ThornFrom the first time I played army as a kid, the military has been my life. As an Airborne Major, I’d led my men through two tours in Afghanistan. But when my father was elected president, I became an even greater target for the enemy—a prize for someone to take out. To ensure not only the safety of myself, but of my men, I got stripped of my cammies, shoved into an Armani suit, and placed … placed into a management position at my father’s company. After years of trekking through the desert with an assault rifle, I was way out of my area of expertise, which my transition coordinator was more than happy to let me know on a daily, if not hourly basis. The brunette bombshell would be the death of me in more ways than one, especially since I hadn’t been with a woman since my last deployment. She’s turning out to be one of the greatest foes I’ve ever done battle with.
Isabel
In the backwoods Georgia town I was born in, you either married right out of high school or got the hell out of town. I chose the second and never looked back. After graduating top in my class, I started working for The Callahan Corporation. Fast forward five years and I was about to become the youngest female manager in the history of my department. And then all the blood, sweat, and tears I’d put into my career were for nothing when the boss’s billionaire son was handed my position on a silver platter. Not only that, I was expected to help transition him into the job that was supposed to be mine. Sure, he’s easy on the eyes with his chiseled good-looks and impossibly built physique, but I’m not going to let that distract me. I hope soldier boy is good at military strategy because sabotage is the name of the game I’ll be playing.
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OfficeMate is an amazing enemies to lovers slow burn with hilarious antics from this couple. I love love love the characters and everything they brought to the table. The writing was very well done and made it easy to read this book in one sitting.
Thorn loves being in the military and leading his team but while on leave after a recent attack he learns that he can’t go back now that his dad is President of the United States. Now he is stuck behind the desk of his family’s company trying to find happiness. His first day starts to change everything he thought he knew…
Isabel is up for a promotion that she has worked herself ragged for, she just knows that she has it in the bag…until she doesn’t. Now the recent outside hire has not only her position but also her sanity. She is forced to train this frustrating, drop dead gorgeous man who has taken her happiness.
From day one these two try to one up the other in the professional lives and no one expects that they could be each other’s missing piece. But will they figure it out before it’s to late?
OfficeMate is an amazing enemies to lovers slow burn with hilarious antics from this couple. I love love love the characters and everything they brought to the table. The writing was very well done and made it easy to read this book in one sitting.
Thorn loves being in the military and leading his team but while on leave after a recent attack he learns that he can’t go back now that his dad is President of the United States. Now he is stuck behind the desk of his family’s company trying to find happiness. His first day starts to change everything he thought he knew…
Isabel is up for a promotion that she has worked herself ragged for, she just knows that she has it in the bag…until she doesn’t. Now the recent outside hire has not only her position but also her sanity. She is forced to train this frustrating, drop dead gorgeous man who has taken her happiness.
From day one these two try to one up the other in the professional lives and no one expects that they could be each other’s missing piece. But will they figure it out before it’s to late?
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. Every book I have read by Katie Ashely has been great. I have loved these Callahan brother’s.
Isabel is finally getting the promotion to VP she has been dreaming of. Her boss has been prepping her for weeks to except it. Only the morning the promotion is to be announced she gets told that she was passed over for the job by one of the board members and current president’s son, Thorn Callahan. And now she has to assist him in getting acclimated with he business.
Thorn is not happy about being told his military career has to come to an end and he now has to take a job back at The Callahan Corporation. Now he had to prove he is capable of doing the job that was given to him and he definitely doesn’t need the help from the sassy redhead.
This was an slow burn romance with a HEA ending. There is a thin line between love and hate and these two can’t decide which side they want to be on. Definitely a must read.
I really like the first book Running Mate, this one is about Barrett’s brother Thorn. He was just as swoony as his brother was.
Isabel and Thorn’s chemistry didn’t spark as soon as I would have liked it to but it was there. I got such a kick out of their meet-cute. The “enemies to lovers” aspect really wasn’t there because he liked her and was faking it and I wasn’t sold on her half either. This isn’t a huge deal but it’s not the typical “enemies to lovers” I usually read.
That being said, I did love reading this book. I’m kinda political nerd so the first book was my jam and this one was sort of that. I just liked these characters and the feel of the book overall. It was sweet, funny, and heart-warming.
This book is so good! Thorn and Isabel are from completely different walks of life. They meet under less than perfect circumstances but that doesn’t stop fate, it just slows it down a little. Their story is gripping and set and unputdownable! A definite must read!
