Love Laugh Lich by Kate Prior

3 Star

Some people have monsters for a boss, but not everyone has an undead Necromancer Lord at the office.

Lily has been the Lich's secretary ever since his evilness took over the company. She loves her job, but she's got some questions about her boss. Like what's under that cloak of ever-billowing.

Her wondering intensifies when one day the Lich needs something from her that isn't just scheduling appointments-- but a shiver. He needs it for a spell, but it feels like it crosses a line from their usual workplace banter.

After her contributions to his dark rituals become more than OSHA compliant, she starts to contemplate whether the Lich Lord returns her feelings, or still only sees her as his secretary. Lily may have given him her body, but he never asked for her heart.

Another quick and easy read. It is a story that makes me want more information. I needed more world and character building because I have questions about how the world is run. It is a very well written monster love story that has some very interesting smexy scenes. I enjoyed the writing enough to not care about any of the issues and will be checking out other books.

Book 1 Claws and Cubicles

Amazon 

Strictly the Worst by Carrie Elks

3 Stars

Linc Salinger and I have nothing in common. He’s a smooth PR executive; I’m his disciplined office rival.

And he’s just stolen the project I’ve been working on for months.

After tough negotiation I manage to bargain my way back on, but there’s a catch. We have to travel to a tropical island and present to the client together.

Sharing a beach cottage with only one bed, we plan to stay professional. But the island's magic starts to thaw our animosity, sparking unexpected chemistry. Every laugh and touch intensifies our connection.

It’s obvious there’s no future between us.

He’s a confirmed player. And I’m a single mom with a teenage daughter and a home that’s falling down around us.

So I make a bargain with myself. A few nights of pleasure in paradise and then we’ll head back to New York and pretend this never happened.

We can go back to being at each other's throats the way we always have.

The only problem is, Linc doesn’t seem to get the office memo…

 

This was my least favorite book by this author. It was cute and I liked Linc and Tessa. I just really struggled with the overall story. Linc deserved a better story.

Book 5 The Salinger Brothers

Amazon 

 

Check and Chase by Claire St. James

3.5 Stars

CHASE MITCHELL 

He's hockey's golden boy with a reputation both on and off the ice. When a brutal knee injury threatens his shot at the Cup, his comeback depends on one person: his rival's little sister—the last woman he should want.

EMMA ANDERSON 

She walked away from skating after a career-ending injury crushed her Olympic dreams. Now she's back as the Bears' physical therapist, ready to face her cheating ex—but not ready for Chase Mitchell.

Especially when he makes her an offer: fake date him to keep his obsessive ex away, and in return, he'll help her get revenge on hers.

Their on-camera chemistry was supposed to be pretend. But when the cameras stop rolling, the heat between them is anything but.

Someone's bound to get hurt.

And in this game, love isn't just risky—it's a full-contact sport.

This was a cute story. I loved Emma and Chase together. I hated that she was forced out of the team because of lies. I am still curious how that would all end up playing out. She hangs with her partner and his team while working for another team. It’s fiction so I am overthinking it but it does make me wonder.

Book 1 Breakaway Series

Amazon 

Not Safe for Work by Nisha J Tuli

3 Stars

Two workplace enemies find themselves in close proximity on a tropical company retreat that challenges their assumptions—and just might make them to fall for each other—in this romcom by a beloved TikTok author.

Engineer Trishara Malik once dreamed of being the first woman of color to smash the glass ceiling at WMC Purcell, but after years of dealing with white male privilege and blatant nepotism, she watches her hard-earned promotion go to her nemesis, Rafe Gallagher—the boss’s son. Teetering on the edge of burnout, Tris is stunned when she’s picked to attend WMC's corporate leadership retreat in Hawaii. It’s a chance to revive her stalled career and compete for a coveted spot in an executive training program—plus, three weeks in paradise! The only downside? Rafe is her co-attendee.

Tris plans to avoid Rafe entirely, but when she arrives in Maui, a booking error has them stuck sharing the honeymoon suite. Sure, it’s not all torture. Rafe is a smoldering ten—okay fine, an eleven—but after years of competition, they can barely stand being in the same time zone. As they vie against each other during aptitude tests and team-building exercises, Tris begins to realize Rafe might not be the villain after all. With her dreams at stake, can she learn to trust the man who might have been standing in her corner all along?

This was a cute read. I loved Tris and Rafe’s story. Their banter made the book enjoyable. The workplace harassment was so frustrating and how it was handled was even worse but accurate to real life.

Amazon 

The Orc from the Office (Claws & Cubicles, #2) by Kate Prior

 

3 Star

Janice has a massive oops in the office and mate bonds her co-worker Khent from the IT Department. HR gives her the option to stay away from Khent or to fully mate him. She’s sure they should stay apart but when she starts looking at inappropriate content at work which brings her back into contact with Khent and she’s not sure she wants to walk away from him.

This was an interesting story. I enjoyed it but there wasn’t much too it. I want more from this author and this series. Janice did irritate me a bit as she wanted Khent but kept doing the I want you but I don’t. Considering how short of a story it was it went on way too long. It was cute, funny, short, and quick to read.

Book 2 Claws and Cubicles

Amazon