Cora Brent knocked it out of the park with Fired.

If you know me, workplace romances is one of my all time favourite romance tropes. Fired is certainly a workplace romance, but it is also so much more!! It was steamy, and romantic, realistic and heartwarming all wrapped up in one delicious package.

Melanie and Dominic are two characters who are irresistible. As soon as you start reading their story, and begin to see a relationship unfolding, you fall in love. You can't help but root for them. At times, you will be so frustrated with them (especially Dominic), however, you still want them to get their happily ever after.

I floved Fired. I know without a doubt, I will be reading more Cora Brent books in the future, and I will certainly be rereading Fired.

5/5 Stars

All of Cora Brent's writing is FANTASTIC!! Her standalones are no exception! Hot office romance! First in a series but they're going to be standalones!

Fired is the first sweet romance in the Worked Up series written by author Cora Brent. Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for the advance copy.

Why it’s taken me this long to finally read the book I’ll never know but wow! I totally loved it! Fired is so very well written, the story is sweet, romantic, sexy, funny at times, and heartbreaking. The story flowed smoothly and the characters well developed. I love Gio and Dom’s relationship and their utmost loyalty to each other and to family. Melanie is such a strong character. Smart, sexy, funny, and has the same love of family that the brothers have. Together, Dom and Mel just make for the perfect pair! Kudos Cora for such a fine read!

Fired was a great read!! I enjoyed the interactions between Melanie and Dominic from their very first meeting. I liked the different stories in this book, there was romance, family drama, & following ones dreams.

I look forward to reading more by Cora Brent!!

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

When Melanie Cruz has to deal with a nasty divorce and the loss of her job at an upscale resort, she thinks her life is on a downward spiral. Soon, she is hired as the manager of a small chain of pizzerias. Surprisingly, she really likes her job and things begin to look up for her. Falling for her new boss, Dominic Esposito doesn't seem like such a good idea at first, but soon he seems to be made to be her "one." However, Dominic has a deep secret that threatens everything.

Melanie and Dominic were likable characters. The book was charming and fun. I enjoyed reading it. The storyline was entertaining, and the romance was sweet and tender. I'm looking forward to more of this series. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Do yourself a favor. If given the opportunity buy a book written by Cora Brent. You will never leave disappointed.

A new series just takes Ms Brent to another level with her character development and overall plot. PICK UP THIS BOOK and Ms. Brent's other books.

Told in alternating first person POV, I was excited to read this one because I love getting inside of a character's head, and feeling the feels right alongside them. Unfortunately, this book fell a bit flat for me in that regard.

First, the premise was a good one: Our heroine, Melanie, is fired from her job for screwing up a reality star's wedding. Only she didn't really screw it up, and, well...to be honest, I didn't really follow what happened, but there was a lot of screaming and flower-throwing. She eventually gets hired at a family pizza restaurant as they try to open a second restaurant in Phoenix, AZ. Our hero, Dominic, is a brooding type. He's a hard worker, working (of course) all hours of the day and night so that was his brother, who is married with a family, can stay home with them.

My main problem wasn't so much the chemistry between the characters. The author missed a huge opportunity to show me vs. tell me. For example, instead of smoldering glances or accidental touches, I got, "Whenever we were in the room together, I was always so aware of him." But she never goes on to tell me how, or why. And this is how the whole book is written. Also, there's a lot of strange wording that made me pause and go, "Huh?" For example, after they'd had mad sex all night long all over Melanie's apartment, Dominic "smiled like a demented thing throughout the entire fifteen-minute drive home."

Weird.

Overall, I enjoyed the premise of the book more than the book itself. The writing felt a bit stilted, and the execution of the alternating POVs missed the mark. However, the plot was strong, and I would read the next in the series, if only to see if the author grows in her craft.

2.5 stars.

reviewed by Nancy

I've always loved anything I read by Cora and this was no different. I was hooked from page one.

This is a really sweet read and a great start to a new series.This is Dominic and Melanie's book he own's an Italian restaurant with his brother and are just about to open the second one, Melanie is hired as a manager and the attraction between these two was immediate they try to ignore it but cannot stay away from each other.This was a super read I have not read a book by Cora that I have not loved and this one did not disappoint looking forward to the next one.

