This was a story about Hannah an assistant regional manager for a Bourbon manufacturer. She goes to a small town in Washington state to make sales calls on restaurants and bars. She meets Alex in a bar on her first night in town. Alex is a small batch local bourbon distiller. Her bourbon has won many awards and is a top notch product. Hannah and Alex have an instant connection, and both find themselves wanting to know each other more. Hannah is all about her goal to become CEO of her company and wants no emotional entanglements, she's only interested in one night stands. Alex is just the opposite, she's overworked with her small business but content in her life and definitely not into any short term relationship.

Alex's best friend Beth is a super needy woman who is dying for a long term relationship, but every woman she sleeps with blows her off after one date. She is constantly asking Alex to help her out emotionally and has no regard for Alex's time or emotions.

This is my first book by Ana Hartnett, I liked the writing style and the storytelling. It was a short book but the emotions between Hannah and Alex were well done and seemed realistic to me. I liked both characters. Beth was a total loser and I couldn't stand her selfishness and how she almost ruined Alex's life.

Thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I’ve read all of Hartnett’s previous books and gladly picked up this novel. Hannah Carver works for a large liquor brand and is based in CA. She is sent to the northwest to prove her sales ability yet again for her next overdue promotion. Her base is a small town and she meets Alexandra Lang her first night at the bar. There is some flirting going nowhere till their paths cross again. Turns out that Alex owns and runs her own small distillery. She is almost at maximum capacity and unsure who to take it to the next level. Both women have been work driven and come from different backgrounds.

I like their interaction and the big misunderstanding that you know is going to blow up. I like Alex’s rules including her nothing happening on a first date. But I honestly didn’t feel that I knew either as well as I usually do in a romance. I like the resolution and appreciate how much it tries to tie up things. But it felt rushed, just like the connection between the pair. If you like insta attraction and feelings this book really works. (3.5 Stars)

Ana Hartnett’s *The Hard Stuff* is a delightful blend of fierce competition, slow-burning romance, and small-town charm. Hannah is determined to climb the corporate ladder, but standing in her way is Alexandra, a dedicated craft distiller with a deep connection to her hometown and late father’s legacy. Their rivalry ignites from the start, filled with witty banter, stubborn clashes, and undeniable chemistry. Hartnett masterfully balances the tension between ambition and attraction, crafting two strong-willed protagonists whose opposing worlds make for an electric dynamic.

It's an enjoyable read and the way it weaves personal growth into its rivals-to-lovers romance makes for a engaging story. As Hannah fights for her career and Alexandra fiercely defends her family’s passion project, both women must confront their own desires and reevaluate what success truly means. Their journey from adversaries to something much more is filled with humor, heart, and plenty of heat, making this novel both compelling and deeply satisfying. With its rich setting, well-drawn characters, and a romance as intoxicating as the liquor they battle over, *The Hard Stuff* is a must-read for fans of workplace and small-town romances alike.

Good book. Characters were well developed. The writing was very smooth and made the story easy to follow. The main characters were fun to get to know and the rivalry was not to intense, it was just enough to make this an even better read. This is a low angst book, that has a light romantic element to it. I would recommend this to my friends and family, and I look forward to what's next from this author.

This was a fun read. The rivalry between Hannah and Alex crackles created the perfect mix of tension, banter, and unexpected attraction. The small-town setting adds charm, and both characters have aspirations that make their journey feel authentic. While the romance builds nicely, I would’ve loved even more depth in their emotional connection and some more of that competing spirit the blurb promised Still, this a great read for anyone who loves a good rivals-to-lovers story with plenty of heart.

This is a wonderful well written heartfelt sweet romance that's low angst and enjoyable. I loved the chemistry between both MC as it was believable and relatable. I recommend


Thanks to the publisher Bold Strokes Books , NetGalley and the author Ana Hartnett

I liked the start. Could see the plot bumps coming, as we were meant to. This added a tension and was well done. I love that Alex has a best friend that’s not perfect, and we see her imperfections clearly when she is getting it on with the other main (nothing back stabby!). The writer has told us about the secondary character, is showing us the secondary character and I like the subtlety of everything. I’m just under 40% in and loving the pacing and plotting. Pacing slipped for me slightly coming up to 60%. I was waiting for the plot bomb with the best friend to explode. The rest is going nicely along so the pacing slip is more “over ready” for THAT to happen than nothing in the plot happening. The mains are getting to know each other, and how much they have in common, well.
Oooh I like the plot move with the third wheel….. that isn’t really known as the third wheel…… Avoiding spoilers is hard stuff! Wow just after typing that, and continuing reading, the plot move was a plot explosion! I liked the explosion and neat resolution. 3.5 but I am torn whether to round up! Up to 60%, deffo up, slight stutter in pacing (for me) then the plot explosion puts it up to 4…… which was a longer section than the stutter but I didn’t really love some of the physically intimate scenes…. So deffo a 3.5. Not rounded up….but maybe I should have?

