This is the first book of Sara L. Hudson's that I have read and I must say it will not be my last. I very much look forward to reading her future books most especially if they are going to be about this family! I enjoyed all of them so much to the point that I really didn't want the book to have an end. I can't remember when I read a book that happened to me. I am so excited to know that the author isn't done writing about the Moore family.
Let me get to what the book is about before I go on about my opinion. Let me introduce you to the Moore family. They are a very wealthy family, from old money due to owning a department store, (equivalent to Macy's or Saks), that sells very high-end clothing. The one brother ,whose name is Chase is getting ready to get married. The other brother whose name is Thomas promises he will never get married as that would be allowing someone access to the family business just like their father almost did.There is also a sister named Liz, but she has disappeared.

There is also a very talented young lady that works for them name Alice. She does design and social media work for them. Although, she started out in the shoe department. She grew up in not such a favorable way and this has led her to try to help a so called sister and niece.

Finally, the last character I would like to mention is the hairless cat! He goes by so many names in the book,but my favorite is Prince Michael! I will let you the reader make your own opinions, but as for me he has to be my favorite!

My dear readers it is in my opinion that this book and any that will follow are going to be amazing and worth your time! So funny I laughed out loud, cried, and even got angry! So, yes I would advise you to check it out but only if you like to laugh and only if you love LOVE!!!

I am such a sucker for a good billionaire romance...but I feel like this didn't really do it for me. The beginning of the book I noted felt that it just jumped right in, especially with the Daddy/family issues. This would have made more sense if I had realized the book was the second in a series; to be clear, when I requested this book, that piece of information was not disclosed. You can technically read it as a standalone, but I might have liked it more if I had read the first book...first.

The most likeable character in the entire book is Mary...a 6 year old child. I saw another reviewer comment that this book felt like "two distinct halves" and I could not agree more. The first half felt super fast, super intense, and overly dramatic for whatever reason. We get lots of heavy information super quickly; honestly, it felt like a competition of whose family or childhood was worst. The second half we saw more character development from our MMC - even though our FMC pretty much stayed the same annoying person that she was throughout the story. I thought the cat was ridiculous, and did not add much to the story. The romance felt like it came out of left field, and there was no build up or really any sexual tension. I didn't buy them getting together, but at the end, it was very sweet.

Honestly, I feel like this book took a whole bunch of tropes and things we expect from a romance book, threw it all together extremely haphazardly, and that's what we were left with. The only reason I gave the book 3 stars was because of Mary, and because the second half kept me intrigued.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

LOVED this!!! I stream rolled through this in 2 days because I couldn’t put it down. I’ve since seen this was a second in the series but totally reads perfect as a stand alone. I’m off to read the first one now!

"Anyone But the Boss" by Sara Hudson is a charming and witty contemporary romance novel. Thomas Moore and Alice Truman's dynamic is filled with humour and undeniable chemistry. The story is a delightful blend of workplace tension, family drama, and the unexpected twists that come with love. A fun and engaging read for romance enthusiasts.

🛃Las Vegas complications bring the CEO prince his Cinderella💕

This romance had loads of whimsy and really engaging leads. The Las Vegas drinking and wedding hijinx trope is one I usually shy away from, but I enjoyed Anyone But the Boss and would gladly read more romantic comedy by this author..

Alice the aged-out foster kid, so proud of her success in a top-notch retail position, tugs at the heartstrings, as does her "niece" Mary. Thomas, the wealthy company CEO who seems unable to crack a smile until Alice and Mary plop into his home, had the layers to peel back that I like in a leading man. And when it comes to grand gestures to rescue his romance? This straight-laced CEO can really deliver!

The situational humor turns slapstick at times and Mary, with her tight affinity for Thomas's brother's hairless cat Michael, is whimsy with a capital "w". I also liked Thomas's mother and her winning efforts to bond with Alice and Mary.

I'm glad someone mentioned this book to me; it was fun and romantic, with some steam and just enough conflict and hard knocks to make the happy times stand out.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

(31/08/23: finished reading. review to come.)

Okay so it's Sept 6th and I've finally coming up for air after a whirlwind of a first few days back at work.

Likes:
> Funny. I laughed throughout the entire book.
> MMC actually matured bc he was a grade A asshat in the beginning but the fact that his loved ones called him out on his shit really flipped it for me. Tick.
> FMC was such a sweetheart.
> Spice. Mmmm.

Dislikes:
> Not a fan of groveling, though that's a me thing.
> Also not a fan of "older" MMCs but this one was done so well it shouldn't even be a dislike.

4 stars, will read again, will recommend.

A 100% buy-today-read-tonight delight.

Thanks to a great author we have warmth, wisdom and emotional intelligence, this book was a huge pleasure to read! A fabulous, really enjoyable read.

This book fits the definition of a romcom! This book is full of humor and it is funny. I don't think this book did a lot for me though. The humor was a little overdone and it just wasn't my style of book in all honesty.


* I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. All my opinions are my own.

