Out of Office by A.H. Cunningham
Narrated by Marissa Hampton; Jesus E. Martinez

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Afterglow Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Genevieve Raymond was born an overachiever. After opening a hot new hotel chain location in Panama, she’s on track for a major promotion. But first, she desperately needs a break, even if her overbearing mother doesn’t approve. For two glorious weeks, Gen’s giving herself permission to explore the beautiful beaches of Colón—and the stimulating attraction she shares with her sexy-as-hell driver, Adrián Nicolas.

After a family tragedy, Adrián's recently shifted his own focus to prioritizing the  life  part of a healthy work-life balance. To workaholic Gen, Adrián’s laid-back devotion to his family’s hometown hostel couldn’t be more appealing. Their long-term goals might not align, but two weeks in paradise only calls for seductive physical chemistry, and Gen and Adrián have got that, without a doubt.

But when their intimate connection flourishes beyond sunsets and spice, Gen finds herself questioning whether the career path she’s been on is even where she wants to be. With continents between them, a real relationship doesn’t feel possible. Until fate reveals their futures might be more closely woven than they thought, leaving them wondering whether a two-week fling might have what it takes to last forever.

From showing up to glowing up, these characters are on the path to leading their best lives and finding sizzling romance along the way.

My Opinion

I was drawn to this book because of the cover and I was quickly hooked. This was my first book by AH Cunningham so I wasn't sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. Gen needs to learn how to take a step back from work and a holiday might just be the answer to her problems. A nice, easy read.

Rating 4/5

DNF I couldn’t keep going with this because there was absolutely no character build or tension buildup before the two protagonists were thrust into a relationship, it felt like we’d missed the entire backstory and I didn’t care about anything that was going on. Not for me.

Thank you for granting me early access to this novel.
I had read Ablaze by this author so I was very excited to read this one, also I enjoy this narrator's voice. It's always a beautiful moment when an anticipated read lives up to the expectation. Anything I say about this book will be a spoiler but if you're looking for a reason to bump this up your TBR, this is it!

"Out of the Office" is a captivating and "spicy" novel that explores the unlikely connection between a Spanish boy and a workaholic black girl. Set against a backdrop of contrasting cultures and personal struggles, this story takes readers on a transformative journey filled with heartwarming moments and unexpected twists.

The novel introduces us to the workaholic black girl, whose relentless dedication to her career has left her isolated from personal relationships and the joys of life. Enter the Spanish boy, who has been her trusted driver for many years. Their initially professional relationship takes an unexpected turn when a series of events brings them closer together.

What makes "Out of the Office" truly stand out is its ability to delve into the complexities of human connection and personal growth. As the Spanish boy and the workaholic black girl embark on a shared adventure, their interactions gradually reveal layers of vulnerability, passion, and self-discovery. The author skillfully intertwines their individual stories, creating a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking.

The chemistry between the main characters is palpable, and their journey serves as a metaphor for breaking free from societal expectations and finding true happiness. The author's vivid descriptions transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of Spain, immersing them in the rich culture and traditions that shape the characters' identities.

While "Out of the Office" is undeniably a compelling read, there are a few aspects that could have been further explored. The secondary characters, although intriguing, could have been given more depth and development to enhance the overall narrative. Additionally, some readers may find certain plot twists predictable, slightly diminishing the element of surprise.

Overall, "Out of the Office" is an enchanting tale of self-discovery, love, and cultural exploration. With its well-crafted characters and evocative storytelling, this novel will leave readers captivated and inspired. It serves as a reminder that stepping out of our comfort zones and embracing change can lead to extraordinary experiences and personal growth.

In conclusion, I highly recommend "Out of the Office" to those seeking a heartfelt and "spicy" read that explores the power of human connection and the transformative nature of love.

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I typically love a dual-narrated audiobook, but this one was a little disappointing. The female narrator was great, but the male narrator really threw the whole book off for me. His accents were good, but the emotion was almost always wrong

This is hands down the best audiobook I have ever listened to. I truly loved everything about this book, and found myself fully immersed in their story.

I don't usually like audiobooks, and become distracted very easily but this audiobook felt so real and kept my undivided attention. Great book by A.H Cunningham and can't wait to read more from this author!

3.75 stars

I really enjoyed this books. Classic easy read a swoon worthy romance. The spice was spicing. I liked that the main character didnt just fold immediately for the man and give up her career. You sometimes can have your cake and eat it too!

The only negative as the romance felt a little fast for me.

I enjoyed this audiobook, a nice vacation romance, a nice easy read.
I liked the characters, and hearing about their cultures and their development.
The narrator was ok, I found it hard to get used to the different narrators.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think this was a very 50/50 book for me: I liked the themes this book brought up but I think the writing was a little clumsy and the dialogues kind of awkward. The bisexual rep was amazing, can't exactly speak on the Panamian and African-American one. The characters were fine I suppose but I struggled to get attached to them, especially the MMC. I'm somewhere in the middle with this one tbh.

It's such a quick, fun and heartwarming story. I love all the characters, not just the lead characters but the side characters too plus the narrator did an amazing job in differentiating between so many characters that listening to this was such a joy.
I flew through this book and loved the theme of the book. The author indeed has done an amazing job in setting up the background of the plot and explaining each details of the characters we are seeing in this book.

