Siobhan Carney needs a change in her life. She keeps things together for the sake of her children, but even they don’t like her husband very much. Assigned to Cassie Townsend at an investment banking firm, Siobhan is looking to build something away from her husband. Cassie is great at what she does, and she doesn’t take on trainees. So, she’s not thrilled to be in charge of Siobhan, but she can’t deny that she’s attracted to her. Cassie doesn’t do relationships though, and as the two grow closer, they agree to a no-strings affair. Will it be enough, though? For either of them?

I enjoyed this book and tore through it pretty quickly. A typical opposites attract romance with kids and commitment issues thrown into the mix, it moves well. The pacing is on point, the romantic tension is solid, and even once the sexual tension is broken, there’s still plenty to work out in the plot, and both women have growing to do, but the question remains if they can do it together. Recommend if you enjoy a contemporary romance.

This book revolves around Cassie and Siobhan. Siobhan is to be a trainee at Cassie's investment banking firm.
This two women butt heads at the beginning, they are total opposites.
Cassie does not let anyone get too close and Siobhan has a loveless marriage that has resulted in 2 children.
Cassie has a very frosty exterior and Siobhan does not let her comments get to her. She stands her own and Cassie approves of that.
As the training wears on, the women actually begin to enjoy spending time together and there is a slowly simmering attraction.

I enjoyed this and would recommend.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Not normally one to condone chatting, Siobhan’s husband was so vile to her and the kids it didn’t seem so bad! I enjoyed the feistiness between the 2 MC and thought they were good for each other. I loved Cassie’s family and how they embraced them all. The only thing I felt didn’t work was the ages of the children. I felt the things coming out of their mouths was for older kids. I liked the responses but bothered me they were from a 6 and 8 year old - make them preteens and it would still work. The final chapter felt a bit summarisy, as though there were no more words left in the book - just something I personally don’t like but not a deal breaker.
All in all this novel felt quite long but I wanted to pick out up constantly to see what happened next. A good first novel

I'm not one to shy away from novels that feature cheating, so this wasn't an issue for me at all. Although I really like Siobhan and Cassie as characters, I found the other supporting characters to be unlikeable or unrealistic (particularly Siobhan's very mature 6 & 8 year olds). Unlikeable supporting characters isn't typically an issue in romance, but as this novel featured a lot of supporting characters within the various storylines in the novel, I definitely felt it. By the second half of the novel I just wasn't invested in the outcome of any of the characters.

I really liked the premise of this book and it started strong with witty banter and chemistry. Hats off to Skye Rowan for pushing the lesfic boundaries in her debut and I look forward to reading what's next.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book and following the growing relationship between Cassie and Siobhan although the plot was tough to follow at points and felt a little disjointed. That being said, I thought the two MC's were entertaining and funny and I think this is definitely a strong debut novel.

I tried to like this book as the story itself sounded interesting and engaging enough, but I honestly had a hard time getting through it.

One thing that drew me to the book was the trope of a boss and employee, who cannot get along, and eventually, start a relationship. For me, the drama between the two ended too quickly and suddenly they were friends. Much as I tried to relate, these characters never became more than that to me - two written characters on a page. I really need to see them as real people in order to get into the story. Unfortunately, that didn't happen.

3.5⭐️
Craving Cassie is the debut novel by Skye Rowan. There were a few things that didn't fit for me, but for a debut, it was a nice read.

The story is set in London and is about Siobhan, a mother of two, who starts a new job in, among other things, to become independent of her husband as she wants a divorce. She starts as a new trainee under Cassie's care. But the start is not really smooth, as she does not always have her mouth under control, especially when she is challenged by Cassie. Cassie, on the other hand, is not pleased to have a trainee thrust upon her, she is the best investment banker in the company, and she prefers to work alone. She has sworn off love, one-night stands are her motto, without commitment and without feelings. But to her own surprise, she is very fond of Siobhan, and not only of her work. Though she resists budding feelings tooth and nail, refusing to fall in love again.

The story is entertaining, with likable, quick-witted MCs. There are family issues and some drama on both sides as well. Cassie's relationship with her parents has been difficult for years and Matthew, Siobhan’s husband, doesn't endear himself with his appearances either. The attraction between the two women is great and when the two begin an affair Siobhan is still married. Cheating - is a subject that is not easy. Basically, I'm absolutely against cheating, but I can understand that it can happen in some situations. Not that I approve of it. And therefore Siobhan and Cassie lose some sympathy points.

