I loved the cover of this book, it was initially what attracted me to the book. I went in thinking I was getting an enemies-to-lovers workplace romance, think along the lines of "The Hating Game,"
I enjoyed the FMC and her strong personality, but felt her character fell a little flat the deeper into the story we got.
There were too many sub-plots that left me confused. I went in with high expectations and sad;y they weren't fully met.
This book had so much potential that sadly didn't hit the mark for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC.

The cover and synopsis really caught my attention, but unfortunately I struggled with the writing style and the plot. There seemed to be a lot of subplots that didn’t support the romance aspect of “office romance”. I felt like I was being ‘told’ rather than ‘shown’ and it was very surface-level.

Emily, the FMC, is a high powered attorney and feminist, but it seems in any interactions with men in her personal life, she is passive and timid. I just felt like the way she was described and the way she acted were contradictory.

I really wanted to like this one, but unfortunately it fell flat for me.

Review: 3.5⭐️
Okay first of all i love the cover and the idea of this book. The setting was cute and it had a lot of potential! All in all it was a bit confusing and the storyline wasn't as clear as it could have been. Also the thought of officers rivals to lovers was cute but the rivals part lasted maybe what once chapter? Also im so so so sorry but the ending felt way too rushed to me and due to that it just felt weird. I did like the writing style though! And it was a fun read, however I don't feel like it reached the potential it could have.

Thank you netgalley for the arc copy in exchange of an honest review.

This is an interesting story. Everything about it, from the cover to the description and marketing, suggests it will be a fast and fun “office rivals” romance. And while it has elements of that, reading it is a different experience. We have the tension of workplace dynamics & the budding romance, but the real focus throughout is the emotional wellness of each MC – trusting in themselves as well as others, overcoming their fears, balancing their ambitions and figuring out what they want/what fulfills them.

This novel actually reads more like a screenplay for a tv drama than a standalone novel. [And honestly, I would love watching this show. That format would allow further development of characters and plot points that were abruptly abandoned. And more time for the romance, so it feels more real]. This impression is furthered by the writing style – the book has a tell-not-show approach that keeps you on the outside watching rather than pulling you directly into the story. And, the narration has a slow and steady pace that is easy-reading but less engaging than I anticipated based on the cover/description/marketing. So maybe the audiobook is the best way to consume this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Burning Chair for this ARC to review. Pub date for this book is Oct 10, 2024.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have dnfed it after trying, truly trying because I honestly wished to love it. I rarely read romcoms but when I do then I’m quite a picky romcom reader and this unfortunately didn’t meet the bar for me. It was so confusing, contradictory, boring and annoying - an abysmal combo truly.
Definitely wouldn’t recommend.

When I read the title of the book and saw its cover, I expected to absolutely love this novel. However, although I liked the premise of the book, I never fully connected with the characters or the plot. Overall, the writing style just wasn't mine.

This book has a lot of potential but there was so much going on it felt rushed and all over the place. The main characters didn’t have any chemistry build up and the arguments they had seemed forced.

Spoilers ahead:

I didn’t like some of the side characters or the engagement/cheating ex trope so the MMC finds someone else to sleep with that very same day. Weird to me.

And then mysteriously the woman he used for a night ends up working with them and makes it awkward as heck for the two main characters. It was just all over the place. The main plot however had so much potential and this could be a great book with some edits!

This book fell flat for me. It was hard to get into and never hooked me.

Thank you Burning Chair for providing me an ARC! Unfortunately, this one just isn’t for me.

NetGalley gave me this book to read and review and I am so sorry to say, I hated it. I wonder if it could have been pitched more as a physiological office drama thriller and I could have liked it? Everyone is horrible and they all make terrible decisions. I don’t like any of them.
I think the tangents are pointless. The title is “this is not an office romance” and I think it’s true. I honestly think turning this into another book would be great as you don’t have to like the characters in anything except a romance.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

What a good book! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. This is a first by this author but will not be my last! I read this in one sitting because I just couldn’t put it down.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to review this book. I was taken in by the title, I thought the cover looked fun, but I did not like this book at all.
-It felt very forced, whenever a character was having a moment they would immediately explain why they shouldn't have lashed out, which is great in theory but it gave the feeling of being spoon fed and in reality there has to be room for them to reflect and come back to the issue.
-There were times where we would drop into the POV of someone who was not one of the two MCs and it was a little confusing, I had to go back and reread these sections because I had no idea who was talking.
-Then there was the romance, it was way too fast for me and honestly didn't make sense considering they both were dealing with heavy baggage. I believe at some point Emily even says she needs to take things slow, which ultimately did not happen. Not unless I got the pacing of the book wrong and they knew each other for longer than a month.
-It was over all very cheesy, the plot with the Russians was a bit much and the ending of that issue was very much swept under the rug.
-There was also little dimension in the characters, I wish Emily had been more fleshed out considering she was supposedly a great feminist lawyer.


I gave it two stars because I could get through it easily enough, but overall this book did not do it for me.

I’ve got to admit I’ve struggled a little with this one. I wanted to like it being an enemies to lovers trope but if I’m honest I found the pace uneven and didn’t believe totally in the romance but most of all o found the characters unlikeable. Sorry!