Thorn & Isabel HEA is not like any other HEA
I went into this thinking it was going to be an enemies to lovers story as Thorn gets the job that Isabel worked her butt off for. This story is so much more than that; it truly is a relationship built on a rocky foundation from the first burn (pun intended).
Ms. Ashley like her other books doesn’t give you the cookie cutter storyline, she immerses you deeply into the characters that you feel like you are there watching it all unfold (well, not the sexy times…because then this review just got weird…) Excellent plot line, complex characters, and wonderful execution.
This is an excellent book for summer to lose yourself in!
This was a good book. I really enjoy the friends to lovers trope. This is a particularly good example. Thorn and Isabel have tons of chemistry, and there are some really great scenes. I also really liked the premise of the book as well. All in all, this was an enjoyable read.
Reviewed by: Clare M.
Thorn and Isabel’s relationship is off to a rocky start. They begin as adversaries who eventually fall in love. Katie Ashley regales us with a fun, flirty, and sexy romance that will make you laugh and cry. Thorn and Isabel have great chemistry and they heat up the pages. Also, intertwined in the story is a varied cast of supporting characters (many you may recognize from Running Mate) who really enhance the story. I really loved this book, so if you are looking for a well written, sexy read this is the book for you. Advanced copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 stars.
Thorn is just a sarcastic one, “and Google told you I wasn’t an ****ole? That must’ve been a h**l of a powerful search.” You couldn’t help but fall in love with Thorn, the man’s just lovable, “Thorn, I think you can say pee in front of me. I mean, you’ve seen my boobs.” Thorn often wonders what is going on in his woman’s mind, “so you automatically assume I meant you were lacking in bed?” I loved this book, I fell head over heels in love with Thorn.
EEP! I love Katie Ashley! OfficeMate may be my newest favorite! The chemistry is off the charts and I love it! Isabel and Thorn are both amazing and I LOVE them. Thorn is sooooo swoon worthy! The story flowed – I could NOT put it down!! FIVE HUGE STARS!!
Thorn Callahan is a decorated military officer moving into a corporate career. Isabel Flanery is expecting to become a manager in her next promotion. The chemistry between these two burns hot and is slow burn. Will the office mates be able to make things work? An enjoyable read that kept my interest til the end.
I received a copy of this book and am leaving a review.
* A review copy was provided by the author for the Blog Tour *
Office Mate was an enjoyable forbidden enemies to lovers story. If you are a fan of the push and pull of an office romance then this is the book for you.
Katie Ashley always gives us fun and entertaining storylines and characters that we fall in love with. This book is no different. This isn’t my favorite Katie Ashley book but I would still recommend to all readers who love a forbidden office romance. If enemies to lovers is a storyline you enjoy and the push and pull sucks you in, then read this book. I thought there was a little too much push and pull between Isabel and Thorn. This is definitely a slow burn.
Office Mate is a standalone novel that is told in Dual POV. I would say this is more of a companion novel to Running Mate. These books do not have to be read in order to fully enjoy them. We do see Barrett in this story but not a whole lot. I thought the flow of the story worked well but I did think with all the push and pull that the pace was on the slower side.
In Office Mate we follow Thorn and Isabel. Thorn is the oldest child in the Callahan family. He has dedicated his life to protecting our country in the Army. That is until he is told he has to leave the Army because his father is now the POTUS. So that brings risk to Thorn and his troops. Lost Thorn doesn’t know what to do so when his father makes him the VP at the family company he is less the. Thrilled. As for Isabel….she has worked for the Callahan Corporation for 7 years now and has worked herself to the bone to get promoted. Living and breathing her job, she is extremely upset when she learns that she didn’t get the promotion that she deserves but that it also went to Thorn because he’s family. What happens when Isabel finds out she has to train Thorn at the job she wants?? Can these two get over this hurdle?? Can they find their HEA after all the secrets come out??? Read this book to find out!!
I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Katie Ashley’s work and loves an enemies to lovers story. This book was entertaining!! If you have read the Running Mate, then you don’t want to miss out on Thorn’s story.
OMG I so an swooning over Thorn and Isabel .
The lovely, smart, driven Isabel has been making her way up the corporate ladder with hard work, long hours and determination. She came from humble beginnings and had put her all in to her education and career. She is finally up for the VP position in her company and she is positive that all her hard work is about to be rewarded until she is blindside by Thorn .
