Saved by the Boss
- Say Yes to the Boss
- A Ticking Time Boss
- Suite on the Boss
- 12 Days of Bossmas
Seattle Billionaires
- Billion Dollar Enemy
- Billion Dollar Beast
- Billion Dollar Catch
- Billion Dollar Fiancé
Brothers of Paradise
- Dark Eyed Devil
- Ice Cold Boss
- Red Hot Rebel
- Small Town Hero
Standalones
- Arrogant Boss
- Look But Don't Touch
- The Billionaire Scrooge Next Door
- How to Honeymoon Alone
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,176 reviews
June 18, 2021
3 ❤️❤️🤔⭐️s
To make a long story short.
I liked it but wasn’t thrilled.
I didn’t feel any sparks or great emotions, it was relatively flat.
The way they met (at a sex party) as well as the company espionage were added as to create an impression and not supported or delivered well throughout the story.
To make a long story short.
I liked it but wasn’t thrilled.
I didn’t feel any sparks or great emotions, it was relatively flat.
The way they met (at a sex party) as well as the company espionage were added as to create an impression and not supported or delivered well throughout the story.
![Profile Image for Vaishali • [V.L. Book Reviews] .](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1700331868i%2F85343546._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
December 14, 2022
R A T I N G: 3 stars to Think Outside the Boss ★ ★ ★
Frederica Bilson gets flung into the pastime of the super rich for a night tailored towards pleasure- seeking thrills in Think Outside the Boss. After receiving a suggestive invitation addressed to the previous tenant and after a quick online search of the elusive Gilded Room, she realises she's been mistakenly invited to an exclusive sex party... for the ultra rich. The thought to potter along and attend this forbidden pleasure-promising occasion definitely speaks of a seductive night to remember.
And while curiosity is said to kill the cat, Freddie's all woman, and curiosities can lead to a lot more than meeting your maker, like meeting an unmasked stranger in a room where censorship is as foreign as leisure in a boardroom. While Freddie gatecrashes on a whim, a mystery guest educates her on the do's and don’ts of the Gilded Room, all of which promise consensual fun, secrecy and encourages true female faculty because in the Gilded Room, the woman always leads.
For a story that opens up with a bit of luxe and lavish taboo that sees both protagonists having a sex party meet cute, Think Outside the Boss was surprisingly - very surprisingly - much more wholesome than I thought it would be; the talking point leans on the fact that I both appreciated the quotidian quality and struggled with it at the same time because for all its initial imagery, promise and opening galore, the bulk of the story thereafter felt unexpectedly pedestrian. While the story didn't particularly gather itself to galvanise, I did really enjoy its refreshing take on a modern romance.
First point of call is the sexualised institution, the Gilded Room. It's completely female-safe and female friendly, a setting that allows women to explore sexual deviance without male coercion and/or manipulation. As soon as Tristan kindly laid out the Gilded Room guidelines, I appreciated the ownership in creating a safe place for women (rich women that is) to explore and advance their sexuality without damning the existence of such risque hidey-holes. It's a sex event that doesn't push the heroine into a disturbing situation she doesn't want to be in. It's all good fun, for everybody. And hopefully for the scantily-clad guards overseeing all manner of voyeurism too.
As broached I can easily call the first book in Olivia Hayle's New York Billionaires series one that celebrates the flavour of modern, contemporised romance. Aside from the Gilded Room, the romance between Tristan and Freddie has a gentle, sympathetic development and the author takes the initiative to build a more slow and solid and respectful connection between them. Even as there are some obstacles, there's some solid relationship development in there. It was just a sweet thing to watch their mutual esteem lead a well-paced path towards something more lawfully life-like.
Outside of being a moneyed man (wanted only for his money) with a secret membership to a sex circle, Tristan also plays at the unreachable CEO bossman, the involved father with a noticeable affinity for the non-verbal eyebrow raise. Commitments are his everyday, to his profession, to fatherhood, to his son and to his newest project. But he's a powerful man who won't risk the loss of his regiment by giving it over to a woman. This man's all about control.
Initially I expected Tristan would be the distanced father and the alpha aggressor but it gradually became clear that his relationship with his son is an important part of his life and his relationship with Freddie shows him to be much more than a man enjoyed in the dark. Joshua almost becomes the vehicle for Tristan's current life choices, and as he intends for his son to see the world, so does he. The story also establishes the ambivalence of being the best father, and the author captures Tristan's struggle with sincerity.
For a powerful man with a purpose who's considered upper management hell by almost everybody in his employ since the company takeover, his profile also fosters a softer, sympathetic side seen through his guardianship, who's he's shown to be outside of the workspace and in every way he shares and spares time with Freddie. And just the same with his heroine, Freddie's the hardworking go-getting career woman, determined to prove herself as an intern at a leading strategy division company but who, like Tristan, isn't void of vulnerability. All in all, there's an emotional element, a steamy component, coupled with the fact that Tristan and Freddie are really connectable as people with legitimate lives.
The Gilded Room doesn't own a major role in this romance. It almost acts as rakish entrance involved for the sake of indecorous thrill, suggested through throughout to give the couple something to fret over as they straddle the line of professional/personal acceptability and propriety when the dynamic shifts. This isn't a story about a sexual awakening despite the inclusion of an amatory backyard designed for the libido. The real story establishes its own life outside of the sex event opening, using their time there as a come-hither seduction.