The name of this book alone immediately caught my attention! And who doesn’t love a sexy enemies to lovers/ workplace romance?? The hardest part about this book to me were the main characters. They weren’t like-able in my opinion. Their “chemistry” was surface level and I was a bit bored halfway through.

This book started off strong and I truly had high hopes for it. The characters were smart, strong willed, interesting. Everything was well written,
I was waiting for the eventual romance between the two leads and I just didn’t feel it. Despite being told they liked one another, I just didn’t buy the chemistry. Nothing really showed me why they liked one another as much as they claimed they did, I could see why they would make a good match, but the reasons were rather boring.
Reading up to the 50% mark of the book was easy, I kept a quick pace. After that it all went down hill. I just didn’t want to finish. I managed to get myself through the end and I just couldn’t believe it. That was the most unsatisfying ending to the book. I think the end definitely needs to be smoothed out more.

*Slight spoilers*
Love?? You expect me to believe they love each other at the end. Not only that, they now want to take it to the next step. I just don’t believe it.

I had really high hopes for this book but it fell flat. The pacing was uneven, the characters were unlikeable and the plot had some weird gaps that kept leaving me confused. Maybe a better editor would help?

A cute idea for an office romance and I loved the lawyer aspect. This book was a slow burn with the two main characters becoming a couple in the last few pages but from that moment everything is very fast and super unreal. There was a bit to much back and forth between the love interests for my likeing.
The characters had emotional back storys and so much work experience that it doesn't really make sense with the way how they were described.

This book masterfully intertwines the complexities of personal trauma, professional ambition, and the unpredictable nature of romance in the high-stakes world of corporate law. The narrative follows Emily Taylor, a talented New York lawyer who has spent a year healing from a tragic accident in rural England. Now, back in the bustling heart of London, she is poised to reclaim her career at a boutique law firm, all while steadfastly avoiding any romantic entanglements.
Emily’s character is both relatable and compelling. Fox does an excellent job of portraying her internal struggle as she grapples with her past and the weight of her professional aspirations. The author’s nuanced depiction of recovery allows readers to understand Emily’s reluctance to embrace love again, making her journey not just another romantic subplot, but a profound exploration of healing and self-discovery.
Enter Jack, a charismatic yet emotionally reserved partner at the firm, who seems to have it all—a successful career and a fiancée who appears to be the perfect match. But as the story unfolds, it becomes evident that Jack’s life is more complicated than it seems. His partnership with Emily on a high-profile case gives rise to a tension that bubbles beneath the surface, drawing them together as they navigate both office politics and unresolved feelings. Fox crafts their chemistry with a delicate hand, allowing the reader to feel the push-and-pull of their relationship evolve organically.
The backdrop of the law firm provides a rich setting for the unfolding drama. The challenges they face are not just legal but deeply personal, testing their resilience and the choices they make. The business trip to Bermuda adds a delightful twist, juxtaposing the beauty of their tropical surroundings with the stormy emotions they deal with back home, encapsulating the juxtaposition of personal and professional lives in a way that feels both glamorous and relatable.
However, the true strength of this book lies in its exploration of what it means to open oneself up to love again after loss. Emily and Jack’s journey is one of rediscovery—of themselves, their desires, and the possibility of a future together despite the fears that threaten to overwhelm them. Their dynamic is a poignant reminder that while the corporate world may be unforgiving, the heart often yearns for connection, even in the most unexpected circumstances. Overall, I highly recommend this book! Eloise Fox delivers a captivating narrative that blends romance, personal growth, and the thrilling highs and lows of the legal profession. This story is an enthralling read that will resonate with anyone who has ever faced the challenge of balancing ambition with the vulnerability of the human heart.

Oh, THIS IS NOT AN OFFICE ROMANCE, I had such high hopes for you!

I love a rivals to lovers trope but this one had a few too many factors that I didn't enjoy. I found that some sections moved way too slow and others sped through without giving us much information. I also found the characters pretty unlikeable and struggled to connect with all the storylines.

Thanks to NetGalley and Burning Chair Limited for the ARC! Opinions are my own

✨NetGalley ARC Review✨

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC copy of This is NOT an Office Romance in exchange for my honest review.

Emily is a successful lawyer, who after taking some time off, returns to her beloved career and is immediately put on an embezzlement case with her office rival, Jack.

Jack is a successful lawyer in his own right but his personal life is falling apart. As Jack and Emily work this case, they realize they have more in common than they initially thought and begin a friendship. With the no dating colleagues rule, can they make their working relationship more?

If you like rivals to Lovers tropes, brief Russian Mafia storylines, and finding love after loss then I would give this book a try.

I have to be honest and say the plot was a little lacking and some things didn't make sense to me. The characters felt more like detectives than lawyers and Jack's relationship didn't seem as bad at the beginning of the story as I feel it was revealed later. Also, the junior that is added to their work team, why was she not punished for blackmailing Jack?

I think this book was lacking a bit of depth but it was a fast, easy read.

I'm not entirely certain exactly what the author was aiming for here, but I don't think it hit whatever and wherever that mark was. For being the year 2024, I was surprised to find some out of date disparaging descriptors used on behalf of the disabled community. DNF.