Member Reviews
“Asking for help doesn’t make you less deserving of anything you’ve already achieved on your own.”
First things first: I loved it
Charlie and Nova's story immediately took second place in my Lovelight ranking (I’m sorry, but Beckett will always have my heart). From a solely writing perspective, though, I'd say it's her best work yet. I love the chemistry between the two of them and their banter. They both acted so mature, which is something I often miss in romance books
AND! There is no “third act breakup”. Thank you for listening to your readers!
At first I didn't understand why I was so sad at the end of the book when we got to see all the couples live their HEA. But then I slowly realized that it's over now and the Inglewild series is complete.
B.K. Borison has managed to make me like small town romances, something I would have said was impossible a few years ago. She writes characters you can relate to so well and has become an “if she writes it, I'll read it” writer for me
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read it in advance. It was one of the books I was most looking forward to this year
This was added to my favourite romance books ever
I’ve read the first 3 books in the lovelight farm series the minute they were published and while mixed signals was my favourite book from the series before business casual, I JUST KNEW the moment i saw in the trope list “ black cat/ golden retriever” MAN I KNEW THIS WILL DESTROY ME FOREVER
Both Charlie and Nova were such relatable characters, with flaws and quirks that made me love them even more than it was possible ( highly unlikely because im their number one fan at this point) It was done in such a good manner and speed and everything was well connected and constructed in their relationship that i have no complaints NONE
I absolutely loved bk borison’s writing style. I loved how she made me cry from reading scenes that had no right being this VULNERABLE AND SO TREMENDOUSLY TRUE and how she blended the found family into the story. I think after Nova and Charlie, the found family is my favourite part of the book. ( honourable mentions to the goose of course 🤭) IT MADE ME WANT TO INSERT MYSELF INTO THE BOOK LIKE LITERALLY INSERT ME IN right now me i want to live there
BK Borison just got on my “if it’s written by then it’s good” because she slays every single damn time.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC 🫶🏻🫶🏻
I've heard that this is the last in the series which makes me sad but this was a lovely Grump/Sunshine to finish it off. Chapter 26 was so interesting and I would love to see this kinda change of pace in other books.
B.K. Borison has concluded her Lovelight series beautifully. This book is a great combination of all things cosy and spicy. Containing tropes of grumpy x sunshine, opposites attract, friends with benefits to lovers alongside cute, spicy, hilarious and vulnerable moments, it was so easy to both read and love this. Discovering this is part of the series makes so much sense as to why there were so many characters and a sense that somehow I was jumping in and was partly meant to know them – but how everyone’s story is told/reminded to the reader made it easy to follow and I felt right at home. This book could be read as a standalone, which I always like. I will be sure to check out the other stories because I enjoyed this so much.
I have rarely read a book where I have laughed out loud – and at more than one bit. This was one of them, I laughed so much reading this, never a dull moment! A lot of these moments were made up of the very wholesome but funny family which would have to be the second-best thing about this book besides the romance itself.
I love the maturity of Nova and Charlie, the way that if something bothers them they will come out with it even if it takes the other person to encourage them to open up. It is literally cleared up or resolved within a few chapters, if not the very same one (the longest unresolved moment is at the start where there are some miscommunications between them). This feels realistic, acting the age that they are. They are both so similar in that they believe they don’t deserve what they have or want but for different reasons: Nova feels she has to work all by herself to prove she’s capable; Charlie feels that his desire to be away from work and stay in Inglewild (or just any desire) is selfish of him and therefore undeserved. Both of them also struggle with the idea of disappointing someone if they fail. I see a bit of myself in both of them but mostly in Charlie.
I love Charlie so much, he is a huge green flag. There is a moment where Nova says she doesn’t know “what to with the information that Charlie recommends historical romance to his friends” – I know exactly what to do with that: MARRY HIM!!!
The only negative was I feel it jumped into things too quickly at the start of the book. I expected more of a buildup. But overall I did not mind.
Thank you B.K. Borison, Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for the digital ARC!