Just a FYI for readers who like their protagonists monogamous to each others, - like myself - there aren't any multiple-partner situations. Freddie's adamant about not getting herself involved in an office tryst for the purpose of not sabotaging her professional credibility so it becomes a slow-build situation of bumping into each other and finding reasons to spend time together when the opportunity arises. The main tension comes from the ‘no crossing boundaries’ build-up. I'm always in favour of women holding their own against powerful men, and while there are different dynamics to travel, Tristan respects boundaries as much as Freddie pushes them.
For all I spoke about the story's best bits, generally I wasn't overly entertained by what followed. Unfortunately, there's a lot of tell over show and the story pales where it should provide better explanations for what's going on. The corporate espionage angle (to me) felt incredibly pointless when it's not an interestingly involved part of the story. It's talked about on-page in short and unproblematically solved without attention or calculation. I wasn't a fan of Tristan's nickname for Freddie either. For all he comments on her lack of letting go and resisting relationships, his very reason for using the Gilded Room is to maintain his control for the same outcome…
If Freddie was strait-laced, then in all fair reason, so was her structured hero who sticks to the same flavoured ice-cream without fail. To touch on a few inconsistencies, for a membership only accessible to the wealthy, it seemed strange that Freddie's residential predecessor could afford a pastime like the Gilded Room when she always describes her apartment as the size of a ‘shoebox’. And then there's absent follow-ups such as when Freddie briefly mentions her nonna in the beginning, but thereafter she's absent in all speech, dialogue or memory, even when she builds her mini-shrine and shares a bit about her parents and grandad with Tristan.
I tried for the pull, the spark and the draw, and while I absolutely still recommend this to all who adore contemporary courtships, it didn't manage to have that influential hallmark that commands my attention In full. It was likeable if not exciting enough to strike a chord. There is, however, just something about the boss/employee romance that girds my loins for an irresistible workplace interplay. I couldn't stay away from it even if I tried and I'd resiliently find a way back to it should I be imperilled by a shortage of a trope that's just, in every way, a trusty temptation. Perhaps it's the taboo, forbidden nature of it, perhaps it's the close proximity or perhaps it's all of that blended with the inevitable. Olivia Hayle does navigate it a smidge differently In keeping with the wholesome theme. With an angst-free storyline, Think Outside the Boss becomes a hardship where perhaps all one can think about is the boss, and a fated 'we meet again' scenario turns a masquerade into a slice of life with no masks, no glamour, no walls and is nothing short of a wholemeal tryst.
Content Warning: since the Gilded Room is a steamy setting, there are some adult performances, public nudity and voyeurism within the place itself. A few bed bedroom scenes. Mentions a past death and deals with parenthood. Some profanity dotted throughout.
-----------------------------------------------
Visit my blog for more reviews: V.L. Book Reviews
T W I T T E R: @TheVicarious1
I N S T A G R A M: @Vicarious.Hearts
-----------------------------------------------
Frederica Bilson gets flung into the pastime of the super rich for a night tailored towards pleasure- seeking thrills in Think Outside the Boss. After receiving a suggestive invitation addressed to the previous tenant and after a quick online search of the elusive Gilded Room, she realises she's been mistakenly invited to an exclusive sex party... for the ultra rich. The thought to potter along and attend this forbidden pleasure-promising occasion definitely speaks of a seductive night to remember.
And while curiosity is said to kill the cat, Freddie's all woman, and curiosities can lead to a lot more than meeting your maker, like meeting an unmasked stranger in a room where censorship is as foreign as leisure in a boardroom. While Freddie gatecrashes on a whim, a mystery guest educates her on the do's and don’ts of the Gilded Room, all of which promise consensual fun, secrecy and encourages true female faculty because in the Gilded Room, the woman always leads.
For a story that opens up with a bit of luxe and lavish taboo that sees both protagonists having a sex party meet cute, Think Outside the Boss was surprisingly - very surprisingly - much more wholesome than I thought it would be; the talking point leans on the fact that I both appreciated the quotidian quality and struggled with it at the same time because for all its initial imagery, promise and opening galore, the bulk of the story thereafter felt unexpectedly pedestrian. While the story didn't particularly gather itself to galvanise, I did really enjoy its refreshing take on a modern romance.
First point of call is the sexualised institution, the Gilded Room. It's completely female-safe and female friendly, a setting that allows women to explore sexual deviance without male coercion and/or manipulation. As soon as Tristan kindly laid out the Gilded Room guidelines, I appreciated the ownership in creating a safe place for women (rich women that is) to explore and advance their sexuality without damning the existence of such risque hidey-holes. It's a sex event that doesn't push the heroine into a disturbing situation she doesn't want to be in. It's all good fun, for everybody. And hopefully for the scantily-clad guards overseeing all manner of voyeurism too.
