Overall, I enjoyed this book. It had its laugh out loud moments, tension, angst, and romance. I love Dreamy and Karter and think that there chemistry was fantastic.

My only gripe with this book is that once you get to the smut scenes, they were such a let down. They were just bland and over before you know it. It felt like all of the build up and tension was gone in a flash.

I’ll still read more from this author because I really did enjoy the story otherwise.

This was a sweet rom com with a medium spice level.

The two main characters have the best names: Dreamy Daniels and Karter Redford!!

I wish I had just a touch of Dreamy’s positive attitude, perseverance, and dedication to her loved ones.

Dreamy and her Gramps play the same sequence of lottery numbers every day waiting to hit the big jackpot. With that money she plans on starting her own nonprofit to help women entrepreneurs. She also needs a car that runs consistently and a dryer that actually works.

Karter meets Dreamy during a work presentation and even though Karter is a super wealthy businessman, son of a movie star, and 10 years older than Dreamy, there is a strong connection between the two.

I love the fact that Dreamy and Karter bring out the best in each other. I think the portrayal of their relationship based on mutual respect is fabulous. Isn’t that what a great relationship is all about?

The secondary characters in this one are all great as well. There are bad bosses, manipulating exes, a fun grandpa, and a group of people cheering on Dreamy and Karter’s relationship.

I’m not going to spoil if Dreamy actually wins the literary or not!

I took a chance on this one as rom-coms are COMPLETELY out of my comfort zone. While it was mildly entertaining, it just wasn't for me. However, I rated it fairly because while the story itself was well written, it just lacked the elements I usually look for in a book.

Dreamy Daniels has a mantra that gets her through the day: I am beautiful. I am confident. I am lovable. I am a lottery winner. I could definitely get behind that! She lives in a less than desirable part of Los Angeles and works in an unfulfilling job while trying to attain her bachelor's degree. Again, totally relatable. I worked as a bank teller by day while attending school four nights a week to get my bachelor's degree in education.

What threw me off was her distraction in the form of venture capitalist Karter Redford. Yes, I know we can all get sidelined by a relationship, but the whole thing was just too predictable and cutesy for my liking. However, fans of romance will surely love the sparks that fly between these two. Recommended for established fans of romantic comedies!

I love this Rom-Com that features Dreamy Daniels and Karter Redford It is funny, sexy and sweet, all at the same time. Talented author, Sharon C. Cooper shows great diversity as she parts from her usual Romantic Suspense to delight us with this fun to read story. The trope that best fits this story is opposites attract. Dreamy is a hard-working young woman whose society status is that of the working- class. On the other hand Karter, the Don of a famous actor and socialite mother is the owner of a venture capitalist firm. I found myself rooting for this couple to make their relationship work. The attraction is quite evident.

I enjoyed Karter and Dream’s love journey. I think you will too. The supporting characters are great! Gramps tops them all as a verified Mac-Daddy! You’ll get that when you read the story. I recommend Business Not As Usual for your reading pleasure.

Business Not as Usual is fluffy, fun, and heartwarming romcom that revolves around leading characters Dreamy Daniels and Karter Redford, with their different bakcgrounds andat different level of life tries to cross the bridge of their different socioeconomic backgrounds with their growing attraction and feelings that might turn out their biggest investment of life.

The story is about socioeconomic backgrounds, workaholic lifestyle and its pitfalls, the importance of living life and work-life balance, getting over insecurities, family, friendship, and love.

Writing is engaging, entertaining, and fast paced. The story is third person narrative from the alternative perspective of Dreamy and Karter. Their voice is realistic and believable.

Plot is interesting and fun with all good arcs and tropes – age-gap romance, grumpy/sunshine, rags to riches tropes and they are really well written. It was fun to see where their insta-attraction and putting aside their vows of not mixing business with pleasure or no-dating was going and if Dreamy is going to win her lottery or not.

Characters are developed, relatable, and realistic. I liked both our main characters. Dreamy is more relatable as she has ordinary situation coming from a normal family. She is 28, still in last semester of her graduation as she had to take break when her only family, her grandfather got ill. She is doing daytime job as secretary that is hardly paying enough, taking night course for her graduation and in spare time she works on her nonprofit business plan that she wish to pursue once she win the lottery. Lately her self confidence is bruised because of his jerk ex who said hurtful things. But when she meets Karter who see her for what she is and help her with her business plan, that confidence level gets back on top level.