The development of Cassie's character was nice to see. She, the queen of one-night stands, dares to admit feelings once again. She opens up and puts her heart at risk of being broken one more time and makes a 180-degree turn within a few months, which is a good development, but it was a bit too fast for me.

Cheating aside, I liked Siobhan well, she is a loving mother and the story of her marriage makes you understand why she wants a divorce. But it's not only Matthew's fault that it didn't work out. Siobhan also made mistakes and is not innocent. Her character development is less than Cassie's, but also very important as she learns and dares to stand up for herself.

The two children of Siobhan, Dylan (8) and Neave (6) play a big role. They are good kids, but I fear they are too good to be true. As far as I can tell, the clever and witty responses in conversations are those of teenagers, not six- and eight-year-olds respectively. It's not a dealbreaker but it made me wonder every time. But maybe I just underestimate kids.

Despite my criticism, however, it was an entertaining read and I hope the author will stick with it and write more books.

Thanks to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for receiving an ARC for an honest review

While at university Cassie Townsend found the ‘love of her life’ or so she thought. That’s until she came home to find her GF of three years in bed with, of all things, a man. Bad enough her own father disowned her when she came out to her parents but to have her lover do the same thing was something she’d never go through again. From now on it will be one night stands only.
Siobhan Carney was married to a man she didn’t love, hell she knew she didn’t really like him, but he was the father of her unborn baby. Now ten years later and with two children she’d decided it was time to find another job, one that would allow her and her babies to live without help from their father.
At the investment firm she was chosen to have a chance for more pay by training under one of the company's top investors, Cassie.
When I first started reading I thought, oh, no, a story about cheating spouses. But I kept reading and found myself cheering on Siobhan’s and Cassie’s relationship. How far they go is up to Cassie, her being the expert when it comes to ‘just for the fun of it’. This is apparently Ms Rowan’s first book and if this is any indication of her imagination and the talent to write like this I foresee a bright future for Ms Rowan. Great read, very, very enjoyable.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

A good debut, very engaging and entertaining. Great Plot, amazing chemistry, witty banter between both main characters. An enjoyable read overall. I recommend 4 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books.

Not a fan of the title, which almost made me opt out of reading it, but the plot is engaging and kept me hooked. I appreciated the banter between Cassie and Siobhan as well as the growth in their relationship. For a debut novel, this one was excellent. I would definitely read more books by the author.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Craving Cassie is the debut novel by Skye Rowan... Another new author to watch out for over the next few years.

The storyline is very promising, with the occasional ‘banter’ and wit, and centres on how opposites attract. The book is entertaining but does have the occasional debut novel issues, but still, Craving Cassie is an enjoyable read.

I've given Craving Cassie a 3.6 out of 5 stars.

An impressive story from a debut author. I liked the exploration of a seemingly straight woman finally accepting her sexuality and freeing herself from the constraints of a small town Catholic background. Coupled with a former player who is finally ready for a committed relationship, this results in a nicely paced romance. There were a few negatives, in particular the children’s dialogue is a bit jarring as they both sound like much older teenagers, especially when they are being sarcastic. Plus two other slight quibbles, in that I’m not that keen on the font and Siobhan is pronounced Shiv-awn not Shivon as it says in the book. Positives, were Julie, the assistant who has hidden depth; she deserves her own book. Also the husband, who wanted to be a better dad.

Cassie Townsend is a tough, driven business woman. She doesn't do relationships and is renowned for one night stands. She suffers from a lot of past hurt from family members, in particular her mother and her father. But she's put that behind her to focus on her business and her love them and leave them lifestyle.

Siobhan Carney is raising two young children, Dylan and Neave, essentially alone as her husband Matthew isn't present much, spending his time at Spurs football games and at the bar. Siobhan takes a job at Cassie's firm where Cassie is committed to train Siobhan as her right hand investment banker. They begin to spend a lot of time together and eventually agree to undertake a mutually beneficial non-relationship (Cassie's stipulation) after much consternation from Siobhan.

The story describes how their non-relationship evolves from forgoing things like kissing to eventually a full-blown relationship over time. Cassie also grows to love Dylan and Neave after never having wanted anything to do with children.