As broached I can easily call the first book in Olivia Hayle's New York Billionaires series one that celebrates the flavour of modern, contemporised romance. Aside from the Gilded Room, the romance between Tristan and Freddie has a gentle, sympathetic development and the author takes the initiative to build a more slow and solid and respectful connection between them. Even as there are some obstacles, there's some solid relationship development in there. It was just a sweet thing to watch their mutual esteem lead a well-paced path towards something more lawfully life-like.
Outside of being a moneyed man (wanted only for his money) with a secret membership to a sex circle, Tristan also plays at the unreachable CEO bossman, the involved father with a noticeable affinity for the non-verbal eyebrow raise. Commitments are his everyday, to his profession, to fatherhood, to his son and to his newest project. But he's a powerful man who won't risk the loss of his regiment by giving it over to a woman. This man's all about control.
Initially I expected Tristan would be the distanced father and the alpha aggressor but it gradually became clear that his relationship with his son is an important part of his life and his relationship with Freddie shows him to be much more than a man enjoyed in the dark. Joshua almost becomes the vehicle for Tristan's current life choices, and as he intends for his son to see the world, so does he. The story also establishes the ambivalence of being the best father, and the author captures Tristan's struggle with sincerity.
For a powerful man with a purpose who's considered upper management hell by almost everybody in his employ since the company takeover, his profile also fosters a softer, sympathetic side seen through his guardianship, who's he's shown to be outside of the workspace and in every way he shares and spares time with Freddie. And just the same with his heroine, Freddie's the hardworking go-getting career woman, determined to prove herself as an intern at a leading strategy division company but who, like Tristan, isn't void of vulnerability. All in all, there's an emotional element, a steamy component, coupled with the fact that Tristan and Freddie are really connectable as people with legitimate lives.
The Gilded Room doesn't own a major role in this romance. It almost acts as rakish entrance involved for the sake of indecorous thrill, suggested through throughout to give the couple something to fret over as they straddle the line of professional/personal acceptability and propriety when the dynamic shifts. This isn't a story about a sexual awakening despite the inclusion of an amatory backyard designed for the libido. The real story establishes its own life outside of the sex event opening, using their time there as a come-hither seduction.
Just a FYI for readers who like their protagonists monogamous to each others, - like myself - there aren't any multiple-partner situations. Freddie's adamant about not getting herself involved in an office tryst for the purpose of not sabotaging her professional credibility so it becomes a slow-build situation of bumping into each other and finding reasons to spend time together when the opportunity arises. The main tension comes from the ‘no crossing boundaries’ build-up. I'm always in favour of women holding their own against powerful men, and while there are different dynamics to travel, Tristan respects boundaries as much as Freddie pushes them.
For all I spoke about the story's best bits, generally I wasn't overly entertained by what followed. Unfortunately, there's a lot of tell over show and the story pales where it should provide better explanations for what's going on. The corporate espionage angle (to me) felt incredibly pointless when it's not an interestingly involved part of the story. It's talked about on-page in short and unproblematically solved without attention or calculation. I wasn't a fan of Tristan's nickname for Freddie either. For all he comments on her lack of letting go and resisting relationships, his very reason for using the Gilded Room is to maintain his control for the same outcome…
If Freddie was strait-laced, then in all fair reason, so was her structured hero who sticks to the same flavoured ice-cream without fail. To touch on a few inconsistencies, for a membership only accessible to the wealthy, it seemed strange that Freddie's residential predecessor could afford a pastime like the Gilded Room when she always describes her apartment as the size of a ‘shoebox’. And then there's absent follow-ups such as when Freddie briefly mentions her nonna in the beginning, but thereafter she's absent in all speech, dialogue or memory, even when she builds her mini-shrine and shares a bit about her parents and grandad with Tristan.
I tried for the pull, the spark and the draw, and while I absolutely still recommend this to all who adore contemporary courtships, it didn't manage to have that influential hallmark that commands my attention In full. It was likeable if not exciting enough to strike a chord. There is, however, just something about the boss/employee romance that girds my loins for an irresistible workplace interplay. I couldn't stay away from it even if I tried and I'd resiliently find a way back to it should I be imperilled by a shortage of a trope that's just, in every way, a trusty temptation. Perhaps it's the taboo, forbidden nature of it, perhaps it's the close proximity or perhaps it's all of that blended with the inevitable. Olivia Hayle does navigate it a smidge differently In keeping with the wholesome theme. With an angst-free storyline, Think Outside the Boss becomes a hardship where perhaps all one can think about is the boss, and a fated 'we meet again' scenario turns a masquerade into a slice of life with no masks, no glamour, no walls and is nothing short of a wholemeal tryst.
Content Warning: since the Gilded Room is a steamy setting, there are some adult performances, public nudity and voyeurism within the place itself. A few bed bedroom scenes. Mentions a past death and deals with parenthood. Some profanity dotted throughout.
-----------------------------------------------
Visit my blog for more reviews: V.L. Book Reviews
T W I T T E R: @TheVicarious1
I N S T A G R A M: @Vicarious.Hearts
-----------------------------------------------
June 14, 2021
I can always trust Olivia Hayle to give me a comfort read.
This book was sweet and fluffy with no drama and an amazing chemistry between the MCs.
The problem is that it didn’t have anything special that made it stand out from the hundreds of romance books I’ve read 😔
This book was sweet and fluffy with no drama and an amazing chemistry between the MCs.
