Main characters are Nova and Charlie. She’s a marketing consultant, he’s a rich guy who’s bad at people. They fake date. It’s very cute, low-stakes stuff. The book is mostly their alternating perspectives, so you get inside both their heads a lot. I thought Charlie’s social anxiety was written in a way that felt genuine, not just a quirky character trait. Nova’s the one who pushes their relationship forward, which I appreciated.
Hold up, I actually had a bit of a different read on the mains in that one. Sure, Nova and Charlie are the central couple, but I’d argue Dane, Charlie’s driver/bodyguard/unofficial friend, is almost a main character too. He has so many of the best deadpan lines and acts as this weirdly insightful sounding board. The book spends a fair amount of time on their trio dynamic during the road trip parts, and Dane’s presence highlights different sides of Charlie.
Nova’s great—she’s got this big personality but isn’t just ‘manic pixie dream girl’ energy; she has her own business stress and exhaustion. Charlie’s internal monologue is a trip, all anxious and over-analytical. Their romance works because they both feel like real adults with real hangups, not just plot devices.
Okay, so I think you mean 'Business Casual' by B.K. Borison, which is the second book in the 'Lovelight Farms' series. The two leads are Nova Porter and Charlie Milford. Nova works in marketing and is this really creative, confident force of nature who’s kind of over the whole dating scene. Charlie is the quiet, grumpy venture capitalist who shows up to potentially invest in her friend's farm. Their dynamic is basically sunshine-meets-grump, but both are actually pretty awkward and sweet in their own ways.
They have this fake dating setup for a wedding that goes predictably off the rails. What I liked is that Charlie isn't just a stereotypical brooding hero—he’s genuinely shy and struggles with social anxiety, which makes his efforts to connect with Nova feel more meaningful. The supporting cast from the first book, like Stella and Luka, are around too, but the story really belongs to Nova and Charlie figuring out how to be vulnerable with each other.
2026-07-14 19:41:47
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Beauty and the Billionaire
C.M. LOUDEN
10
9.3K
In exchange for a modeling career and wanting to chase her dreams, Beauty Acuesta agreed to substitute her sister as a secretary at Monde Corporation. However, she soon realizes the job is not as easy as she thought, and the office work is quite chaotic.
Fresh from a cheating breakup, Beauty realizes she missed out on many opportunities due to her ex. Beauty then unexpectedly encounters Drew Mondragon, the man who rescued her from hell that night, not realizing his true identity as her sister's boss, the CEO, and owner of Monde Corporation.
Drew Mondragon, a member of the Royal Mondragon family, is a billionaire known for his short temper and perfectionism, tempered by his kind heart.
When his secretary filed for an extended leave, a substitute was provided, and her name was Beauty.
Drew had met Beauty before, and that night was unforgettable. Beauty had captured Drew's heart.
Shockingly, Beauty is a headache! She's obviously out of Drew's standard, but somehow, Drew wants to keep and protect her. And whenever they get close together at work, the intense attraction between them escalates like fireworks.
Beauty dreams of becoming a supermodel, and Drew wants Beauty to be his wife.
One heart desires to chase a dream, while the other craves a family. Can love conquer ambition? Or will the Billionaire be able to keep his Beauty forever?
Matured content 18+
This is under The Mondragon Billionaire's Boys Club, a stand-alone series.
C.M. LOUDEN
Twenty-two years old, Aurora Torres suddenly disappeared when she learned that her father made an agreement that was against her will. She had a simple life away from her parents, but after two years of being separated from them, she was forced to return because her father needed her help.
Upon her return, she openly accepted the wedding arrangement of a stranger named, Damien Harrison.
Even before their marriage, they both agreed to make a rule— their marriage was only up to a piece of the paper.
Will Aurora and Damien's business marriage last for a lifetime? Or will they end up never falling in love with each other?
Faith McChrystal
My mom taught me one important thing "Never trust anyone because they all leave when they're are done sucking you dry" And yes, that's how I ended up being a 24 year old single woman with no boyfriend, no girlfriend, no bestfriend but a shitty job and apartment.
Life was normal until I found the job at C&S Clothing as the executive assistant. It's not a problem to work for a gay couple right?
The problem is when the two sinister hot-as-hell bosses are the epitome of every fantasy you've had. Jared Scott and Hardin Calu were going to take me to an early grave.
Hardin Calu
I HATE WOMEN. I hate every fucking thing about them. That's why I was married to one and only man I had in my life. Jared! He was everything one could pray for. He saved me from my old self and turned me to a loving person. But fuck me, I was still cold and hard as ice. Everything that involved women made my skin crawl painfully. Their rosy scents and gloss-smeared lips, their tied skirts and slutty suits, fucking everything about them was a reminder of what happened. What made me scared.
Until the little Faith McChrystal walked into that office.
Jared Scott.
Money! Power! A good marriage! I had it all. Life was beautiful with my man. Hardin Calu! He was a loving husband who'd wake me up with breakfast, and a kiss on my head, who'd kiss every pain away. Who made me see the world differently. I was complete with him. Or so I thought!
Because a fucking nerdy chick walked into our office for interview and turned everything upside down!
"It's wrong," Evans said boldly.
"What?" Adrian asked, his face filled with a still coldness.
Evans wondered if he was making the mistake of his life, but he continued. "The numbers. It's wrong."
"Explain," Adrian spoke.