Losing her job at an upscale resort might have been the best thing to happen to Melanie Cruz, especially now that she's working for Dominic Esposito and his brother as a manager for their small chain of family-owned pizzerias. However, working alongside Dominic isn't as easy as Melanie thought it would be, especially with the strong chemistry between them. Will Dominic realize that Melanie is the right woman for him, or will he lose the woman that's coming to mean so much to him because he's afraid to take a chance?

What an extremely entertaining, fast-paced, captivating read Ms. Brent has delivered in this first book of her Worked Up series where the main characters were enchanting and their wonderful banter had me determined to discover how long it would take for Melanie to win Dominic over because it's palpable he doesn't want to want her. Will he realize that Melanie is his Ms. Right before he loses her? The way this started had me sympathizing with the heroine, as she made a huge error in judgment that leads to a terrible aftermath for her when it comes to her job. Will she be able to bounce back and prove she's responsible and can follow orders passed down from her bosses?

As for the dialogue, it was intense due to the main characters back stories; what the heroine goes through in the beginning that makes her feel like a failure because -- what if she can't find another job; and everything this couple go through on their journey to happy ever after including whether the restaurant will succeed. Will media coverage (reporters) prove to be the restaurant's downfall, especially when it comes to the hero's past? Moreover, the heroine was strong and brave the way she's managed to pick herself up and move on after what happened to her with her previous job, which could have caused plenty of trouble for her when it came to finding a new job. I also liked how the heroine handled the hero and that she didn't let him get away with how he treats her in the beginning, as if he's too busy to interact with her for long. Yet, what I liked most of all was how hard-working she was and that she did everything she could to help the hero interact with his employees better so they're not afraid of him.

While the hero, he's done everything to make up for his past mistakes in what he did to his cousin. Will he be able to make things right between them? I also liked the tight bond he shared with his brother and how hard they've worked to accomplish their dream of re-opening their family restaurant, which seems to be doing so well. I also liked how the hero took a chance on the heroine, despite their rocky start in the way he treats her since he knows that getting close to her could end in disaster not just for himself but for their family's restaurant.

Overall, Ms. Brent has delivered a fantastic read in this book where the chemistry between this couple was wonderful; the romance nicely-detailed and showed how good these two are together; and the ending had me loving the hero's determination to win the heroine's heart, as he needs her in his life to be fully happy. I would recommend Fired by Cora Brent, if you enjoy books by authors Terri Anne Browning, Kaylee Ryan, Samantha Towle and Scarlett Cole.

October 31, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition
Who knew getting fired from your job would actually forever change your life for the better. This is not a typical office romance type story where girl falls for some rich boss. In this case Dominic is a super hard working hands on kind of guy trying to redeem himself from the past and carry on the family business owning a classy pizza restaurant. In comes new hire Melanie to help out and throw his world upside down. Cute, sexy and at times steamy story with lots of great side characters. It had its slow moments but all in all it was a good story in Cora Brent form you not be disappointed to read

Melanie screwed up at her last job but when someone gives her a chance to redeem herself at a new job she jumps on it. Not only does she get to work with Dominic who is hot and hotheaded but she gets the family feel she wants by working in a family owned restaurant. What she gains in friendship surpasses anything she every had in a job before.
Dominic knows she is off limits but he can't stay away she is everything he wants. He has to face his demons in order to move on but when sadness strikes the family he will have that chance..
I enjoyed this book. I felt it dealt with a lot of subjects that are important in a family run business.


** I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

4 stars

Fired by Cora Brent is a beautifully written and entertaining read.

I enjoyed the storyline, it was easy to follow, held my interest all throughout and I loved watching Melanie and Dominic's relationship unfold.
This was a lovely, heartwarming read and I highly recommend it.

Looking forward to the next book Nailed It, in the Worked Up Series.

*Purchase Links*
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2z0w4Lt
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2lqFP28
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2gM9rBZ
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2z2xUxl

*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the advance copy.*

I love Cora Brent's stories! And Fired is no different. I love how she weaves in the other characters from her other series. I hope we get Jason's story.

ired is the first book in a promising new series by Cora Brent. I found the storyline and characters entertaining and likable and I can't wait for the rest of the series.

Melanie (our heroine) and Dominic (our hero) are both damaged and struggling with their pasts. I found Dominic to be a darker character than Melanie. Melanie was basically a spunky, just keep swimming type of girl (but not annoyingly perky) and Dominic more or less reminded me of a honey badger.

I enjoyed watching their relationship develop in the book and felt that they belonged together in the end. I also liked that Melanie was not going to be bowled over by Dominic's strong personality.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance.