The problem is that it didn’t have anything special that made it stand out from the hundreds of romance books I’ve read 😔
May 12, 2022
Think Outside the Boss is certainly a good read. Miss Hayle once again proofs herself to be a talented writer. With a short lenght, the story itself becomes interesting.
There is an element of mild BDSM in the stort. Very mild. The chemistry between the characters are hot. There are also tender sweet moments too.
Overall, a very good book.
4 stars
There is an element of mild BDSM in the stort. Very mild. The chemistry between the characters are hot. There are also tender sweet moments too.
Overall, a very good book.
4 stars
September 3, 2024
3 Meh Stars
This is yet another example of missed opportunities and poor execution. I wanted to like this as it’s a favorite trope but I never felt myself experiencing any feelings for these characters. Nothing good, nothing bad, only indifference.
The angst wasn’t angsty and the relationship was tepid at best. I want to be moved when reading and I just wasn't with this one.
Not even the supposed drama was all that dramatic. It was just more meh is a sea of meh.
It was a little like being on a ship in the middle of the ocean and seeing the same blanket of water for days. Sure, at first it's lovely, but by day seven you're ready to scream at the sameness of it all.
This book is a sea of meh.
I don’t even feel like writing a real review because I literally don’t care. The nicest thing I can say about it is that it wasn't awful.
This is yet another example of missed opportunities and poor execution. I wanted to like this as it’s a favorite trope but I never felt myself experiencing any feelings for these characters. Nothing good, nothing bad, only indifference.
The angst wasn’t angsty and the relationship was tepid at best. I want to be moved when reading and I just wasn't with this one.
Not even the supposed drama was all that dramatic. It was just more meh is a sea of meh.
It was a little like being on a ship in the middle of the ocean and seeing the same blanket of water for days. Sure, at first it's lovely, but by day seven you're ready to scream at the sameness of it all.
This book is a sea of meh.
I don’t even feel like writing a real review because I literally don’t care. The nicest thing I can say about it is that it wasn't awful.
July 19, 2022
⭐ 3 stars ⭐
"I feel like I’ve accidentally wandered into one of my deepest, darkest fantasies. Because everything about him, from the dark, commanding eyes to the square jaw and broad shoulders, conveys power."
This was my first time reading anything by Olivia Hayle and I'm pretty sure it won't be my last. It was a fast book with good characters and without any unnecessary drama included.
"He might not be mafia, but he is something, this man, and here he is with me, looking like he can’t wait to have me."
"I feel like I’ve accidentally wandered into one of my deepest, darkest fantasies. Because everything about him, from the dark, commanding eyes to the square jaw and broad shoulders, conveys power."
•Sexy boss🌚
•Dirty talk🥵
•Office romance❤️🔥
•Age-gap✨
•Single dad🤩
This was my first time reading anything by Olivia Hayle and I'm pretty sure it won't be my last. It was a fast book with good characters and without any unnecessary drama included.
"He might not be mafia, but he is something, this man, and here he is with me, looking like he can’t wait to have me."
December 11, 2023
I was a little skeptical going in because of the meet-cute in a sex party. But I think Hayle managed to pull it off without making it all about the titillation. So it turns out to be a pretty good wish-fulfillment fantasy with characters I ended up liking a lot.
Freddie was an easy draw for me. She's smart, capable, and taking on tough challenges. She's a top grad from Wharton and I love that Hayle made me believe that. There isn't a ton of businessy stuff in the story as that's not core to any plot elements. But what is there rang true enough for me to go along with. And Freddie having the one stumble before just knocking things out of the park was outstanding.
Tristan was a slower draw as he's more reserved. I liked his appreciation for Freddie, though, and not least as his interest becomes truly engaged once he sees her take on a challenge or two—starting with how she handles her first big mistake and taking the right tone in both owning up to it and turning the resulting tasks to showing her capabilities. His interactions with his son were a little stilted and I never did figure out what was up with that. The boy is nine years-old but read emotionally less mature than that. Enough so that I wondered if he was supposed to have some kind of disability or something.
Anyway, I liked seeing them come to respect each other beyond the physical attraction. And I really liked that this is one of the few workplace romances where the right weight was given to "we can't do this". Freddie's concern for her reputation as a new employee in her field had the right feel to it and Tristan's support of that showed that he knew she was right and understood the drawbacks she would face. I particularly liked how it became a problem to solve rather than just a bad motivational choice for the plot.
So this is four stars with the downgrade mainly due to how poorly the kid fit into the story. Freddie's relationship with him was serviceable, but since I didn't really understand Tristan's interactions that whole plot point never really gelled for me. That and the sex stuff got old.
A note about Steamy: There are five or six explicit sex scenes putting this on the high end of my steam tolerance. They were a little intrusive, frankly, and tended to undermine the emotional connection I wanted to see more of. Like, it took me a while to believe Freddie's attachment was more than just physical, which is a weird reversal of the standard stereotypes.
Freddie was an easy draw for me. She's smart, capable, and taking on tough challenges. She's a top grad from Wharton and I love that Hayle made me believe that. There isn't a ton of businessy stuff in the story as that's not core to any plot elements. But what is there rang true enough for me to go along with. And Freddie having the one stumble before just knocking things out of the park was outstanding.