She is quirky, colorful and independent. I liked she never loses any of that characteristics being with Karter and insist on not compromising her ethics and beliefs. Her dilemma related to their socioeconomic differences and her worries about financial problems are realistic and I could understand why some bad days made her rethink their relationship.

The only thing I didn’t like about her is how much she is depending on the lottery for her business.

Karter is lovely, caring, generous and down-to-earth guy. He didn’t look that grumpy to me. He is just workaholic, keeps to himself, and is dealing with grief of losing his best friend to heart attack. We see that changing pretty quick as soon as he meets Dreamy. I liked how happy, loving and fun he is when Dreamy is around. She brought out best in him.

I’m still surprised he didn’t have that money ego that is easy to see in people like him or at his stage. Some might not like his”not like other girs he date” thing but here it wasn’t bad and I loved him for not changing anything about Dreamy. And when he chased wig in parking lot, he won my heart.

Dreamy’s family is lovely. Jordyn, Dreamy’s cousin, is more like me- blunt, feisty, and full of spirit. I liked their relationship. They both are supportive to each other and their mutual love for their grandfather is just lovely. Dreamy’s grandfather is amazing. He is my most favorite character after Dreamy. He is quirky, colorful and fun to be around. I could see where Dreamy’s personality came from. There can’t be a dull moment if a person like him is in your life.

Karter’s family is most interesting. We don’t know much about the famous actor daddy but the mother is piece of work. She is socialite and can be horribly bitchy when it comes to who Karter dates. Surprisingly, Karter’s siblings, a young sister- Morgan and elder brother- Randy, are very likable like Karter. I liked Morgan more, even more than Karter.

Best part is many laugh-out-loud moments, unbelievable yet surprising turn near climax and the layer of of workaholic lifestyle and how it can affect badly, the importance of having relaxing time and work-life balance. Romance is also great as it is the center of the story. Even with cliched tropes and predictable plot there is something different with this.

Chemistry is sexy, steamy, and hot. I liked the whirlwind of romance in the beginning, the instant attraction, eyefucking each other before the first date and crossing all bases on first date. But I liked they get real, talk about where things are going soon, there is no miscommunication trope and in second part it slows down. There is less drama than I expected.

Why 4 stars-

You have to suspend your beliefs to enjoy this book. Like I said Dreamy depended a lot on winning lottery and I don’t think in real life it’s possible or one can afford to depend so much on winning lottery.

Overall, Business Not as Usual is hilarious, lighthearted, fluffy and sexy romcom with all good arcs and tropes.

I recommend this if you like,
age-gap romance
grumpy/sunshine trope
rags to riches tropes
quirky heroine
many laugh out loud moments
Simple and entertaining plot
less drama
Cute fluffy story
hot chemistry

Although this storyline seemed a little unrealistic I still loved it. It had the classic romance checks, an older rich handsome man who kind of comes to the rescue, a woman who wants to stay independent, and two people who fall in love very fast and deeply.

I loved Dreamy and her optimistic attitude toward her life and the hard times. she is struggling with money and taking care of her family. Meanwhile, she is recovering from a breakup that broke her a little.

Kader with a K is recovering from death and its effects. He is overworking to manage his feelings.

It is love at first sight and a quick romance toward a serious relationship - these two have to overcome the stresses of their lives and those that don't want to see them together

A cute story with a simple and clear HEA

Do you ever want a lighthearted romance that is not at all based on life but is more like a fairytale? Well then this is your book. This is a super easy quick read perfect for a vacation. Dreamy is such a strong female character but I honestly wish though that female characters did not have to be so “quirky to be loveable”. Why not just make them real? Overall super cute I will definitely pick up a copy to own. Thank you for the chance to review this.

I love a fun cover so I was drawn to Business Not As Usual!

Dreamy Daniels is working a job where she is under appreciated all while trying to complete her degree. She aspires to run her non profit organization when she wins the lotto. When she catches the eye of her Boss’s investor, Karter, things begin to look up. You see where this is going.