This is Skye Rowan's first novel and I thought she delivered a good story that held my interest. One thing that threw me off initially was the typesetting/font for this book. For some reason it was not typical for Bold Strokes Books. It took a while for me to adjust to that nuance. 3.75 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wasn't sure if I would like this book, especially since it dealt with a married woman cheating on her significant other. But, the author actually had me thinking that it was ok, and I even came to like both main characters, kind not like the spouse of the married character. Cassie and Siobhan's relationship started out as a enemies to friends to lovers relationship. I thought these two were pretty well matched and I loved how each woman was there for the other even though Cassie had some emotional hang ups about relationships were as Siobhan was very patient with her and didn't push to be together too soon. The supporting characters especially the children made this a fun book to read. There's definitely angst and drama throughout, but it only made this a really good read. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends, and I look forward to what's next from this author.

Craving Cassie is a debut novel by Skye Rowan. It’s great finding a writer to add to your list of “Authors I Like”, and when it’s a debut author, that’s even better.

This is a character-driven romance with a complicated plot and even more complex characters. Siobhan Carney is a mother of two who is in an unhappy marriage. Trying to make life better for herself and her kids, Siobhan takes a job as a trainee under investment banker Cassie Townsend. Cassie is pretty much the opposite of Siobhan. She is single, a terrible flirt, and is only interested in one night stands. The two women clash from the moment they meet, but the connection the two also have will not be denied for long. The barriers they face seem insurmountable, from the marriage Siobhan wants desperately to get out of to Cassie’s phobia for any type of long term commitment. Will their feelings for each other be enough to overcome everything they face?

These two characters took me on quite a roller coaster ride. I connected with both women fairly early in the story, but that didn’t keep me from wanting to yell at them not to do what they were about to several times throughout the book. That should tell you just how invested I became with the story of these folks. The secondary characters, especially Siobhan’s children, are also well-developed and important to the plot. The settings, including the beach setting, are well described.

I am impressed with how well this novel is written. It has a really complex plotline, but the author managed to keep my interest all the way through. This is a really good first novel, and I will be looking for much more from this author.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

Craving more!

Siobhan has returned to work to try and build up a career again as her marriage is struggling and she needs to gain some independence. She ends up working as a trainee with Cassie, who she is instantly drawn to but Cassie isn’t one for children and commitment. Spending time together draws Cassie closer into Siobhan’s life and as their relationship develops, they both finding themselves facing decisions they never expected to be making.

I loved this so much! It was something I didn’t know I needed to read until I started and then it gave me this lovely warm and reminisce feeling that had me falling in love with Cassie and Siobhan. They reminded me of something that just was warm, familiar and welcoming, so from the very start I was rooting for them. They were perfect for each other, even if Cassie was going to resist some of what Siobhan was going to bring into her life if they perused their attraction.

The story was filled with great moments! The ones where they were working together, the ones where Cassie got to known Siobhan’s adorable kids, and the more dramatic ones where both of them were testing in one way or another. Siobhan was the one I adored most. I could really empathise with her and the situation she found herself in. She was clearly in need of someone like Cassie to remind her of how fun and fulfilling life could be with the right person. It was that Irish accent that got me though. I could hear her voice in my head and just adored her so much.

Cassie was ambitious, bringing a lot of fun and carefree experiences to the story. She really brought Siobhan to life and I loved the scandalous edge she brought in approaching her feelings for Siobhan. It made the whole story exciting, fun, and a little bit wild. It was an escape and one I enjoyed very much experiencing with them, because being a part of Siobhan’s family life brought something wild and different for Cassie to embrace too.

I adored this story, the characters, and everything. It is definitely one of my favourite reads and I can’t wait to read it again and again. Very excited for what Skye will write for us next and really hoping for more stories with Cassie and Siobhan as I have not had nearly enough of them.