Tristan was a slower draw as he's more reserved. I liked his appreciation for Freddie, though, and not least as his interest becomes truly engaged once he sees her take on a challenge or two—starting with how she handles her first big mistake and taking the right tone in both owning up to it and turning the resulting tasks to showing her capabilities. His interactions with his son were a little stilted and I never did figure out what was up with that. The boy is nine years-old but read emotionally less mature than that. Enough so that I wondered if he was supposed to have some kind of disability or something.
Anyway, I liked seeing them come to respect each other beyond the physical attraction. And I really liked that this is one of the few workplace romances where the right weight was given to "we can't do this". Freddie's concern for her reputation as a new employee in her field had the right feel to it and Tristan's support of that showed that he knew she was right and understood the drawbacks she would face. I particularly liked how it became a problem to solve rather than just a bad motivational choice for the plot.
So this is four stars with the downgrade mainly due to how poorly the kid fit into the story. Freddie's relationship with him was serviceable, but since I didn't really understand Tristan's interactions that whole plot point never really gelled for me. That and the sex stuff got old.
A note about Steamy: There are five or six explicit sex scenes putting this on the high end of my steam tolerance. They were a little intrusive, frankly, and tended to undermine the emotional connection I wanted to see more of. Like, it took me a while to believe Freddie's attachment was more than just physical, which is a weird reversal of the standard stereotypes.
August 31, 2023
3.5
I nearly bailed early when the story opened in one of those anonymous, high class sex clubs that were in every book I read a couple of years back but thankfully it wasn’t all bdsm nonsense.
Complete story m available on ku.
I nearly bailed early when the story opened in one of those anonymous, high class sex clubs that were in every book I read a couple of years back but thankfully it wasn’t all bdsm nonsense.
Complete story m available on ku.
April 5, 2024
I had no idea this is a series. It was such an easy and entertaining read. While I might forget this after a week, it’s still pretty enjoyable.
May 21, 2022
Remember that time I told you guys I was shamelessly listening to a smutty audiobook at work and that said book made me hiss like a cat?
Well, I was talking about this one.
It was on discount in my country and I apparently have a thing for listening to NSFW stuff while I do my job, so I downloaded this and spent 10 hours in the happy company of Olivia Hayle's easy writing and two narrators that seriously should stop whisper-reading.
As much as I'd like to say this was a great book, I fear I'd be exaggerating for the sake of not admitting I sometimes need a comfort read more than an interesting one.
It was okay, although I must confess I really enjoyed the first chapters and also appreciated the lack of some of the tropes I hate the most, like the love triangle or miscommunication ones.
It actually passed without making much noise and I still need to decide if that's a good or a bad thing.
I don't have much to say about the characters as they're pretty forgettable and a tad to similar to the ten thousand rom-com couples that populate the contemporary literary world, but I'm definitely going to give (audio)book 2 a chance since it too was cheap and I've got a pretty busy week ahead of me in the hellish hole I call my workplace.
Overall it was pretty was not a bad way to spend some time but I wouldn't go parading this around as the next best adult novel.
Well, I was talking about this one.
It was on discount in my country and I apparently have a thing for listening to NSFW stuff while I do my job, so I downloaded this and spent 10 hours in the happy company of Olivia Hayle's easy writing and two narrators that seriously should stop whisper-reading.
As much as I'd like to say this was a great book, I fear I'd be exaggerating for the sake of not admitting I sometimes need a comfort read more than an interesting one.
It was okay, although I must confess I really enjoyed the first chapters and also appreciated the lack of some of the tropes I hate the most, like the love triangle or miscommunication ones.
It actually passed without making much noise and I still need to decide if that's a good or a bad thing.
I don't have much to say about the characters as they're pretty forgettable and a tad to similar to the ten thousand rom-com couples that populate the contemporary literary world, but I'm definitely going to give (audio)book 2 a chance since it too was cheap and I've got a pretty busy week ahead of me in the hellish hole I call my workplace.
Overall it was pretty was not a bad way to spend some time but I wouldn't go parading this around as the next best adult novel.
Read
February 16, 2022Beklediğimden güzel çıktı kitap. İlk sayfalar çok ateşli başladı. Dedim nerelere geldik 😱Gizli bir kuruluş, maskeler ve altın yaldızlı davetiye ile başlayınca devamını da öyle bekledim sanırım. 🤭
Freddie, yeni bir şehre, daireye ve en önemlisi hayallerinin işine başlayacaktır. Kapısında bulduğu davetiye ilginç bir sürprizdir. Oldukça gizemli ve merak uyandırıcı. Kendi adına olmasa bile denemekten bir zarar gelmez 😇
Gilded Room'a girmek için ya çok güzel yada zengin olmalısınız. Gücü kadınların elinde olan bu topluluğun içeriği seks tabi ki 😁 İçeri girince Strait-laced kızımız Freddie biraz şok oluyor ama olsun. Tristan'ı görünce olaylar biraz değişiyor...