If you love an age gap, grumpy sunshine romance consider picking this one up. This story also weaves in some heavy themes appropriately. Karter had me swooning and Dreamy cracked me up so I’m pretty sure we could be friends. Even though there are some wildly lucky happenings I thought this was a cute one. Did I mention the steam! 🌶 🌶🌶

Dreamy is working as an executive assistant and going to school at night. She has big dreams and big plans for her future and they don’t include dating after a bad break up with her boyfriend, but they do include winning the lottery so she can fund some charities and startups.
Karter is a super successful tech executive who comes across Dreamy at a meeting and is immediately smitten. His trouble is getting her to break her no dating rule and go out with him. Dreamy can’t deny their chemistry, so she eventually caves and the flames ignite! Dreamy is worried about p their economic and social differences, but Karter works to convince her that she’s different than his normal women and he really wants her to give them a chance. The steam factor is pretty high once they give in to it.
There were some major Cinderella vibes of course and some of the storyline was pretty unrealistic because the characters said and did things that didn’t really gel with their personality, but that’s the point of fiction, isn’t it. To set aside reality and jump in. So this was a mixed bag for me, but overall a quick and easy read.
Thanks to Berkley Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

What are your favorite aspects of romance novels?

In Business Not As Usual, for me, it was the relationship author Sharon C. Cooper builds between her two main characters. Now, normally I’m not usually interested in insta-love, but in this case I think Cooper’s handling of how Karter instantly gravitates towards Dreamy works.

Because friends, I absolutely LOVED the chemistry between Dreamy and Karter. It’s what made this book so satisfying. Where we have two characters from different stratospheres, but both were able to find common ground in their careers for helping others as well as their passion for each other.

Delightful, hilarious, and utterly sweet, Business Not As Usual will charm readers from the very first page.

Happy Reading ~ Cece

Sharon C. Cooper has done it again but this time she has written a Rom-Com-Romance that is well written, awesome hero and heroine, great plot that will leave you laughing all the way throughout the book. Karter is the ultimate workaholic and Dreamy works hard at being a secretary for a boss who does not appreciate her worth. Dreamy has big plans of winning the lottery; her cousin Jordyn nor Karter believes it when Dreamy continues to say she will win the lottery; you just wait and see. Dreamy is attending college to get her degree while her cousin Jordyn is attending to college to becoming an attorney. Karter is a millionaire who runs his own company and he invests in business ventures. He and Dreamy meet when Karter decides to invest in her bosses company. Karter and Dreamy have both been unlucky in love and not really looking for romance but the two get than what they bargain for.

This is a must read that you will not want to miss out. Pick up copy your and go on this romantic comedy ride with Karter and Dreamy.

Business Not As Usual by Sharon C. Cooper was a fun romcom that would be great for you to grab for some light, entertaining reading this weekend or any time. I guess is it both a workplace romance trope and an opposites attract trope (look, a Wordle word from last week!). It worked great as both. Our main characters meet when Karter comes to Dreamy’s office for a meeting with her boss. They couldn’t be more opposite if you look at their social status, yet they are great together.
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Dreamy works for a horrible boss, is in her last semester of college, lives in a run down house with her cousin and grandfather and has dreams of being her own boss, running a non-profit and winning the lottery.
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Karter is old money, Hollywood royalty, and a major workaholic who is at a crossroads in his life after one of his best friends passed away.
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They both have no plans for a relationship, but love makes it’s own plans and these two can’t seem to avoid it, but they try.
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There are a couple of scenes that I still think back on and laugh out loud. I would love to see this on the big screen just to see those scenes if nothing else.
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I am glad that @BerkleyPub gave me an ecopy of this book, it was a fun read after reading some heavier books this week. Thanks @berittalksbooks and @ dg_reads for arranging this and the buddy read!
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Dreamy really believes she will win the lottery, it is part of her daily affirmation.

I’m sorry, but you got to stop whatever you are reading and start reading this book. It’s going to be your all time favorite romance book to read. And this book has a grumpy sunshine romance trope, which we all love.