Oh where to start... I laugh, I cried and I cried a little more towards the end, because I knew I was visiting Inglewild for the last time *insert broken heart*. Business Casual tell us the story of Charlie and Nova, a reverse grumpy x sunshine, and believe when I tell you that they're going to steal your heart. Charlie is the perfect golden retrivier boyfriend who will melt your heart and also make you laugh. And Nova is a complex character with some struggles to overcome in her life.
This was the perfect ending for the lovelight series and I can't wait to see where B.K. Borison is going to lead us next.
This is a contemporary romance with a focus on friends-to-lovers dynamic, set in a small town, and featuring a tattoo artist as one of the main characters.
Well I didn't think anything could beat Beckett and his ducks but I was wrong, Charlie and Nova girl have captured my whole entire heart. I loved this book so much, I have adored the whole Lovelight Farms series but this has just rocketed to the top. I loved seeing Charlie find his rightful home in Inglewild and seeing the town accept him as one of their own, this is true small town romance for me and I ate it up. I also absolutely adore the Porter family and I want them to adopt me!
I am devastated this series is over but also very grateful for the hours of joy it has provided me with.
This is such a cute reversal of the grumpy/sunshine trope, and I loved it! This is a romance for the modern era, with it's superb story telling, gender-steroreotype-defying characters, and a recognisable concept relevant now. It is also surprisingly tender and sentimental. On a side note I really loved the descriptions in this, it felt visceral at points.
Another hit for this series, Business Casual continues to highlight the amazing writing prose that BK Borison does. I’d say it’s a 4.5 but I’ll round it to 5.
The banter is great, the two leads are characters you can really root for and the romance is swoons as always. I’m not going to lie, they didn’t quite knock off my all time favourite couple from this series but it’s a comfortable second!
It's such a bummer since I was so excited to read this book ever since it was announced but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. I liked Charlie, his individual character growth and his struggles with life were well expressed but I found Nova to be very annoying. I couldn't understand her at times and the way she created this push and pull situation between them was so irritating. This is why I just could not feel invested in their relationship and I felt like Charlie deserved a lot better than her. The beginning was great and the last chapter was cute but the plot was unnecessarily dragged in the middle and I felt so bored. So overall, while I liked some moments from the book, the rest disappointed me tbh.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review
This was a funny and cute read, just like the other books in the series!! I love to read romance like this one and the found family it's always the best thing ever for me! This was honestly the best way to end this series.
General info:
- Contemporary romance
- Double POV. First person. Singel timeline.
- Part of a series of standalone books.
Tropes and hooks:
- Opposites attract.
- Small town.
- Let’s get it out of our systems, oh shit, it didn’t help.
- Secret “dating”.
- No third-act breakup.
- ADHD and chronic migraines representation.
- Tattoo artist FMC.
- Found family.
My opinion:
- This book starts throwing us directly back in mids of the action and we start by seeing what our favorite characters from the previous book are up to and it directly makes you feel like coming home.
Generally speaking, the book is easy to read and understand. The writing is pleasant.
- Nova (FMC). She was a very appealing main character. She is a tattoo artist and does everything to open a successful tattoo shop of her own. I also really identified with her fear of disappointing people who put so much trust in her.
- Charlie (MMC). Yet again a very compelling character. I can really understand his need to make everyone happy and how unhappy he personally is and how he feels he is never enough.
- Nova and Charlie. I mostly enjoyed their interactions and I think their constant flirtation is just delicious: the tension, the stolen moments, the banter. I love that they communicate, so you won’t find unnecessary miscommunication here. The only thing that I was iffy about is that Charlie became a little too jealous and possessive of Nova in one scene in the book but once you get to know him, you might understand why. It’s also beautiful how they help each other to overcome their insecurities. They are so different but they fit together perfectly.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions are my own. Thank you to everyone involved in this ARC’s distribution.
Thanks so much to NetGalley, B.K. Borison and Pan Macmillan for the eARC, all opinions expressed are my own.
What an incredible end the the collection, I throughly enjoyed this read, Charlie and Nova have been my most anticipated couple and their chemistry and the way their relationship unraveled was excellently executed.
I love the descriptions, the relationship within the small town, the phone tree especially but I especially enjoyed the found family aspect. Borison does a fantastic job in relaying the pressure the characters feel in trying to uphold their family’s expectation of them.