Tristan bekar bir baba. İş odaklı biri olsa da önceliği oğlu. Ve bu konuda gerçekten iyi ve ilgili. Bu kısımları sevdim 😊Öncelik sıralaması belli olduğu için hayatında biri için yer yok. Bu yüzden Gilded Room'da takılıyor.Freddie'yi görünce de vay anam vay haline 🤭
Ama mutluluk kısa sürüyor zira aynı yerde çalışma sorunsalı baş gösteriyor. Burdan sonra ki süreç ofis romansına dönüşüyor.
Hikayede ağlayıp güldüm diyemem ama yüzümde tebessümle okudum.Sinir bozucu yada yıpratıcı bir şeyler yoktu. Akıcı ve sevimliydi. Birbirinden etkilenen çiftimizin bunu ilerletme ve işle aşkı düzene sokma çabalarıydı. Ben sevdim 🌟
I’d given him all of my fragility, and he’d held it in the palm of his hand until I was strong enough to take it back.
There’s no way I can forget that. No way I want to forget that.
Freddie, yeni bir şehre, daireye ve en önemlisi hayallerinin işine başlayacaktır. Kapısında bulduğu davetiye ilginç bir sürprizdir. Oldukça gizemli ve merak uyandırıcı. Kendi adına olmasa bile denemekten bir zarar gelmez 😇
Gilded Room'a girmek için ya çok güzel yada zengin olmalısınız. Gücü kadınların elinde olan bu topluluğun içeriği seks tabi ki 😁 İçeri girince Strait-laced kızımız Freddie biraz şok oluyor ama olsun. Tristan'ı görünce olaylar biraz değişiyor...
Tristan bekar bir baba. İş odaklı biri olsa da önceliği oğlu. Ve bu konuda gerçekten iyi ve ilgili. Bu kısımları sevdim 😊Öncelik sıralaması belli olduğu için hayatında biri için yer yok. Bu yüzden Gilded Room'da takılıyor.Freddie'yi görünce de vay anam vay haline 🤭
Ama mutluluk kısa sürüyor zira aynı yerde çalışma sorunsalı baş gösteriyor. Burdan sonra ki süreç ofis romansına dönüşüyor.
Hikayede ağlayıp güldüm diyemem ama yüzümde tebessümle okudum.Sinir bozucu yada yıpratıcı bir şeyler yoktu. Akıcı ve sevimliydi. Birbirinden etkilenen çiftimizin bunu ilerletme ve işle aşkı düzene sokma çabalarıydı. Ben sevdim 🌟
I’d given him all of my fragility, and he’d held it in the palm of his hand until I was strong enough to take it back.
There’s no way I can forget that. No way I want to forget that.
February 26, 2022
3.5⭐️
I have never read a book with this concept…they meet at a secret s€x club for rich people & then he turns out to be her boss👀 the male mc is also her boss 🤪… but the plot twist was underwhelming:/
I have never read a book with this concept…they meet at a secret s€x club for rich people & then he turns out to be her boss👀 the male mc is also her boss 🤪… but the plot twist was underwhelming:/
October 22, 2022
Kitap her zamanki klişe konulardan kız adamla tanışır fanfini finfon yaparlar. Sonra yollar ayrılır. Sonra bir bakar Aaa yeni patronu o yattığı adamdır. Böyle çok kitap okudum güzelmi güzeldi. Çıtır çerezlik bir kitaptı. Şaşırdığım nokta bazı yazarlar bu saçma isimleri nerden buluyorlar. Freddie diye kız ismimi olur ya hangi adın kısaltması olursa olsun çok itici geldi
June 7, 2021
I loved this book! Freddie and Triston had wonderful chemistry and that pull to be together never wavered. Highly recommended read!
November 22, 2024
❌ dnf - 53% ❌
✅ 2.5/5 ⭐️
I was bored. I can’t say anything really bad about this book—I liked the first 30%, but after that, it just made me want to fall asleep. At first, I put this book on hold, but I realized I wouldn’t come back to it.
✅ 2.5/5 ⭐️
I was bored. I can’t say anything really bad about this book—I liked the first 30%, but after that, it just made me want to fall asleep. At first, I put this book on hold, but I realized I wouldn’t come back to it.
July 2, 2022
4⭐️
A really sweet and enjoyable office (boss/employee) romance. Tristan wasn’t a alpha-hole, I actually like alpha-holes, but it was still refreshing to have a strong but sweet hero. Freddie was also a great character. I would of liked more of their story…maybe a few more chapters from Tristan’s POV, more background about who they are and at least one more spicy scene but overall it was a good quick read.
POV: Dual, 1st person.
SERIES or STANDALONE: 1st in series, can be read as a standalone.
TROPES: M/F adult, single dad, office romance.
SIZE: 234 (last page) Kindle pages.
PLOT: 📚📚📚📚📚/5
ROMANCE: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️/5
SPICE/STEAM: 🌶🌶.5/5
TRIGGERS: N/A
⛔️ My bookshelves can contain spoilers.
A really sweet and enjoyable office (boss/employee) romance. Tristan wasn’t a alpha-hole, I actually like alpha-holes, but it was still refreshing to have a strong but sweet hero. Freddie was also a great character. I would of liked more of their story…maybe a few more chapters from Tristan’s POV, more background about who they are and at least one more spicy scene but overall it was a good quick read.
POV: Dual, 1st person.
