Kimberly Cooper Griffin’s *Accidentally in Love* delivers a heartfelt exploration of workplace dynamics, personal insecurities, and the unpredictability of love. The novel follows Nic Gallagher, a relatable protagonist with a seemingly perfect life that’s turned upside down after a career shakeup. Lee Stone, her new supervisor, is a formidable yet enigmatic presence—a woman whose ambition and frosty exterior mask layers of complexity. Their tumultuous interactions, fueled by mutual resentment and unspoken attraction, create a compelling tension that drives the story forward. Griffin masterfully weaves humor, vulnerability, and emotional growth into their journey, making readers root for their relationship despite its rocky beginnings.

What makes *Accidentally in Love* stand out is its nuanced portrayal of power dynamics and personal ambition. Griffin dives into themes of professional jealousy and emotional barriers, crafting characters who are flawed yet deeply human. The evolution of Nic and Lee’s relationship from animosity to affection is both believable and satisfying, aided by sharp dialogue and tender moments that reveal their hidden vulnerabilities. Add in the loyal presence of Nic’s sweet dog and the supportive cast of friends and family, and the story strikes a perfect balance of warmth and realism. For fans of slow-burn romance with strong, authentic leads, this novel is a delightful read that lingers long after the final page.

Kimberly Cooper Griffin is a new author to me and I can honestly say that I will be seeking out more of her work in the future.

Nic has been working in her project management role for the past 7 years but for the past couple of years she has increasingly grown to hate the job and the complete lack of recognition that she and her team are given for the successes that they have had. Meanwhile, ice queen Lee has not helped with her frosty demeanour and reputation for being a man-eater who will do whatever it takes to rise to the top. And rise to the top is what she's done in the past 7 years while Nic's career has stagnated despite her great work. When a corporate restructure takes place and shortly thereafter Nic is fired from her job her anger towards Lee begins to simmer, despite the overwhelming sense of relief that she feels being out of the nightmare work situation.

However life has other plans for these two strong but damaged individuals and they find themselves continually running into each other and Nic starts to see another softer side to Lee. However, she initially refuses to see the softer side due to her simmering anger towards the woman she believes is responsible for her termination.

Accidentally in Love is a beautiful story of overcoming ones historical baggage to find a brighter future. Despite a relatively slow start, the story increasingly sucked me in once the two women started bumping into each other during everyday life and I loved watching them build a new relationship outside of the toxic environment of their previously shared work life. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of self-discovery, forgiveness and overcoming life's challenges.

Thank you to Kimberly Cooper Griffin, NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book. I am voluntarily providing an honest review and all opinions are my own.

I liked this novel. This was an enjoyable and easy read. I had some mixed feelings, but none of the negative ones were very strong. There were some sections that felt like filler where we followed the protagonist doing mundane things that didn’t seem to add much to the novel, but overall, I thought the writing and characters were very good. I liked how the plot initially seemed very simplistic but gradually unveiled to be more nuanced and layered that it initially appeared. This novel was an (unfortunately) good depiction of some “unfortunate workplace issues”, which I can’t elaborate on without getting dinged for spoilers. I think this was a solid 4-stars; I enjoyed it, and it was good, but it won’t be a top recommendation from me.

I felt like some events of the novel happened “too easily”. The protagonist’s animosity towards to other character disappeared a little too easily for me, through not much more than just time passing and a few surface encounters. That said, the latter half of the novel did a good job of addressing this, so it somewhat balanced out overall. This was somewhat of a trend as I found the front half was lacking in several ways and then the back section retroactively picked up a lot of the slack. I was also a bit thrown by how they happened to run into each other constantly, despite it never happening previously.

There was some delightful payoff at the end of the novel (although almost too perfectly good?) which I enjoyed very much. Some elements felt a bit rushed in the ending sections, but overall the novel was satisfying and a nice read.

Bonus points for strongly demonstrating an argument for proper budgeting and maintaining an emergency fund!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.

3/5 ⭐️
I have mixed feelings about this book. The whole book was really slow, but especially the beginning. Normally I like slow burns, but this one was a bit too slow for my liking. I also didn’t fully love or related to either of the main characters. Nic was a bit too perfect and Lee was a bit too mean. I would have loved to also have a few chapters in Lee‘s pov to maybe understand her a bit better!