Thorn is the son of the President ……of the United States . He is a highly decorated veteran and also has a degree in business. He may not have worked his way up the corporate ladder but he has certainly given his all in other ways. His father has ties in many companies including the one the lovely Isabel works for . When Thorn’s family wants him safe from the battle field they feel the boardroom may be a wiser choice for him to shine but it just so happens he landed in Isabel’s boardroom, her soon to be new office and her role. If that isn’t bad enough now Isabel is given the task of training him!! Thorn realizes as soon as he runs onto the sassy Isabel that things are not going to be easy ..they are going to be really hard just like how he gets when he sees her…lol.
He decides the best way to deal with his attraction to her is to be the biggest asshole and turn her off of him. The lovely Belle wants nothing more than to feel hatred towards his man but unfortunately for her he begins to make her lady parts tingle how can such an arrogant jerk turn her on so much…..this is so wrong ! Ring Ring Ring …..let the battle of the sexes begin!! The gloves are off!! Now this my friends is going to get interesting !!!
Loved it !!!
~~Michele McMullen ~~
“Don’t you know how very manly your scars are? A warrior’s body is marred and mangled. It wears the wounds of battle. You have a warrior’s body, and it’s the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever seen.”
Oh how I’ve missed Katie Ashley’s words! OFFICE MATE, her latest standalone contemporary romance stole my heart from page one. This sweet slow-burn of a romance had me on the edge of my seat smiling and swooning until the very last page was turned. This has a very entertaining enemies-to-lovers feel to it, and that brought some angst and undeniable tension to the table. It was a pleasantly paced, easy to read, beautiful, sexy, and romantic page-turner. This author has a way a with words that had me falling head over heels for Thorn and Isabel. The chemistry was amazing, the tension was heart-pounding, and the love scenes were scorching HOT! If you are looking for your next GO-TO author for this genre, look no further than Katie Ashley! Her words will hypnotize you. Her characters will capture your heart, and her storytelling will have you swooning for days!
I’ve read almost every book Ms. Ashley has written and she never fails to entertain. She writes such compelling stories with strong and intelligent characters. I loved this story from beginning to end!
I fell in love with both Isabel and Thorn. Isabel has focused on the future since she was young and is determined to make it to the top of the financial world and never worry about money. She believes she’s about to be promoted to Vice President at The Callahan Corporation and she’s excited for the day to begin. Unfortunately, she and Thorn meet in less than pleasant circumstances. When Thorn bumps into Isabel outside the office building, their meet is so funny, I laughed out loud. Isabel is furious and the ensuing interaction is so comical.
As she’s called into her boss’s office, she finds out that someone else has the VP job and she is stunned. As Thorn Callahan is introduced, it’s his family that owns The Callahan Corporation, AND he’s the son of the current President, AND the man who just ran into her, Isabel is beyond furious, knowing that he can’t be as qualified as her.
Thorn is a special man and with his character, his military service which also included injuries and PTSD, his good looks, and money, you would expect him to be arrogant but he’s easy to like. He reluctantly left the service as he and his men would have been in danger from those that would hope to threaten the President.
Isabel has always been a rule follower but between her thoughts of revenge and her roommate encouraging her, she tries to make Thorn’s work life more difficult in the hopes he would leave. I just loved the interactions between Thorn and Isabel and they had such captivating chemistry. Unfortunately, with Thorn as Isabel’s boss, neither wanted to cause any chaos at work but it was a struggle. There was plenty of fun banter between the two.
I enjoyed seeing Barrett and Addison again in the book and their plans to marry. Barrett is still such a funny guy so he definitely added some entertaining times to the story.
There is so much to this story and I loved to see Isabel’s empathy of Thorn’s PTSD, Thorn’s feelings that he’s not where he should or wants to be, and Thorn isn’t a man-whore, which we see in so many stories.
I loved it when Isabel was invited to go with Thorn to the White House for Barrett and Addison’s wedding and they visited the various rooms, and how happy Isabel was to see the Library! The historical part of being in the White House added a special touch to the story but was hilarious when Thorn described the rooms!
This was such a fun, sweet, sexy, enemies-to-friends-to lovers story but also with the seriousness of the military life. Thorn is such a good guy and I loved how he cared for Isabel and would do whatever was needed to make her happy.
I love epilogues and while this one was short, it was sweet and gave me the HEA that I love.
4.5+ stars
Isabel Flannery was so close to achieving her dream job. After working diligently and planning to meet all of her work goals, she was next-in-line to be promoted to VP of the Callahan Corporation. Her hard-working perfectionism and control freak attitude made her stand out in her fast-paced, challenging work environment.