SERIES or STANDALONE: 1st in series, can be read as a standalone.
TROPES: M/F adult, single dad, office romance.
SIZE: 234 (last page) Kindle pages.
PLOT: 📚📚📚📚📚/5
ROMANCE: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️/5
SPICE/STEAM: 🌶🌶.5/5
TRIGGERS: N/A
⛔️ My bookshelves can contain spoilers.
November 15, 2023
Freddie meets a mysterious man at a sex party; it turns out to be her new boss, and they live happily ever after.
Seriously, if you're looking for a cute office romance where almost nothing happens, then this is perfect.
Seriously, if you're looking for a cute office romance where almost nothing happens, then this is perfect.
March 21, 2022
a very middle-of-the-road boss single dad romance.
this was not bad, and I'll continue reading books by this author, this just wasn't special.
this was not bad, and I'll continue reading books by this author, this just wasn't special.
March 20, 2022
Who knew the story of a CEO and an intern who met at a clandestine sex club could be so domestic.
I imagine there will be people out there who will appreciate the wholesomeness. This story checks all the boxes of a modern career couple negotiating between the responsibilities of a career and starting a family, and the sacrifices that comes with every decision.
The ending is pretty good. Sacrifices are made, but they're each happy with their own choices. Together they gained something more.
I think it's a good story. But it's too mundane. The characters are too nice and there's no real plot. It's like a description of how two unlikely people met and fell in love. The cover, the description, and opening all promised so much more.
I imagine there will be people out there who will appreciate the wholesomeness. This story checks all the boxes of a modern career couple negotiating between the responsibilities of a career and starting a family, and the sacrifices that comes with every decision.
The ending is pretty good. Sacrifices are made, but they're each happy with their own choices. Together they gained something more.
I think it's a good story. But it's too mundane. The characters are too nice and there's no real plot. It's like a description of how two unlikely people met and fell in love. The cover, the description, and opening all promised so much more.
June 27, 2024
This was kind of boring. The only conflict was that she was an intern and he was her boss, but even then there weren’t any consequences of that- just felt like the author was letting us know about it. The story just wasn’t very stimulating🤷🏾♀️Overall an ok read to pass the time
November 16, 2021
Bah and meh
Cliché
And
Underground sex club
Bah
Cliché
And
Underground sex club
Bah
June 6, 2022
5/5 for the cuteness.
• Single Dad
• Office Romance
• Boy obsessed
• Women with ambition
• Feel good
I loved it!!! Such a good feel good romance <3
This will be a perfect Netflix rom-com!!!!!
• Single Dad
• Office Romance
• Boy obsessed
• Women with ambition
• Feel good
I loved it!!! Such a good feel good romance <3
This will be a perfect Netflix rom-com!!!!!
November 10, 2025
Enjoyment:⭐⭐⭐.5
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐.5
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐
Romance: ⭐⭐⭐. 5
I went into this book not knowing that it had an 8-year age gap and a single dad trope. If I had known, I probably would have not started it, and that would have been a shame.
It's so refreshing when I read about characters that are in their late 20s/early 30s and they act their age, or to read about an MMC that respects the FMC and her boundaries, and doesn't involve himself where he shouldn't be and lets her make her own decisions.
Not the biggest fan of the ending, but it could have been so much worse, and I really appreciate that the book was pretty short.
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐.5
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐
Romance: ⭐⭐⭐. 5
I went into this book not knowing that it had an 8-year age gap and a single dad trope. If I had known, I probably would have not started it, and that would have been a shame.
It's so refreshing when I read about characters that are in their late 20s/early 30s and they act their age, or to read about an MMC that respects the FMC and her boundaries, and doesn't involve himself where he shouldn't be and lets her make her own decisions.
Not the biggest fan of the ending, but it could have been so much worse, and I really appreciate that the book was pretty short.
October 13, 2021
Standalone/Cliffhanger: Standalone but part of a series
Ages of H and h: Tristan is 34 and Freddie is in her mid 20s
Was There Descriptive Sex:
Descriptive Sex &/Or Drama Between H/h With OW/OM: No but
>>If So, Before or After H/h Hookup:
Contains Cheating:
Amount of Sex In The Book:
HEA/HFN/etc Ending:
Will This Meet My 'Safety Gang' Buddies' Approval: Yes
Any Triggers/Warnings: No
>>Detail:
Do You Recommend This Book: Yes.
Will You Re-read This Book: No
Would You Read More Books By This Author: Yes
My Thoughts
I have to say I'm glad the sex club wasn't the focal point of the book. It was enjoyable reading about a Hero who had other commitments. Tristan is a single parent to his nephew who was orphaned at 3, he's more than an uncle he is his Dad through and through. I liked Freddie she was a easy going character to read about and I loved her love for her grandparents and their struggle, I could really relate to that.
Ages of H and h: Tristan is 34 and Freddie is in her mid 20s
Was There Descriptive Sex:
Descriptive Sex &/Or Drama Between H/h With OW/OM: No but
>>If So, Before or After H/h Hookup:
Contains Cheating:
Amount of Sex In The Book:
HEA/HFN/etc Ending:
Will This Meet My 'Safety Gang' Buddies' Approval: Yes
Any Triggers/Warnings: No
>>Detail:
Do You Recommend This Book: Yes.
