How to Kiss Your Grumpy Boss by Jenny Proctor, A Sweet Romantic Comedy About a Divorced Grouch and a Single Mom
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary advanced reader e-copy of this book from the author. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review. Also, this blog post includes affiliate links. You can view my affiliate disclaimer here.
Perry Hawthorne is my boss. Only my boss. And I do NOT have a crush.
When one of THE Hawthorne brothers—known by their chiseled jawlines and their family-run farm and event center—hires me to be his virtual assistant, I do everything I can to keep him firmly in the work zone.
His grumpy demeanor helps.
His smoking hot profile picture does not.
But even if I do have a crush (a very tiny one), I can’t catch real feelings for a million different reasons.
Besides the whole business part of our relationship, I’m a single mom. I have to think about what’s best for my son, Jack. And my grumpy, divorced, humorless boss isn’t exactly giving me “ready to be a stepdad” vibes.
When Perry upgrades me from virtual to in-person assistant, I wonder if I’ve gotten him all wrong. He’s actually pretty great with Jack. And with me? Let’s just say the chemistry crackling between us might vaporize all my reasons for keeping my distance.
Trouble is, after his messy divorce, I’m not sure Perry’s ready to bet on a new relationship. But it isn’t just my heart that’s on the line. It’s Jack’s, too. And after everything we went through before my husband died, I’m not sure that’s a gamble I’m ready to take, no matter how desperate Jack is for a daddy.
How to Kiss Your Grumpy Boss is a sweet romantic comedy with all the sizzling kisses you want in a closed-door romance but no explicit scenes.
MY REVIEW: ★★★★/5
Buttercupping, Buttercup! How to Kiss Your Grumpy Boss is clean, sweet, charming and downright adorable! From the Appalachian mountain setting on a destination farm venue to the relatable, lovable main characters, Jenny Proctor delivers a cute romance that is thoroughly enjoyable.
HIGHLIGHTS:
A Divorcee With a Grouchy Old Man Complex · An Extrovert Single Mom · Sweet Family Dynamic · A Posh Farm Setting in the Mountains · Apple Puns! · A Shared Hotel Room · A Manipulative Ex-Wife · A Pig with a (Imagined?) Vendetta
From the first chapter, Proctor had me giggling my way through the introduction of main character, Perry Hawthorne's, life. Perry is the kind of guy who's been burned in the past and readers can sense right away that his grouchy, irritable exterior is just a cover up for the softy he really is inside. Regardless, his grumpy-boss antics make this story entertaining. Lila, an easy-going single mom who's sacrificed her dreams for the sake of her five year old son, finds herself working for Perry and makes it her mission to see the man smile. Her backstory was a little sad and yet, still relatable. I enjoyed the fact that she was a curvy, independent woman who accepted herself and still struggled some with self-acceptance and body image. I also loved how well Perry loved and supported her, showing his true character.
The apple puns and quirky banter in the story kept me smiling and the story moved at a great pace, making this an easy read. I enjoyed all of the characters and the camaraderie between the Hawthorne brothers. The fact that both Perry and Lila struggled a bit with confidence made them relatable. Their romance was a little slow burn, but I liked it nonetheless.
Content Notes For This Book (Not the entire series):
Romance: Clean - detailed kissing, touches and embraces, a shared bed (clothed, sleeping only)
Profanity: None unless you count Buttercupping Buttercup (must read to understand!)
Violence: None
Negative: None
Spiritual: None
Alcohol: Some alcohol consumption, several scenes surrounding drinks.
Potential Triggers: Verbal abuse, toxic relationship, divorce (very mild, mentioned in passing).
Summary:
In comparison to other books I’ve read by this author, this one read more sweet and charming than laugh-out-loud hilarious, but I liked it regardless. Can’t wait for the next Hawthorne brother installment in this series! A solid 4 star recommendation from me.