And then he arrived…Thorn Callahan. The Callahan son forced to give up his career in the military for security reasons since his father is now President. What’s a little nepotism? He is angry and resentful about his situation. And he was not expecting to get flack from the woman who is supposed to train him in his new job. An unexpected and awkward first impression does not help matters.
He turns off the charm and dons jerky armor to deflect his attraction to her and to avoid any workplace repercussions from that. And she is mad enough to want to play a bit dirty and maybe make him look bad in the process. Anything between them would be forbidden and fodder for gossip no matter how much sexual tension sparks between their angry tirades. And he has to watch out for his own reputation and he is used to following a code of honor. So things are about to get messy, complicated, ugly…maybe a bit out of control.
There’s antagonism, attraction, hidden agendas, sabotage, and scheming. They do not want to want or need the other. They push, challenge, fuss, and fight. But as they start to let down their guards, a truce begins to form. And eventually even a friendship. And that sexual tension and attraction that just seems to keep growing. But he’s still her boss and it’s his family’s company. Getting too friendly with the boss is not a good plan for a woman who thrives on succeeding in her career. Anything between them is still off limits and could have repercussions. And his family situation just puts them even more in the spotlight.
But when the lines keep getting blurred, where will that leave them? Is a chance at love worth the risks?
It brings back the characters from Running Mate: his brother Barrett and Addison, his parents, and his bodyguard, Ty. This is a slow-burn, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers forbidden romance with humor and feels. I really liked their banter whether they were fighting or having fun as friends or being romantic. They had great chemistry and rapport. I adored Thorn even when he was trying to be a jerk, but loved his vulnerability too. They were both strong, stubborn personalities, but also had good hearts and really needed someone to understand and see them. But there were also complications and challenges that made it a delicate situation. This one ran through many changes in their interpersonal dynamics so it kept me entertained and interested throughout.
Office Mate by Katie Ashley gives us an enemies-to-lovers with a forbidden twist. Isabel has done everything to succeed. She is up for a big promotion for The Callahan Corporation. She is ready for this but imagine her surprise when the boss’s son swoops in and takes her position. And she is expected to help him during this transition.
Thorn was born to be a military man and thrives at it. But once his father is elected president, he is too much of a threat and is placed in a position in his father’s company. The last place he wants to be. But he is a man used to control and determination. Imagine his surprise when the woman set to help him is anything but helpful.
Isabel does not want to help Thorn and Thorn does not need Isabel, yet their attraction and chemistry is undeniable. Even so, Isabel is determined to show everyone the position should have been hers. I loved her antics and cheered her on. As lines begin to blur, each knows anything between them would be forbidden. Is it worth risking everything?
It was so much fun reading how these two met and learned to work together. It was funny and steamy! They went from enemies, to maybe friends to so much more. Considering how they met, the story was funny and light and a great to get lost in!
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
Loved this book! Had all the parts that make up a great enemies to lovers book-snark, banter and plenty of sexual tension. I loved Isabel and Thorn and their journey to togetherness. The feel good epilogue was a perfect wrap-up.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC.
Who says an unexpected meeting on the street can’t change your entire life good or bad. Isabel & Thorn are great together. I love their chemistry and the slow build up to their relationship. The fact that they try so hard to hate each when really it is the circumstances that are out of their control that they truly hate makes for some hilarious and hot moments between them. They both have issues from their past to deal with and the way they can read each and help each is heart felt and amazing. I love how they both are able to grow and change because of the other. I also was thrilled at the little glimpses of Barrett and Addison we got to see along the way. I truly hope Katie Ashley is not done with this family and their friends.
It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game. Cliches are dime a dozen, but this one is rooted in truth. Katie Ashley takes those words to heart and has a bit of fun along the way. Office Mate begins with a love, hate type of relationship. Thorn is a wild card. He has the looks, was born into the name, yet is more than just the gun toting playboy, he’s assumed to be. In a world where image is everything, he’s a lost little boy struggling to find his footing. Isabel is his ticket to the big time. She has the brains to make things happen and the looks to stop a man in his tracks, As woman, working her way up in a man’s world, she has a lot to prove and will let nothing stand in her way. That is until she gets to know the man behind the ego and loses her heart in the process. Office Mate removes the kid gloves and gets to the main event. Ashley is quick with the wit and sends up the sparks in a tempting bundle of love.