You know that we all love a good grumpy sunshine trope in romance books. And this book has it and more. Let me explain. Dreamy is the definition of a sunshine character in romance books. It does not mean she is basic, but she has the spirit of looking on the brighter side of things when things get tough. She is having a hard time balancing her mediocre job with her grad school and her elderly grandfather all at once. But she has hopes and dreams that she wants to accomplish, and she won’t stop until she receives them. After all, she has a plan which is winning the lottery. It may seem ridiculous at first, but as a hardworking female, we always dream for the lottery to answer our problems. That’s what Dreamy has going for her, and it does help that she catches the attention of an older yet grumpy CEO Karter.

Karter has always been about work, but lately he has been struggling with his friend's death. It may be a strange feeling to him, but mentally he is kinda checked out. He is just going through the motions in his life that he does not know what to do until he meets Dreamy. She is such a breath of fresh air that he becomes more and more interested in her. It may not be ideal since they are both working on a deal together in different companies. Love is never ideal when you find it. And that’s something Karter realizes when he finds himself smiling more and more when she is around him.

Their romance may not be expected since there is a bit of age/wealth gap between them. But just reading about their interactions, you just know they are meant to be with each other. Who cares about the age gap or wealth gap? I know they don’t when they become closer more and more. And be glad that there is no miscommunication between them. They are actually mature with each other about how they feel for each other.

Dreamy is barely scraping by. Her love of junk car is barley running, the roof is leaking, and the dryer just broke; but she is determined to make the best out of her situation. Working as a secretary while going to school full time (with dreams of starting a non-profit to help women start businesses) and relying a little too heavily on winning the lottery. When the company Dreamy works for sets up an appointment with an investor, she doesn’t expect him to be so young and handsome. Karter Redford is the son of a famous Movie actor and socialite mother, and a very wealthy workaholic grieving the death of a close friend and business partner. Neither Dreamy nor Karter expect to find someone they could fall for, especially so quickly.

I adored each of the main characters, especially Dreamy, she is funny and quirky, and a strong woman. Her financial situation is a mess but she refuses to be given a hand out from Karter (even though he totally could spare some cash). I loved how Karter just adored her, and would do little things to make her feel special, like chasing her wig through the parking lot. I also adored the side characters and felt like they were very well written into the story.

This is definitely a cutesy book. The whole thing is like a fairytale with no big plot problems, and minor relationship struggles. It’s a very light and fun quick read, perfect for the beach or a vacation!

Thank you so much @berkelypub and @netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. And a big shout out thank you to @berittalksbooks for organizing this fun buddy read!

The publication date on this one was April 5, 2022 so it’s available now!

I finished this beau in one day!

If you love age-gap romance, grumpy/sunshine, rags to riches tropes, then you'll love this. Dreamboat, like her Gramps, calls her, is a quirky independent woman who knows what she wants and will do her best to get it. She's hardworking and respectful but after her last boyfriend, self doubt crept in and she's been conscious of herself.

But when Mr. cutey Karter enters the picture, things change — as expected. Dreamboat feels all typ of way but because she doesn't think she's worth it, she refuses his advances. Karter on the other hand is one who never gives up until he gets what he wants, even if he has to chase a flying wig down the streets.

The plot may seem cliche, but it made me blushing all the way to the end. And the spice was just enough to match the story. If you love a fun HEA, then this is for you.

Thanks to Berkley for a gifted copy.

This was a fun, quirky and mature read! Rarely do we get a book where the main characters aren't young (and dumb) so it was refreshing to actually read a book where characters have lived, made mistakes, still make mistakes, etc.

I love an office setting and love an age gap so this didn't disappoint!

I do wish Dreamy believed in herself a bit more though!

There were so many things I loved about this adorable romcom! Dreamy and Karter have such perfect chemistry from the very beginning, and Dreamy as a character was so unique and fun. She has a very eccentric personality and holds her own in the story, with or without a man!

Something I found very refreshing about the story was that there wasn’t really a huge destructive conflict between the two characters. A lot of things happened, but there was (thankfully) no miscommunication trope to have to deal with.

I also loved so many of the secondary characters and found that they all had their own distinct personalities and redeeming qualities. Karter’s sister, Morgan, was such a good addition and I loved everything about her.

One thing that I could have done without was the constant reference to Karter’s wealth versus Dreamy’s financial instability. I get that money has a part to play in every relationship, but I felt like too much significance was placed on it here. It also broke my heart to see how much Dreamy beat herself up about stuff, but her backstory explained that so well and I think it really fit her character development.