A truly wonderful read, I highly recommend.
Nova and Charlie
With "Buisness Casual" we return to Iglewood one last time.
For me, the "Lovelight Farms" series is one of my favorite feel-good books and I was especially looking forward to "Buisness Casual". Each of the Lovelight books represents one of the four seasons and in Nova and Charlie's story, we get to admire Iglewood in the fall.
Although I enjoyed "Buisness Casual" I'm still a little disappointed with the final book in the series. I was so looking forward to the fall aesthetic and the harvest festival. Unfortunately, there wasn't much to see of either. Not the preparations for the festival, why Charlie is in Iglewood in the first place, nor do I find the book very autumnal.
The story this time focused a lot on the relationship between Nova and Charlie. And I really liked them both. Nova is a very direct person, but when it comes to her job, she is very insecure. Charlie is the perfect balance for Nova.
Charlie is like a hyperactive golden retriever, and I love him! He is so sweet, caring and you just have to love him! To be honest, Charlie carried the story for me. Without him, "Buisness Casual" would not have won me over.
As always, the residents of Iglewood were curious and poked their noses into things that weren't theirs. And I really liked the friendly atmosphere again.
And the sibling scenes between Nova and Beckett were so sweet 🥹
I give "Buisness Casual" 3.5-4 out of 5 stars.
Many thanks to Pan Mcmillan and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
I've been looking forward to reading this book ever since I finished "Mixed Signals," and it completely surpassed any and all expectations that I had.
The cozy small town, strong community, found family element of the series was stronger and even more heartwarming in Business Casual. Before the romance, that aspect is the most beautiful part of this entire series and it shone even brighter in this book.
I adored Charlie & Nova. They may be my favorite couple yet. They were both real and flawed and raw individually, and together they were the most relatable of all the couples just because of their anxieties and insecurities. I love that it wasn't "miscommunication"- it was more of a "struggle to communicate" that was resolved in a realistic and incredible touching way. The entire relationship was perfect, and stayed true to the characters and their personalities as they were introduced in the first three books. The romance was incredible- I loved the way that it developed and grew as the characters came into their own as individuals.
The most touching part of this book, though, was Charlie and how BK Borison portrayed ADHD. Thank you, B.K., for showing that people with ADHD can still be organized, successful, and driven. I have never related to any character, in any book I have ever read, as much as I related to Charlie. The ADHD representation in this particular way catapulted this book from a 5 star read to a top shelf, crown worthy, all-time favorite.
A perfect conclusion to a wonderful series. I couldn't have asked for more.
Absolutely perfect, loved every second. A beautiful way to end a beautiful series. I could not have loved these characters any more.
I’ve said it in every review of this series and I’ll say it again, this woman knows how to write one hell of a MMC. First Luka, then Beckett, along came Caleb and now Charlie? I’m done. I can die happy in the knowledge these men were written into existence and this series will forever be a favourite for me to shout about.
Business Casual brings more loveable characters, more banter that has you laughing out loud, more sweet spice and more moments that make you want to tear your heart out and hand it over to be devoured by both the characters and B.K Borison herself. I cried real tears, with that literal tug in my heart for Charlie.
Nova and Charlie together are so precious I couldn’t get enough of this book. It was the perfect length for a love story, leaving you desperate for more but grateful for how much you were given.
I’m so sad this series is over, but equally can’t wait to read them all over again!
I noticed a few typos, but aside from that, there's not much else to say except that I absolutely adored this book. It was my first time reading this author, but it certainly won't be my last. I'm currently battling a terrible flu and I genuinely believe I wouldn't have made it through the first few days without the story of this couple. The author's words felt like a warm hug on a cold day, comforting and reassuring. Charlie and Nova are wonderfully flawed, delightfully funny, and their flirtatious banter is just fantastic. They came across as incredibly dynamic and authentic characters to me. I wholeheartedly loved this book and can't wait to delve into more of her work.
Let me start by expressing my adoration for these books. They've become my go-to escape this year, crafting a contemporary fictional realm that feels both palpably real and delightfully fantastical. In conversations with a friend, we marveled at how this series stands out in the realm of contemporary romance. Its seamless incorporation of details and intricate world-building, reminiscent of fantasy and science fiction, blurs the lines between fiction and reality. And the characters—flawed yet utterly human—only add to this immersive experience.