Thank you to NetGalley, Bold Strokes Books, and Ana Hartnett for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. I have been a fan of Hartnett's work since reading books in The Alder Series, so I was excited to see another new book by the author.

The characters in this book are established in their careers, but of course have had relationship issues in the past. I liked how both are firmly established with their emotional expectations and boundaries, but it turns out that they have to let some walls down in order for this relationship to develop. While the pace of the issue resolution was a bit faster and simpler than what I would have expected (at least if this was real life), I enjoyed the ride. This book also made me want to visit a local distillery pronto, especially if a female is the head of it.

This was my first book by Ana Hartnett. It was a sweet romance, low angst, and understandable. However, it wasn't necessary. The timeframe for the reconciliation was timely. I respected how it was done.
I enjoyed the secondary characters. They were necessary for the characters to have growth.
The chemistry was noticeably charged on the first meeting. The MCs bond continued to grow.
I will continue to follow this author and look forward to more books in the future.

This is an engaging and enjoyable workplace-adjacent romance story, following Alexandra, a small local distiller, and Hannah, a sales rep who comes to town working for a competing larger corporation. Drama ensues - both in and out of their control, and Hartnett does a great job of conveying the conflicting emotions of all of the characters involved. All of the characters had their own arc and personal growth to go through, perhaps setting us up for another book in this universe (maybe? Wishful thinking?)? There was a ton of information coming from both main characters about bourbon and its production, etc. which, as both of their jobs (and with them both having workaholic tendencies), makes sense, though it was a bit much for someone not passionate about it. Though the end felt a touch rushed, this was overall a solid read.

3.75 stars... I have conflicted thoughts about The Hard Stuff. I really liked the writing style and the story building. I was really into it up until about 80% of the novel. The tension building between Alex and Hannah (and Beth) was delicious and I just waited when and how it all was going to blow up. I don't like how Hannah handled things with Alex but it served the story.

I feel like Hannah's storyline from Taylor's arrival onwards was too rushed. There should have been more and at slower pace. My pet peeve is timeline and pacing problems. Hannah's life changes came too quickly and the finale (epilogue) was oddly minimal for it to take place after a year.

All in all, if I let some things slide, I liked the romance itself. The writing is pleasant and it was refined. I'm new to author's work but will definitely check out previous work in the future.

I enjoyed the book, the information on bourbon was abit much for me personally but I did learn something.

My only issue with the book was the flow, I felt like it was quite a good pace and then all of a sudden it went really fast a lot seemed to happen in such a short amount of time, I’d of wanted more about them opening up but maybe a book 2?

Overall it was enjoyable to read.

Ana Hartnett’s The Hard Stuff is an engaging and well-crafted workplace romance that blends ambition, desire, and personal growth. The novel follows Hannah, a determined professional striving for a long-awaited promotion, only to find her path complicated by Alexandra—her competition and unexpected romantic interest. What unfolds is a dynamic and tension-filled story about career aspirations colliding with undeniable chemistry.

Hartnett does an excellent job of capturing the emotional and professional stakes at play. Hannah’s internal conflict is relatable—torn between her career ambitions and the unfamiliar feelings she develops for Alex. The push-and-pull dynamic between them adds depth to the romance, creating moments of tension, vulnerability, and passion.

While the story is well-paced and engaging, there are moments where the emotional connection between the characters could have been further explored. A deeper dive into their relationship dynamics and personal backstories might have elevated the novel’s emotional weight. However, the romance remains compelling, and the execution of the plot keeps readers invested.

Overall, The Hard Stuff is a solid workplace romance that delivers on tension, personal conflict, and slow-burning attraction. It’s a great pick for readers who enjoy a mix of career-driven drama and romantic intrigue, even if they might wish for a bit more depth in character connection.

Hannah Carver, an assistant regional sales director for Salish Spirits, is gunning for a promotion that would allow her to continue her career ladder climb towards CEO one day soon. She was sent to the small town of Mountain Gap to promote the company’s bourbon, Locality. There she meets Alexandra Lang, owner and distiller of the local bourbon. The nature of their jobs makes them rivals in their field. However, the spark that they share, would it mean more than the competition that is between them?