What I did like about this book was the communication between the two main characters. I loved how open and vulnerable they were with each other. The camping scene was also super adorable.

The ending was okay. I kinda had a feeling about the Maggie thing, so that wasn’t too surprising for me. The reveal and the conversation with Melvin felt a bit too long.

Overall, a sweet read that I would still recommend if you like slow burns.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the
ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When Nic and Lee first met they got on very well. Looking forward Nic envisioned lunch together, talking, getting to know each other but..what she never expected was the moment they signed the paper Lee act completely different.
Now Nic could barely stand Lee, she turned into a possible friend, maybe even have a little romance but Lee’s path in the company made her Nic’s boss. That didn’t bother Nic; it was the way Lee treated her.
Always ready to jump on Nic for every little problem. Now the time has come for Lee to show her power when she lays off Nic, leaving NIc without employment. Nic was smart with her money and she could last a couple of years without getting a job.
After meeting a few times around the neighborhood they realized they lived quite close to each other. One of the big draws for Lee was the fact that Nic has a dog that Lee wished could be hers.
With many misunderstandings they spent the next while feeling each other out to see if it’s possible to become friends or are they destined to remain neighbors that nod ‘hello’, that’s it.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

Kimberly Cooper Griffin delivers a captivating and heartfelt romance in Accidentally in Love, a novel that far exceeded expectations. What starts as an intriguing premise unfolds into a richly layered story, blending emotional depth with moments of irresistible passion. Griffin’s ability to balance heartfelt character development with just the right amount of spice is truly commendable.

The story begins by introducing Lee, a complex character whose guarded demeanor immediately sparks curiosity. The early chapters set the stage beautifully, allowing readers to form their own impressions while planting seeds of intrigue about Lee’s troubled past. As her story unfolds, we learn of the challenges and pain that have shaped her, making her eventual growth and vulnerability even more impactful. Enter Nic, whose warmth and authenticity contrast perfectly with Lee’s defenses. Their connection, initially complicated by the workplace dynamic (yes, Lee fires Nic early on), evolves into something profoundly transformative.

What truly elevates Accidentally in Love is its balance. The chemistry between Lee and Nic is electric, with steamy moments woven seamlessly into a narrative rich with emotional resonance. While the romantic tension keeps the pages turning, the heart of the story lies in the blossoming relationship—a journey of trust, healing, and self-discovery.

Griffin crafts a tale that is as beautiful as it is engaging, and her characters feel authentic and deeply human. Lee’s gradual unmasking and Nic’s unwavering compassion make for a romance that feels earned and deeply satisfying. This is a story not just of love, but of personal redemption and the courage to embrace vulnerability.

If you’re a fan of nuanced characters, genuine emotion, and a dash of spice that complements rather than overwhelms the plot, Accidentally in Love is a must-read. Kimberly Cooper Griffin is an author to watch, and I’ll certainly be on the lookout for her future works. Highly recommended!

A slow burn Romance from enemies to lover. This story started out slow for me but picked up in the middle. The characters had great chemistry and I enjoyed the progression of their relationship. I recommend, 4stars.

This was a slow burn romance. But,, it was nice and spicy once it picked up towards the middle. I really liked the main characters, but, felt bad for one of the characters and what she had to go through at her job because of bad bosses and dealing with very naive people. This was overall a really good read with plenty of drama and angst thrown in. I would definitely recommend this book and I look forward to what's coming next from this author.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

lee stone is the ice queen of the office with a string of broken men left behind her

nic gallagher is openly gay and very good at her job

but lee and nic though they started together at the same company their roles are about to come clashing together

for years nic has been on the receiving end of that icy star from lee and not knowing why..... so when nic is called to hr and lee is there she doesnt understand until she does and demands that lee leaves the room

nic has been let go from her job so suddenly but though she should be upset she is partly relieved.... and takes her time to think her way through her options

what she doesnt expect is to keep seeing lee and this lee is so different from the office lee that nic starts to feel things that she shouldnt ...

its an interesting storyline and one i was invested in reading to see how it would all pan out.... those steamy scenes are worthy of an oscar....

loved that ending

This book started very slow but the wait was worth to see both MC's together and the progression of their relationship along the book. They're very cute together and some of their interactions are refreshing. We can feel the chemistry along the chapters making the reader wish them to be together. The communication was so tender and vulnerable sometimes making it be adorable. A healthy relationship in which they communicate and fix their problems. Not the same can be said about their work, a toxic enviromment.