Will You Re-read This Book: No
Would You Read More Books By This Author: Yes
My Thoughts
I have to say I'm glad the sex club wasn't the focal point of the book. It was enjoyable reading about a Hero who had other commitments. Tristan is a single parent to his nephew who was orphaned at 3, he's more than an uncle he is his Dad through and through. I liked Freddie she was a easy going character to read about and I loved her love for her grandparents and their struggle, I could really relate to that.
July 31, 2025
This book took me by surprise so much that I can't believe it! I discovered it one evening while window shopping for books on Amazon and I liked first of all the special edition covers and then the fact that this book is part of a series of 12 books (I love long series) so I placed a very unexpected order in which I also put this book.
I’m telling you that it is one of if not the best romance book that I have read.
The main female character is a very intelligent woman with comebacks to every situation who is not easily fooled by any man. She is resourceful and even reminded me of myself when I got my first job in a very large corporation. Anyway, there are more things that we have in common, so I manage to see myself through her. I liked the male character just as much, especially since he adores our girl and has such an adorable and intelligent child that I became obsessed with them (and I don't like children).
The plot was really cool, the characters relatable, and the writing that captivated me from the first pages. A book that's not very well known (maybe because of the cover) but one that's totally worth reading! I can't wait to continue the series!
4.5/5⭐️
I’m telling you that it is one of if not the best romance book that I have read.
The main female character is a very intelligent woman with comebacks to every situation who is not easily fooled by any man. She is resourceful and even reminded me of myself when I got my first job in a very large corporation. Anyway, there are more things that we have in common, so I manage to see myself through her. I liked the male character just as much, especially since he adores our girl and has such an adorable and intelligent child that I became obsessed with them (and I don't like children).
The plot was really cool, the characters relatable, and the writing that captivated me from the first pages. A book that's not very well known (maybe because of the cover) but one that's totally worth reading! I can't wait to continue the series!
4.5/5⭐️
did-not-finish
June 6, 2022DNF at 23%. I’m not really sure why I continued to read to this point. This has a lot of what I dislike in a plot. They meet at a sex club where he has been having sex with others for a long time. And not only is he into casual, he’s into casual where he pays.
Add to that she’s an intern at his company (even know he doesn’t know it yet). And she’s dumb enough to reply to an office wide email and tell off the boss. First of all, she’s old enough to know better than to write stupid crap down. If she wants to make snarky comments to her coworkers, she should be doing it person. And then, I get far enough that he is intrigued by her lack of humility. And that’s where I had to stop. Both of them are annoying me.
Add to that she’s an intern at his company (even know he doesn’t know it yet). And she’s dumb enough to reply to an office wide email and tell off the boss. First of all, she’s old enough to know better than to write stupid crap down. If she wants to make snarky comments to her coworkers, she should be doing it person. And then, I get far enough that he is intrigued by her lack of humility. And that’s where I had to stop. Both of them are annoying me.
January 17, 2023
solid read
July 15, 2024
Sevdim ve beklediğimden daha iyi çıktı😍 beklentim zaten yoktu ama okurken hemen yuttum kitabı. Zaten çerezlik ve kısa bir kitap. Kadın karakter evinde özel bir davetiye buluyor eski ev sahibine gelmiş ama bu davetiyeyi kendisi için kullanıyor ve çok zengin insanların katıldığı gizli bir partiye gidiyor. Kendisi güzel bir şirkette Stajyer olarak işe başlayacak ve diyor ki neden olmasın. Bu partide her şey serbest. Ve biriyle mükemmel bir gece geçiyor. Sonra öğreniyoruz ki bu adam patronunun patronunun patronu😂
Ve single dad..aslında kardeşinin oğluymuş ama onlar vefat edince o evlatlık almış. Oğlu ile ilişkisi çok güzeldi ve kızla olan ilişkileri de çok güzeldi ikisi birbirini anladı çok güzel olgun yaklaştılar. şirkette bir gizlelim ilişki durumu oldu ama gerçekten hiç rahatsız edici bir şey olmadım bu yüzden sevdim beni yormadı klasik bir hikayeydi ama güzeldi karakterler sizi sinir edecek hiçbir şey yapmıyor ve hemen okunuyor gerçekten sevdim😍
Seriye devam ederim. Ve yazarın diğer kitaplarını da okurum. Bizde de bir kitabı gelecekti sanki. 💃
Ve single dad..aslında kardeşinin oğluymuş ama onlar vefat edince o evlatlık almış. Oğlu ile ilişkisi çok güzeldi ve kızla olan ilişkileri de çok güzeldi ikisi birbirini anladı çok güzel olgun yaklaştılar. şirkette bir gizlelim ilişki durumu oldu ama gerçekten hiç rahatsız edici bir şey olmadım bu yüzden sevdim beni yormadı klasik bir hikayeydi ama güzeldi karakterler sizi sinir edecek hiçbir şey yapmıyor ve hemen okunuyor gerçekten sevdim😍
Seriye devam ederim. Ve yazarın diğer kitaplarını da okurum. Bizde de bir kitabı gelecekti sanki. 💃
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