This was a great rid. I loved their initial meeting and obvious attraction between the two MCs. Both MCs are likeable and very real. I especially like Alex and the person she is. I could feel how much they liked each other and it they showed it. There is also humor in the story and witty banter between them. The story is told from both pov which is great and what I usually like.

What I didn’t really like was Alex’s best friend Beth, who came across selfish and needy and clingy. Her character was not a great one and was rather cringey. Hannah’s best friend Taylor was not great either but heaps better than Beth.

Loved the romance. Loved the setting. Highly recommend this book.

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.


Hannah is very career focus that she comes off as a robot when she meets Alexandra who is the local bourbon distiller when she assigned for a two month assignment to get locality bourbon into more bars and liquor stores since she wants to be CEO. Hannah and Alex don’t know at first they are in competition and Hannah is thrown on how Alex makes her feel I love how they get to know each other my favorite scene is in the bench the author does a good job going into the details about how to make bourbon and whiskey.

I am a bit conflicted about this one. As usual, Hartnett's writing is smooth, and the chemistry is sizzling from the first scene. I liked every interaction between Alex and Hannah, my favorite being the third one on the bench. Hannah becoming more vulnerable and turning from a "goals robot" to a human with Alex's help was really enjoyable. We can also sense Hartnett's passion in the details (maybe too many) on how to make bourbon and whiskey, making it immersive. However, some details prevented me from being 100% invested. The relationship's start was a bit slow for my taste. By the 35% mark, Hannah spent more time with Beth than Alex, and the short duration of their interactions made me question the intensity of their feelings.At that point, no real deep talk connected them, their passion about bourbon aside. I was a bit frustrated. To me, Hartnett also didn't take enough time developing how that small town impacted Hanna's well-being, making her want to throw her whole life away. The book is quite short, so everything happened too fast for my taste. It's probably because this book describes a form of love at first sight that the joy killer in me can't really understand.

Finally, Beth's character was just too despicable for me; her relationship with Alex was toeing the line of toxic friendship, and her getting a happy ending was unearned. In the end, Alex was the only one I truly liked.

To summarize, I love Hartnett's writing, but this book just didn't work for me.

The Hard Stuff was a wonderful read by Ana Hartnett. The story features ambitious, goals oriented Hannah who is a representative for a large liquor distributor in the Pacific Northwest. Her boss sends her from Los Angeles to Mountain Gap, Washington, for a two month assignment to get Locality bourbon into more bars and liquor stores. Since she wants to be the CEO of the company she agrees to the assignment.

Hannah meets local bourbon distiller, Alexandra Lang, early during her assignment and they click. However, they are really competition in the bourbon world. Things get complicated when Hannah initially feels some strong feelings for Alex that force her in a different direction. The story unfolds about how they and other people are impacted.

This book was well written, I enjoyed both main characters, and I learned a wealth of information about bourbon and distilling. There is also solid humor and some steamy scenes in the mix.

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this.
Hannah is looking for promotion when she is sent to Mountain Gap to sell the company's bourbon.
Mountain Gap is home to a successful but small distillery making bourbon, run by Alex.
Whilst there is sure to be a clash there - initially when they know nothing about each other there is only attraction. Relationships are not in Hannah's plan for her life goals - she just wants to be the CEO. But then in walks Alex.
There is also humour, and lots of information about bourbon and the distilling process. Which is fascinating. And I don't even like bourbon. So much research - I always appreciate research.

There is of course an epilogue.
Everyone is happy with the path they eventually chose.

There is a lot of cold, wintry weather in this book - the story could be happening now and provides a welcome escape from reality at present.

I received a free ARC of this book via NetGalley and leave a review voluntarily.

I loved Hartnett's changing major series and this book was the first stand alone book I've read by her and it was enjoyable.

Hannah is a rep for the biggest liquor brands in the Northwest and her career is her priority, nothing else until she meets Alexandra Lang, a small business distiller in her small town.

They are both similar in their drive to be successful, and the competitiveness was written very well. Hartnett writes such witty banter and compassion with great back stories and multi layered MCs. A wonderful read, by a fantastic author and I look forward to her next book.

Only downfall for me was the excessive details on bourbon production and tasting that it took away from the story, but I could tell Hartnett obviously did her research.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the flow and the love story in the book. However, I think that perhaps too many details on bourbon production and tasting to be a fully enjoyable read. I love to do wine tasting and I am a chemist, so it is not that I do not follow the descriptions, but it is like half of the book and way too little about the MC's and the story. It would have been nice to instead get more about their backstory.