But enough about the flawless world-building and characterization; let's dive into the romance. Have you been eagerly awaiting the pairing of Nova and Charlie as much as I have? The flutter of excitement began from the very start with these two, and I wouldn't expect anything less from B.K. Borison. She's a master at weaving those fluttering moments of romance.
On a personal note, my admiration for Nova knows no bounds. She's simply phenomenal. I adore a woman who wields sarcasm with finesse, where wit and humor reign supreme over bitterness and conceit—kudos to Borison for capturing that essence.
I'm enchanted by Nova's obliviousness to Charlie's true intentions, mistaking his affable demeanor for mere flirtation with everyone. Little does she realize his near-obsession with her (for the record, a touch of obsession in romantic pursuits, especially in the beginning, gets my approval). Charlie's boundless enthusiasm is infectious, albeit occasionally overwhelming, yet it never failed to elicit smiles, laughter, and contented sighs from me throughout the entire book.
I'll restrain myself from dissecting every chapter—spoilers are best avoided—but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Charlie's heartfelt confession towards the end, where he embraces the fragments of emotions from those around him. Oh, it struck a chord deep within me! Typically, by the final chapter of any book, my butterflies have fluttered away, leaving me with a sense of curiosity about the resolution. Yet, this time, I was gripped by a full-blown butterfly attack right up to the very last paragraph. It's a rarity, but oh so satisfying when it occurs.
In short, READ THIS BOOK! Better yet, read the entire series. I hold them all in equal esteem. Don't delay—dive in now!
I loved it, I loved Charlie 💗💗
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I regret putting off reading the author's books, but maybe this was fate. Maybe I was supposed to know Nova and Charlie first. Now I can go and see all their interactions in the previous books knowing how adorable they are together. Charlie is a sweetheart, perfect cinnamon roll MMC, I love him.😍
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I don't know how I came to read two similar books, Just for the summer and this one, but it did and I loved it. 💗🥲
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Nova and Charlie were not supposed to catch feelings when they entered a casual relationship but the universe has other plans and I wholeheartedly approve 🫰🎆🎉🎊They are perfect together.
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“Take the cupcake. The cupcake is here for you. You asked for the cupcake before, remember? But the cupcake was being stupid and didn’t say the right things.”
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I mean how can I not laugh! Charlie is such a sweet guy, I was laughing and giggling at multiple places. He takes care of everybody and recommends historical romances - I rest my case, he is THE BEST!!
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I am not forgetting Nova, she is someone who understands Charlie, an independent, tattooed FMC who can stay shoulder to shoulder with Charlie in banter.
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💗 Small town romance
💗 Cinnamon roll MMC who thinks he doesn't deserve love, but deserves all the love in the world.
💗 Tattooed, independent FMC
💗 Casual relationship turns to true love
💗 Banter and LOL moments
💗 I want to be part of the phone tree
💗 Taking care of sick FMC
💗 Spice 3🌶️
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Thanks to netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the e-ARC.
4.5/5
I always love returning to Inglewild! Small town romances are my cup of tea. The banter between Nova and Charlie is just on point! B.K. Borison keeps on growing in her character creation. With Borison it’s not just about the main characters - the side characters are also well thought out and make lots of entries. The phonetree also makes a comeback which is a lovely story addition.I was very invested in our main couple, their trials and small victories. . The embarrassment I felt when Nova tried seducing Charlie in the first chapter! There was a drop in my interest in the middle of the book - after some confusion our couple went through - hence my 4.5 stars rating. The ending of the lovelight farms serie came along nicely though with a cameo of all couples. I can honestly say I’ll be looking forward to whatever story Borison will write in the future.
One thing captivates me the most: the setting and the food. OMG they're enough to.make me stay until the end ❤️
The story is light, with unexpectedly rather heavy topic. I can relate to the characters in some ways :(
I surprisingly love the side characters more than the main characters (sorryyyy), but I still love both main characters. The plot and ending is satisfying. I recommend this book for light reading on a cloudy day ☕️
#NetGalley