An enemies-to-lovers slow-burn romance that makes you melt on the way. So glad there isn't a third act break up.

<b>Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for gifting me with a free copy. Opinions are my own and are freely given.</b>

I think that the beginning of the book started off slow for me. I felt like the character weren’t showing much comparability to start off. I think towards the end was when I started to feel more of their chemistry between one another. I think the end was great for what it was but I would have liked to see more chemistry between the in the beginning of the book. I found it a bit hard to like Lee as a character because of her past decisions but I do love the forgiveness and compassion that Nick has for Lee. Overall I think it was a good slow burn book.

I really enjoyed this story and the twists and turns that it took. I liked the character development between the main characters, the building of their relationship going from what appeared to be hatred and tension between the two to a loving relationship. I liked that there was very little angst in their relationship, which is a rarity. It is an enjoyable ice queen melting story.

This was a really slow burn romance, but once it started, it was nice and spicy. I felt bad for poor Nic and what she had to endure at her job. Snarky bosses and dealing with homophobia was awful. I was glad when Lee’s true colors were revealed. Overall a good read with plenty of angst and romance. Writing in a dog is always a bonus.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Nic Gallagher is in a rut. No matter how hard she works she's underappreciated, and it doesn't help at all that due to company restructuring Lee Stone becomes her new supervisor. Lee, who started at the same time as her, has somehow climbed higher more quickly. Lee, with whom she shared camaraderie during orientation, has weirdly gone very cold since. It's even more annoying how attractive Lee is given how frustrating her presence has become.

When work reorganization becomes a layoff, Nic needs to figure out what she really wants to do. Maybe this will be the fresh start she needs--and maybe this will even be the fresh start she gets with Lee.

This was a fun, quick read that explored homophobic work environments and what it's like to deal with the old "boy's club". I don't mind that it's a slow burn since I usually overall prefer them.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A fun read that packs more into its pages than you’d first think. There’s commentary on homophobia in the workplace—with overcompensating behavior when not out—each person’s coming out challenges & choices, trust, work-life balance, and finding out what you really want in life while you’re already on the conveyor belt.

The two MCs are really good together and the chemistry is very much there.

For me, it started more slowly than it perhaps should do. We know Nic is going to lose her job—there are too many pages getting to that point, building up some of the initial angst between her and Lee, which is fine, but also dragging out surely the most boring of roles being a project manager and making job-board project graphics all green… yawn. I know there must be much more to the job than that, but Kimberly Cooper Griffin doesn’t show that here (perhaps in order to get past the story opening more quickly).

BUT put up with 20 pages and be sure to persevere because, until the last 20 pages, this is a 5-star read! The ending gets to where it needs to go, but again, the author allows the focus to wander to work choices, diluting the fun as the 2 girls work out their challenges and find their HEA.

Forewarned is forearmed, I hope: flawed for 40 pages (less than 20%), the rest of the pages—all the ones that really count—are super :).

Thanks to the author, to the publisher, Bold Strokes Books, and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Nic Gallagher has it all: a great job, supportive family and friends, and a sweet dog. Everything changes after an unexpected reorganization at work makes Lee Stone her supervisor.

Lee is beautiful, outstanding at her job, and has quickly catapulted to head of sales. According to the rumor mill, she’s also a bit of an ice queen who’s left a line of broken men in her rise to the top.

Nic and Lee got on well in new hire training and haven’t been able to stand each other since. Nic seethes silently as Lee gets promoted while she’s stuck at manager. That is, until she’s downsized in a strategic layoff, and her simmering anger finally burns openly.