Evans cleared his throat, straightened up and walked to the large screen. Then began highlighting everything.
When he was done. he expected an applause for saving them from a $300 million debt but instead they gave him the stone glaze.
And the one word he never thought he would hear in his life. "Mr. Carter. You're fired."
Evan blinked. This was his first day in the job and he was already losing it.
Refusing to go down easily, he spoke his mind. his boss, hovering tall against him. Shaking, he held his stand.
But there was one thing Evans wasn't prepared for. The crazy ordeal that would change his "Fired" to "You're coming with me."
And worse, he had to witness his correction ruin the engagement ceremony of his boss and fiancée.
If that wasn't enough, Evans found himself falling for his boss. But, Adrian was as straight as an arrow — right?
Or So he thought.
How will their explosive chemistry click? Read on to find out!
The story of two completely different people where one is cold hearted and void of emotions while the other is hot tempered and really rude.Andrian Carter is a rich business tycoon that has everything at his beck and call. He's a billionaire at the young age of 20.There's nothing he hates as much as he hates commoners and females in this world. He believes commoners are ill fated people who don't deserve to exist in the world of the rich and he believes females are too weak to exist in this world.Skylar Brandon is that cold hearted human that behaves like she doesn't have feelings but deep down she's really soft-hearted. She lost her parents at a tender age and is left with the responsibility of taking care of her younger sister on her own. She's really skillful in taekwando and judo because she practices a lot and watch a lot of movies that has to do with that.Things became hard for Skylar when she was sacked from her place of work because she refused to have s*x with a customer.She's left with no other choice than to go job hunting with her high school results in order to take care of her younger sister. She happened to come across a vacancy at Andrian's company but her qualifications were not good enough. Andrian picks interest in her and decided to make her his personal chef and P. A. What happens when Andrian is to get married within three months when he doesn't even has a girlfriend? He decides to go into a contract marriage with Skylar seeing she's the best option for him but will he be able to put up with her behaviour?Find out in this intriguing story.️ Tricia
Louisa Tomkins, CEO of company Tomkins House. She is the most successful businesswomen in town. At the age of 22, Louisa lost her parents which made her cold and untouchable. With that, she has led the company to another peak. Louisa is the kind of woman you would never imagine to get married, or hell to even fall in love with. Then everything changed when she met Henry Stiles, the cheerful, always smiling bodyguard. Henry entered her life like sunlight shining into dark shadows, and brought Louisa into a life she never imagined before. However, while she's busy enjoying fall in love, the biggest dark secret in Louisa's life is waiting to haunt her. Will Louisa keep Henry forever with her? Or will Henry let Louisa go? Figure out in Miss CEO's Bodyguard.
The protagonist in 'Business Casual' is Alex Carter, a mid-level marketing executive who's way too smart for his own good. He's got that classic mix of ambition and self-doubt that makes him relatable—constantly second-guessing whether he's climbing the corporate ladder or just falling face-first into office politics. What makes Alex stand out is his sharp observational humor; he narrates the absurdities of corporate life like a stand-up comedian trapped in a boardroom. His journey starts when he accidentally forwards a brutally honest email to the entire company, triggering a chain reaction that forces him to either play the game better than the suits or burn the whole system down. The beauty of Alex is how he straddles that line between wanting to succeed within the system while secretly fantasizing about sabotaging it.
I see that 'Business Casual' is the fourth book in Chloe Liese's Bergman Brothers series. It centers on Freya Bergman, a fiercely independent animator who lives with chronic pain, and Leo, a charming but emotionally reserved businessman who has secretly had feelings for her for years. Their story kicks off with a fake dating arrangement when Freya needs a date for a high-profile industry event and Leo volunteers. The plot really delves into the contrast between their public personas and private vulnerabilities, especially as they navigate his workaholic tendencies and her need to manage her energy and pain levels.
It's less about boardroom drama and more about how two people with very different approaches to life and love learn to build something real. The charm for me came from watching Leo, who presents this 'business casual' front to the world, slowly learning to be emotionally available, while Freya has to confront her fears of being a burden because of her health. The chronic illness representation felt thoughtfully handled, not just a plot device. I finished it in a weekend because I was so invested in seeing how they'd finally get past their own walls.
Can't say I've ever come across a book by that exact title. Searched a few places after seeing this question and nada. Could be a typo? Sometimes folks mix up 'Business Casual' by Lauren Asher, which is on Kindle Unlimited, with something else.
Honestly, if it's a niche or indie romance, your best shot is to check the author's socials directly. A lot of these writers use newsletters or link trees for their ebooks, or they might be in a collection. I've found stuff that way when Amazon's search failed me.
I read 'Business Casual' after seeing it mentioned a few times on romance forums. I think its value totally depends on what you're looking for. If you're in it for a hyper-realistic, detail-heavy portrayal of corporate strategy, you'll probably be disappointed—the business setting is more of a stylish backdrop for the enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Nova and Charlie.
That said, for fans of office romance tropes with some witty banter, it absolutely delivers. The tension is fun, and Borison nails the feeling of a high-stakes professional environment colliding with personal attraction. It’s a comfort read with a bit of a glossy sheen over the actual business parts. I breezed through it in a weekend and didn't regret the time spent.
Just don't go in expecting a Michael Lewis book with kissing. It's a romance novel first, and the business fan angle is more about enjoying the power suits and boardroom politics as set dressing for the central relationship.