I really enjoyed this boss/employee romance. Dominic is trying to revive the family restaurant business with his brother and they're opening a second location. Melanie recently lost her job and is looking for something else when her friend suggests her for the position at a new restaurant. From the moment Dominic and Melanie meet, there are sparks and insane chemistry. Dominic won't touch an employee but there's something special about Melanie and he can't resist her. I really liked that these two actually got to know each other before anything sexual happened between them. They had a great connection and I liked both characters a lot. Dominic could be a little rough around the edges but overall he was sweet and kind. Melanie was independent, driven and smart. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more in this series!

I really liked this latest book by Cora Brent!!! This is the story of Dominic and Melanie. Dominic owns a family pizzeria with his brother Gio. They are getting ready to open the second location in a couple of weeks. Dominic is determined that Esposito's will be back up top like it was when he was a child. Melanie just recently lost her job under kinda humorous circumstances. Gio's wife Tara reaches out to Melanie informing her that they were looking for an assistant manager and that she should apply for it. She is happy with her new job but there is a slight complication...the attraction to her boss Dominic. The attraction isn't one sided and soon sparks fly and they can't keep their hands off of each other. They decided to keep the relationship under wraps to make things less complicated at work. Unbeknownst to them...everyone is aware of what they have going on. Secrets from Dominic threaten to ruin the relationship before it even has a chance. Can he let Melanie in and open his heart up to the possibility of love?

I really enjoyed their story and let me tell you it was so nice to see my Gentry boy Cord (sigh)
I can't wait to read the next book in the series. It is a fabulous read and I highly recommend it...well done!!!!

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of the book.

***Received this from Netgalley as an ARC for an honest review*** Let me just say this story definitely did not disappoint! I just love all books by Cora Brent! I just loved this story! Melanie and Dominic had such a spark! Melanie loses her job and is hired on by Dominic thats just the beginning. This was a slow burn book but oh so worth it! Lots of fun, flirting, loving moments. The book had some drama but made it a page turner ! I can't wait for the next book in this series! I'm sure it will not be a let down! I will definitely recommend this book to family and friends! Definitely worth the read!

Fired is the first book in a new series by Cora Brent and I would say it was an excellent start. The story was emotional and heartfelt. Who says getting fired from your dream job is a bad thing? Melanie Cruz had the dream job at a posh resort but she’s fired and can’t find another job in her field. With the help of a friend she takes a managerial position for a family restaurant which is opening up at a new location. What Melanie didn’t realize is that the job may not be in her chosen field but might be the right job for all different reasons. Dominic Esposito is all about the job and opening up a new location is all he can think about day and night. Work takes precedence over his personal life because once he let it get the better of him. His brother may have hired her but she sure is making it hard to stay focus when she’s around him.

Both Melanie and Dominic were realistic characters with both good and bad flaws and I definitely could empathize with them. Melanie’s first marriage was based on all the wrong reasons and wondered if she was ever going to find someone to love and make her happy again. The death of her parents still has an effect on her even after years, and it shows how vulnerable she is when someone close to Dominic passes away. With a little introspection she realizes that her present situation is a good thing and that if she wants things to work out for her and Dominic she is going to have to be proactive and not reactive. I love when she talked to her cats and they had such adorable names as well.

Dominic is a man with a big secret and the guilt makes him have tunnel vision about work. Trying to reestablish the Esposito name here in Arizona is his top priority and he is not going to let his family down. The one thing he can’t let happen is to let his attraction to Melanie make him lose focus on what is right and not what he wants. When he thinks he can handle both work and Melanie things get a little muddle for Dominic and things are left unsaid between them. It took a close relative’s death to make him see what is important and how he needs to clear the air finally and unburden himself of this secret he’s been keeping. I’m glad that he made attempts to keep Melanie in touch even if it was through other means rather than talking directly to her. Family is important to Dominic and I’m glad he made things right and the ending was a perfect way to show it.

Overall I enjoyed the story very much. It was well written and it had both heat and heart. There was the slow build attraction between Dominic and Melanie, which felt a little too long for me, but definitely worth the wait. Both Dominic and Melanie learned that you can have it all if you set your mind to it and achieve a balance of work and play. Letting go of the past isn’t easy but it sure makes moving forward a whole lot easier when you are carrying less baggage. This was my first story by Cora Brent and I look forward to more stories in the Worked Up series.