The beginning of this was on the slow side, but once you get into the story and the characters interact more, it gets better. I really like Lee, maybe because she is a lot like me (except I don't have any sexy women at my job)! Overall enjoyable read after you get past the slow start!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

I’ve enjoyed several of the author’s previous books, my favorite being, ‘Can’t Leave Love' (Oct 2021). I love the cover for ‘Accidentally in Love’. It is eye-catching and looks like the descriptions of the characters. Since it is revealed in the blurb this starts as a workplace romance. Nic Gallagher and Lee Stone start working at the same time for the same large company. Lee has moved more effortlessly up the corporate ladder. Nic is very good at her job as a project manager but hasn’t been given the recognition she feels she has earned. Her team loves her of course. It isn’t until Nic loses her job in a corporate shuffle that her path crosses much with Lee. Now she can’t go to the coffee shop or the beach without running into her.

Lee is the ice queen in the corporate world, but outside of it she is caring and fun. She has talent as an artist and friends in that world. I love the pair getting to know one another. I struggled with the book’s resolution of their workplace dynamic. The book highlights how seemingly progressive companies can still be toxic old boys networks. But I’m not sure Lee’s explanation of her actions actually redeems her or acknowledges her part in how Nic felt in her job. And while she wasn’t the one that blocked Nic’s advancement, she was part of the problem being her new manager when Nic is let go.

I love happy endings and like where this ends up. I also like side characters like Rachel and Flannery. But some of the middle plot, the various volunteering, seems like filler. It is something to do while creating another way for the pair to run into each other. The story is enjoyable even if it wasn’t a slam dunk for me. (3.5 Stars)

Chemistry! These women have it. I was flipping those pages waiting and hoping for them to get together. I didn’t fully understand their work animosity - that felt contrived to make Lee meaner than she was, and I thought a lot could have been trimmed generally but the romance itself I really enjoyed. They had great communication and were able to be vulnerable with each other in a beautiful way.

Short summary: Nic can’t figure out why beautiful Lee is so rude to her at work, but she refuses to confront her and none of it matters when she’s laid off unceremoniously. Except she keeps running into Lee, who doesn’t seem to hate her at all…

Thanks to Bold Strokes Books and Netgalley. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Two characters start as friends at a new job but Lee is in the closet so develops an Ice queen persona to keep Nic at a safe distance. Then after Nic is let go they keep running into each other and feelings start to develop, but can Nic get past the Ice Queen persona? The more they get to know each other the more the politics from the job are found out. As well as the true feeling they had for each other. I am very glad the bonus' came back up as that was something I wanted to know about.T he blurb does state there is a lay off but I really thought we would get more of a working relationship then 20 percent. A good beginning of the book we don't get much interaction between the characters.

wow, this book couldn't have come at a better time.

accidentally in love follows two women, nic and lee, who start their careers at a massive telecom company. as they climb the ranks, their friendship gradually fades: lee becomes a sales head who constantly criticizes nic's work, while nic takes on a project manager role, both proving exceptional in their fields. tensions escalate when nic is suddenly "laid off" by the company.

it's a classic rivals-to-lovers story set in the workplace, and though i was initially hesitant to read it, given my own workplace issues, i ended up loving this trope! apparently, i can't stand workplace drama when it's happening to me, but i love it in my sapphic books. lmao.

one of the major conflicts in the story centers around the hypocrisy of supposedly "supportive" work environments. nic is drawn to oceantel by its reputation as a progressive, inclusive company. however, as in real life, this is mostly lip service. instead of a safe and supportive workplace, nic finds an environment riddled with racism, homophobia, and toxic behavior. i related to this on a personal level, as i, too, work for a company that claims to be inclusive but won't even let me use my preferred name in my google account. how do i get them to read this book?

as for the main characters, i think the pacing of their relationship was perfect. they go from friends to rivals to barely tolerating each other, back to friends, and finally to lovers. each phase is given enough space for both characters to work through their own emotions. unlike most romance novels, there’s a strong sense of communication between them, which means no third-act breakup, and i found that so refreshing.


one aspect that kept me from fully enjoying the book was the lack of variety in the narrative voice. nic is the sole pov, but her narration often blends too much with the dialogues and lacks enough emotional nuance to highlight the story’s most pivotal moments. this made it harder to connect deeply with the characters.



overall, i’d still recommend accidentally in love to anyone looking for a well-paced workplace romance. despite its minor flaws, it’s a chill, engaging read with relatable characters and a satisfying arc.


thank you, @netgalley and @boldstrokesbooks, for the e-arc. 🩷

3.5/5 ⭐