This book is what I’ve been waiting for!! All the feels! All the tropes grumpy/sunshine, accidentally married, forced proximity,,a little girl that warms a grumpy billionaire’s heart, matchmaking shenanigans and a hairless cat! I was delighted to receive this arc from this new to me author. I didn’t realize this was the second of the series. I’m excited to read Anyone but the billionaire and see the debut of Mike Hunt the cat! And hopefully there will be a follow up with Liz’s story. Thank you for your magic of creating a true romantic comedy!

Mike Hunt is a menace.

A hairless, loose-skinned menace responsible for so many laughs in Anyone but the Boss!!

This is one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. There's a black eye caused by a giant B.O.B., a motor-boating cat, and a scene with a stripper reminiscent of a Bloodhound Gang song.

<i>"Is this a dream?"

"Must be."...

"Why?"...

"Because I thought of you and you appeared."</i>

It's also one of the sweetest books I've read! Thomas is the grump to Alice's sunshine, and he lights up only around her.

Have all of the interactions where Alice thought he was being an elitist dictator been...something else? Have they held some deeper meaning that was obscured by Thomas' lack of social skills and cold upbringing?

Watching Thomas thaw under Alice's warmth and watching how he interacts with Mary, Alice's ward, will bring a goofy smile to your face. I spent most of the book smiling like an idiot!

I love that this was written in dual POV because you got to experience what was going on behind the scenes in Thomas' mind. There are a lot of people out there who don't know how to express themselves, and watching him struggle was both hilarious and heartwarming.

<i>"I'M SORRY. PLEASE COME HOME."</i>

Most of Thomas' grand gesture brought tears to my eyes. There was just one detail that made me cringe slightly, but to avoid spoilers, I'm going to let you experience it for yourself.

If you like spicy romcoms with zany side characters, grab Anyone but the Boss!

Thank you, Sara L. Hudson and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Alice has always found her boss Thomas to be cold and aloof. They have to spend time together at his brothers wedding and realise that there is more to each other than they realised. Things take a complicated turn and are made more complicated by the abandonment of Alice’s niece. She needs to step up to take off her and Thomas agrees to help. It was lovely seeing Thomas become more human and seeing Alice & her niece Mary bringing some light in to his life. Alice had a hard start in life which had made her more cautious about opening up to people, but Thomas seems to be burrowing his way through her defences. There is a major misunderstanding and I wanted to give Thomas a shake, but he redeemed himself in great fashion. I loved the connection with Thomas’s extended family and the cat with attitude definitely added to the story. This story had so many of my favorite things, grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers, cute kid, quirky family and pets. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

If you are in need for a spicy story with a billionaire who is grumpy as hell and where he falls for a sunshine of a woman? Than this one is for you. Let’s dive in, shall we?

✍️The first line already had me cackling and that’s how the whole book was. FUNNY. The brothers are so hilarious, the banter between all of them and ofcourse Thomas being funny without even trying or wanting to be funny. And let’s not forget about his beef with Mike (iykyk).
Thomas was so judgemental and rude in the beginning but he grew on me because he clearly cared about Alice and Mary. What I also appreciated was how his family called him out on his bullshit, now that was realistic. Alice is one of the most caring fmc’s. Her heart was always in the right place and Mary was just adorable.
And let’s not forget about the spice. The spice between them was on fire. It was primal.
I kind of wished that the groveling went on for a little bit longer, because the groveling in this story was good. I would have loved to have seen more of that👀
Other than that, I recommend this book.

🎶 The songs that I was listening to the entire time while reading were I’ll Be There by Jackson 5, Count On Me Bruno Mars and All The Time by Jeremih.

I stopped after chapter 1. It just wasn’t for me. The writing was fine. It’s quite readable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood books for the ARC.

Anyone but the Boss, by Sara L. Hudson, was a fun, quick read that made the plane ride I was on seem to last no time at all.

Thomas is the heir to a department store and Alice is recently promoted to the Marketing Dept., and Thomas rather rudely keeps reminding her of her humble beginnings at the start of the book - firmly cementing him to me as a jackass, desperately needing to get over himself. Enter Chase making him carry a suitcase full of bachelorette party favors to give him a bit of comeuppance and humility. (loved it!)

When all parties make it to Vegas for the wedding, the real story begins for me. Thomas and Alice end up married (no spoilers as to how) and then they really get to know each other and the story is terrific.

Mary is a freaking delight in the story - I find it hard to enjoy children in books, they are either too cute or major little jerks - and I really enjoyed Thomas' humanization and Mary finding her self-worth, for lack of better word.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this ARC! In exchange for an honest review.

All opinions are my own.

Wow, what a read. I didn't think I'd get approved after so long (my last review was on December 2022 :') ) but I did and THANK GOD FOR THAT because this book did IT to get me out of my reading slump.