This book gave me all the adorable mushy feels and I loved the writing style.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for my eARC in exchange for an honest review! This review has been posted on my Goodreads account and my Bookstagram account (link provided).

Prepare to be swept off your feet by this fabulous instant love story.

This book is so much fun. It’s the kind you’ll want to binge in one sitting because you won’t want to put it down. It brings the positive vibes right from page one and just keeps them coming.

Dreamy Daniels might just be one of my favourite characters of 2022 so far. She is fun, vibrant and never boring. From her rainbow hued clothes to her utter competency at everything she does, she is a complete delight and I wanted to ask her if we could be friends. I was cheering her on for the whole journey and when she got her HEA, I was so happy for her. There are a lot of great secondary characters to love as well including Dreamy’s cousin Jordyn and her Gramps. Gramps had me laughing out loud with his antics. I loved their whole family dynamic. They might not have much, but they have each other.

Some folks might find the plotline unrealistic but somehow Sharon made it work for me. I think because I loved Dreamy so much, I wanted all the good things to come to her. If you think of it more like a modern day fairytale, you might have a better viewpoint to really enjoy the story.

Dreamy’s chemistry with Karter is off the charts awesome. They have major zing factor from the moment they lay eyes on each other. I don’t always find love at first sight stories to be my thing. Especially if they are also opposites attract like Karter and Dreamy but Sharon nailed it for me. I loved everything about it. Things definitely get pretty steamy in this one, so consider yourself warned.

If you are looking for an uplifting story with plenty of steam, give this one a go.

Thank you, Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What I really liked?
After all the dark and sad reads I’ve been reading this book was much needed.

It was cute and uncomplicated with minimal conflicts except outside ones, which made my anxiety go way down lol, no typical miscommunication trope here! 😍

The book was easy and fast paced, with a lot of cute moments that made me smile.

There’s a strong, kind female MC who has great dreams and ambitions.

There’s a super sweet male MC that is pretty perfect as a Prince Charming.

There was commentary on knowing your worth and being confident in yourself, no matter your journey in life…everyone is meeting their goals in a journey at life!

Overall, this was an easy and fun read that I really enjoyed!

If you like the insta-love trope, two different world trope, and a strong couple that won’t let others stand in their way? This is it!

💕Favorite Quotes💕

“You know who you are. You’ve always need know your worth and didn’t start having self-esteem issues until he got in your head.”

“Sometimes we do the best we can do to get ahead […] and just when life seems to be turning in the right direction, a situation, an incident, or even a person comes along and throws everything off.”

“Life is a funny thing [..] Sometimes it’s like a tornado ripping through our world and we have to hold on tight until the dust settles.”

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TW: grief and loss, depression, abandonment
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Business Not As Usual by Sharon C. Cooper was such a well-written workplace romance! I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did, and that was such a lovely, lovely surprise. 4.5/5 stars ⭐ Many thanks to Berkley Romance for the e-ARC!

I love it when I get to I fall in love with characters from the very first page. That's exactly what happened when I read about Dreamy Daniels, the female lead from Business Not As Usual. Her eccentric and sunshine attitude made my heart smile countless times throughout the story. I loved how the author portrayed her financial struggles so realistically. Many people tried to bring her down, but she worked hard for her goals anyway. That was such an inspirational aspect for me.

And then there's Karter. :') His caring nature made me swoon. I absolutely loved how understanding he was regarding Dreamy's issues, even though their social/wealth differences were HUGE. Their easy chemistry and conversations were my favorite part of reading this book. I have never been a huge fan of the insta-love or age-gap romance genres, but the plot of Business Not As Usual was executed these tropes perfectly and reasonably.

Both Dreamy and Karter had their own set of problems - for Karter it was his workaholic nature and for Dreamy, it was her financial woes - which is why it was so wonderful to see how both of them supported each other to be better people. I could definitely see how perfect they were for each other. They connected and grew together - WE LOVE TO SEE THAT.

Business Not As Usual covered a lot of important themes like workplace toxicity, wealth gaps, class, and workaholism. It might seem like a lot of things to include in a single novel, but wow - the author did an amazing job of writing a romance with all of these aspects. I can't wait to read more from her!