Siobhan is starting a new job but ends up with her foot in her mouth after meeting the prickly person who will be training her. Cassie is intrigued in a way she has never been before by the new trainee who isn't afraid to tell the truth. There are some hurdles though, Siobhan is married and Cassie has vowed to never commit to a relationship but they can't seem to stop flirting with something more than a professional relationship.
This was a great first novel from Ske Rowan. The characters were witty and highly entertaining. There is some family drama on both sides of this relationship that cause some road blocks on top of those caused by Cassie and Siobhan's situations as well. I really liked Cassie's family by the end and I loved their trip back to Ireland to visit Siobhan's home town as well. I will say that most of the hurdles seemed like they were cleared too easily throughout but there was also a lot going on. The kids dialogue and interactions seemed a bit age inappropriate in some cases, there were some conversations with Cassie's husband that I don't think any parent would involve their children in. Matthew was oblivious to Siobhan and Cassie taking the kids for extended weekends away without him being aware and it just didn't feel realistic. It was a fun read though and I'm hoping for more great work from Skye Rowan with some equally entertaining banter as that kept me plowing through this book in record time.

A debut novel from a new author is always something to celebrate. Skye Rowan delivers Cassie Townsend, an ice-queen who is also queen of one night stands. Living in London she is the most successful investment banker in her company. She is assigned to mentor Siobhan (pronounced Shivon) an up and coming employee. Siobhan is Irish, with two children and a marriage that is falling apart. Siobhan although unwanted proves she is up to the work she is assigned and Cassie can’t help but notice and begin to like her.

I like the Britishness of this book. By chance this was my third book in a row by British authors and this had the most British words and idioms. And the banter and conversations are fun and engaging. I also enjoyed mentions of some of my favorite Broadway/West End musicals. Both characters are dealing with things in their personal lives. Siobhan’s seems more the focus but Cassie’s story-arc has her changing the most of the two. Cassie two children (ages 5 and 8) add some humor but they throw out lines that don’t always fit their ages.

What I don’t like is cheating. The attraction between the MCs has both agreeing to an affair. The story would work just as well if Siobhan’s ex is upset she’s with a female after their divorce especially if custody matters aren’t settled. But because they cheat she loses the moral high ground and any sympathy for Siobhan being married to a disengaged partner. Another major flag for me with the affair is the power difference between the two. This is a HR managers nightmare. Cassie's job and promotability is in Cassie’s hands. Saying we wont let it affect our work doesn’t make it so. Siobhan is only in her late 20s and engaging in an affair seems a big risk for someone who needs the job to be able to leave her husband.

With my negatives aside I did like the changes in Cassie and her opening up her feelings. Being willing to takes steps into a relationship, accept amends from her family and engage with the children is portrayed well. I think the only side character I really liked is Eva who is Cassie’s sister. I will look forward to future books from the author. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
(3.5 stars)

Cassie is driven but she also has a chip on her shoulder when she’s meets Siobhan who we learn is a mother of two and her marriage is not a loving one. Cassie and Siobhan work together they clash because theirs under lying attraction between them. Siobhan and Cassie grow closer and it’s baffling to Cassie who only do one night stands is actually falling in love although there were less drama with the husband who isn’t really all that interested in their family so why I don’t condone cheating I was rooting for Siobhan to do her, the story is really more about Cassie growing up from this cold womanizing person who can be in a committed relationship.
Enjoyable read.



I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

The slow melt of the icequeen set in London
This f/f romance grew on me once it was under way. I really got to like the main characters, the unveiling of their inner workings, their first round (hot/cold, push/pull) of attraction, their second round (very tender and sweet) and all the feels once the feels started in earnest.
The story has several layers which extend beyond but are intricately layered into the romance. Despite those more serious topics and family issues the book stays positive and on track with lovely secondary characters around. The writing gets stronger throughout the book and I enjoyed the banter although the end is a bit drawn out.
This is a workplace, opposite attracts romance. There are kids and family involved. The setting is in the City i.e. London.
Once getting over the initial bumps the book was an entertaining and good read. My rating vaccilated between 3 and 4 and settled on 4 stars since there were long passages of the book which were really captivating.
Hope to see more of Skye Rowan.

Just a remark:This is a debut and I am sure the author will grow with her next books. Here are some impressions: some of the comparisons are a bit too outlandish, the kids although lovely are a bit too mature and although I love to have the happy couple linger a bit longer at the end an endless coda is not what I am looking for. The start was a bit muddled: e.g. the very start was very colourful. An ambitious investment banker desperate to succeed and impress would never ever turn up on her first day in the city with a garish outfit. And the first go-around of attraction is rather confusing with a lot of hot/cold between the characters which gave me a bit of whiplash.

Thanks for the ARC via netgalley and Bold Strokes Books. The review is left voluntarily.