Anyone but The Boss features Alice Truman, a 29-year-old lead marketer or some sort and her 40-something grumpy (when are they not) boss heading to Las Vegas for Alice's BFF and boss's brother elopement/destination wedding. While Alice had been working for a year at Thomas Moore's company, she and Thomas didn't have a warm or even friendly acquaintance. They were like two ships passing through each other...but with repressed sexual tension (but they would never admit it).

Anyway, after a series of connections on the flight to Vegas, decorating Thomas's room for bachelorette party, said party being a disaster... they ended up... yep, you guessed it. Sleeping with each other. And guess what happened every time Vegas is involved? Yep, you guessed it right again.

It went on from there, throwing in Mary, Alice's kinda niece, and Emily (Thomas's Mom) to the mix. IT WAS EPIC!

First of all, I totally adore Mary. Like. The kid was so wholesome and such a sweetheart! I think if she weren't in this, the book would be less sunshine-y. Add Emily Moore to the mix, and AHHHHH! SO FREAKING CUTE

I admit, the first few chapters I was a bit lost with the timeline because the author skipped one scene to the next without a switch. To be honest, I didn't even like Alice much, and that incident at the airport and bachelorette party were very cringe, especially the airport one.

But we could see Thomas's growth throughout the book, and how Alice brought him out of his shell with Mary. Alice gradually became cooler (but still a bit of a doormat) but what I love the most about her was how much she loved Mary and would do anything for her.

The very best part of this book is the grovel. HAHA everyone who knows me on Goodreads knows how much I'm a sucker for that. The angst and the heartbreak that eventually lead to the grovel, ME LIKEY! So that is why this book is getting a 4-star rating from me. If there were .5 stars, I'd give it 4.5! Not a 5-star yet, no.

Anyone but The Boss comes out 18 September 2023!

I loved the first one of this series and enjoyed this one just as much! The focus this time was Thomas Moore of luxury department store Moores, and Alice Truman, their marketing manager. Thomas won’t allow himself to admit that he likes Alice, and she is convinced that grumpy, unapproachable Thomas can only be admired from afar. Events in Las Vegas at Chase Moore’s wedding changes things and what follows is a story that is steamy, funny and with some serious issues covered. I loved all the characters in this and it was great that those from the previous book played such a big part in this one. I’m really hoping that there will be a book 3!! Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

Did I ask for this ARC on Netgalley just because there is a cat in the plot? Well, the blurb was also up my alley but the cat factor was determinant. and it was amazing!!!
The thing I didn't know was that this is the second book on a series so I had to read the first one first and ALSO WORTH IT!! I am so glad I've read them because they are really good, SO. MUCH. FUN!
No, seriously I was literally laughing out loud while reading this series. But let's focus on this one here. Thomas, my love so used to hiding his feelings so afraid to end up being like his father. My sweet Thomas WHY ARE YOU ALSO SO HOT? And Alice? AND MARY?? Having kids on books is always tricky because there's a lot of authors who don't do it right, sometimes the kid acts way too much like an adult but here? Mary is the perfect six year old and she is so funny!! I loved the constant presence of the characters from the first book and I love the relationships between all the characters. And of course let's not forget Mike Hunt, duh. Cats and their sass always gets me and this is no exception.
So, I reccomend this book because it is extremely fun and is also well written which is always a big plus.

The first 50% made me cringe. The second 50% redeemed itself for the most part. It ended as a rather sweet story, though slightly flawed and ridiculous. Pick this one up if you need a distraction from life and don’t want to think very hard. It was funny, predictable, and a HEA.

Anyone But The Boss.....

I loved this story! I couldn't put it down. I read it in a matter of hours! It made me laugh out loud, fall in love with all that characters, and get a little sad at times.
Our main characters are Alice and Thomas. And we can't forget Mary! She was the sweetest little girl. I absolutely loved "Queenie" (Thomas's mother), Chase, Bell, and lets not forget the Cat!
Thomas does not want to be anything like his horrible father. So he built these walls around himself and doesn't let anyone or anything get past him. He rarely smiles or laughs. Alice is quiet, shy, and talented. She grew up in the foster care system but having one close person in her life, Kayla. Well Kayla turns out to be just an awful person. Kayla is the mother of Mary. When Kayla leaves Mary at the hospital, Alice steps in with the help of Thomas. From there the love sparks. And not just between Alice and Thomas, but Thomas and Mary. It is so sweet.
You can't miss this sweet story! You will laugh, cry and just love!

Enchanting, charming, and inviting—The Moore’s are back!

Anyone But the Boss follows Thomas Moore, the uptight and perpetually frowning heir to the family’s billion-dollar business. Alice Truman is the new marketing manager who gets under Thomas’s skin like no other. When they both head to Vegas for Chase and Bell’s wedding, no amount of planning could prepare either for the rollicking and rowdiness upon their arrival in sin-city.


Perfect for anyone who adores humor and spice with a dash of campy and a sprinkle of Mr. Darcy

…Grumpy/sunshine
…Forced proximity
…Dual POV
…Boss/employee
…Found family
…Unpredictability
…Laughing out loud
…Heartwarming