This was a good book, but it felt rushed in places. There's a large focus on both the main characters being workaholics, but it would have been nice to see a little bit more outside of that as to who they are. It was fun seeing their relationship build, but it felt that past the 50% Mark it was a bit rushed and their relationship felt like it was a bit unrealistically fast. I did appreciate though that they have real life issues. The characters came up against things that we would expect to see in the real world, and it felt really relatable. It made me really think about choices regarding work and what you prioritise to ensure your marriage and your family come first. I did really enjoy parts of this, and the female narrator did a fantastic job. I did struggle though as The section she read of his lines sounded very different to him which in a way is to be expected, but made it hard to see it as one character. It was a good read but I would unlikely read it again in the future. I will however consider reading more from this author as I think she did do a good job overall

This is a story that will make everyone today rethink their life choices. Being someone who has just made the choices of the main characters of this book it truly resonated.

Laughter, love, joy, and choices are my takeaways.

3.25

Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook arc of this book.

My favourite part of this book was how a good portion of it was set in Panama and the characters talk about their backgrounds, culture and the rich history of everything that surrounds them. I would have loved for them to spend even more time in Panama. I loved the focus on taking a step away from the capitalist world we are surrounded by and choosing to live life rather than have our whole lives dictated by work - I feel like this is a really important message that we could all think about.

Where this book fell short for me was that I like the author just kept telling, almost listing events and emotions rather than making the reader feel them. There was a lot of jumping around with time, and place and the story ended up feeling very jumbled from the middle on. I feel like this story and these characters held so much potential, but I just didn't gel with the writing style. The spice was minimal, a few open door scenes but they felt awkward and robotic.

I really enjoyed this novel, though I must admit I skimmed an awful lot of the sex scenes. Which feels childish, however it wasn’t prudishness that made me do it, it was because I was immersed in the drive of Adrian and Genevieve, the ethics that made them who they were. The drive to keep moving, keep improving and to nourish others along the way, always handing the ladder down, such valuable qualities.
The novel should definitely be applauded in celebrating queer culture, nicely done. However I was immersed in Panama, i absolutely loved Adrian’s family, their warmth emanated through and I wanted to be right there. I wanted to know everything about the culture, and the developments that the couple were working on, I was fascinated by the way they wanted to enrich towns without gentrifying them. it felt a little like 2 books in one. But that’s a me issue, it’s not the authors job to provide me with an in-depth understanding or explanation, I just felt like I was left wanting to know so much more. So I’ll endeavour to learn a bit.



For the most part I enjoyed the narration.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in return for an honest review.

🎧Audio Book Review🎧

Out Of Office
AH Cunningham

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Genevieve is a workaholic and having been brought up to be an independent, strong and driven woman, she's working her way through a life plan that she made years ago!
After finishing her current project in Panama, she's on her way home to USA with her sights set firmly on that promotion!
Taking a much needed break before heading back, leads her to spending time with her laid back (and sexy) driver at his family home.....a fling could be just what she needs to recharge....

I have to be honest in that it took me a little while to really click with Gen.
Being such a strong woman, often made her a little intolerant of the feelings of others and I found that quite intimidating at first.
But as we read on and we see Gen both relax a little and settle into this blossoming relationship with Adrian - we see a completely more human side to her.
I had the same feelings about Gen's Mum too.

On the flip side, I loved the family dynamics and values back at the hostel with Adrian and his family.
It was really refreshing seeing how he had changed his life to make more time for a better work/life balance.

I found the way that Gen and Adrian started their fling a bit strange. It seemed way too fast and risky - especially given Gen's perceived attitude up to this point.
However, after moving on from this, I loved the way this developed both during the 2 week break and beyond.

The writing style was fun and light-hearted and there were some super spicy scenes, but these didn't dominate the storyline, which worked really well.

I listened to this on audio book and I loved the combination of the 2 different narrators - I loved the way the chapters alternated pov's, so we were able to dig deeper into each character and the narrators did a good job at portraying the different personalities.
My biggest issue though, was that some moments seemed a little lacking in emotion - especially when 'Gen' was narrating Adrian's sex scenes. There was just something about it that made me cringe a bit.
I totally understand though, that it must be the toughest job - getting it right without being too expressive 🤷🏻‍♀️ - definitely not something I could do, so it's only a minor niggle.

Overall, I really enjoyed this read and loved that by the ending, I'd totally changed my opinion of both Gen and her Mum!
This would make the perfect beach read over the summer!



💕Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my ARC copy - this is my honest review 💕

1 star

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I'm going to be honest, this book was just not good in my opinion.
The relationship basically kicks off from the beginning of the book and it happens so fast that you can't even root for them to get together because there was not enough character building or pining between them.

The entire time their relationship felt like physical attraction rather than the two of them genuinely wanting to be together because they liked each other. And they moved so fast in their relationship that it was actually comical, I felt like I was reading a "90 day fiancé" fanfic. Like what do you mean you're going to let her come stay in your family's rental? You're going to move in and get married after barely knowing anything about this person?

Character wise, they have no personality outside of being recovering workaholics, people pleasers and horny 30 somethings.

I give their marriage 2 years tops