Thank you so much to Carina Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Build Up in exchange for an honest review! The Build Up comes out on March 28, 2023!

*minor spoilers ahead*

Tati Richardson's debut novel follows Ari, a forty-something architect looking to start fresh at a new firm. She and her project partner, Porter, are tasked to build the city's new soccer stadium. The Build Up was such a fun, enjoyable read. Realistic romance novels about older couples are rare; Richardson did a fantastic job interweaving adult issues (such as sexual harassment, fatphobia, racism, colorism, and infertility - to name a few) with an almost youthful romance. Richardson wrote about challenging situations without rose-colored glasses, but was able to balance them with upbeat humor and a blooming romance. Not to mention, Ari is such an enjoyable MC! Reading through her experiences as a black, plus-sized woman in a white male-dominated field was relatable. The book did not end the way I expected, but I'm so happy she got her happy ending, both romantically and career-wise.

This book has so much beautiful, romantic tension; I'm obsessed with how Porter falls in love with Ari on her worst day. Though the two cannot stay away from each other, I appreciated Porter's respect for Ari's wishes not to pursue a romantic relationship for fear of workplace retaliation. Furthermore, I appreciated how non-romantic relationships were essential to Ari and Porter's characterizations. I was thoroughly invested in their journies as individuals and as a couple; it was tough to put this one down!

The Build Up was such a fun read - I'm excited to read more from Tati Richardson in the future! My only negative critique - I needed more Ms. Gayle!

Tati, had me with this one! All the feels.
This was a page turner of a debut and I soaked up all the goodness that Tati offered in this office romance with Porter and Ari.
We meet a talented Ari on the come up navigating a sexist male dominated field with all the confidence and grit. After experiencing humiliation in her previous role Ari vowed to make a new start in her newest position.
A position she didn't think her heart would be involved after her first meeting with coworker Porter.
Porter was not prepared to meet the woman he was admiring on his way to work that morning in transit. Pleasantly surprised to work with the talented Ari Porter was all in from day one. Tati gave us an office romance with a twist, introducing us to memorable characters and a steamy connection you will not forget!

You want to know their story!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC!

This is a fantastic contemporary black romance debut novel. I can't wait to read more from Richardson. I loved that our couple was in their 40s. This is romance for grown ups. Plus I subscribed to Richardson's podcast. Content warning for grief, death of a parent and alcoholism plus fatphobia.

This was so so cute! I loved Ari and Porter was all kinds of amazing.
Ari’s skills, confidence and abilities were so admirable. I hated that such a fantastic woman had to have such a guard on her heart, but I am not at all surprised! However, my heart melted with how sincere and sweet Porter was and she finally let herself accept his love and give it back to him. Seeing him worship her was everything because she deserved it.
They were wonderful!

A debut novel that tackles starting over after being pushed out of job you love. Ari has to deal with the anxiety of will she bounce back or will this incident follow her. In the background we also see how being a fat Black woman impacts her life.

Overall The Build Up was a solid read but had some pacing issues for me coupled with on again off again situationship with Porter made me question whether there was actual chemistry between these two.

Tati Richardson delivers a stellar debut with The Build Up! Ari James is a powerhouse: beauty, intellect, and undeniable talent. Her impeccable skill and creative eye make her a savant as an architect in a male dominated industry. The only thing is that’s the problem. As a woman, it’s hard enough to be taken seriously but even harder to date, especially if it’s a colleague. But Porter Harrison, trust fund kid and a default member in the old money generation club isn’t trying to hear that. He’s a different breed and wants to prove to Ari that despite their working relationship that a personal one can and will work. Between wine, food, and some tantalizing sex these two find love but not without its share of adversaries! This story is true depiction of our societies warped views on weight, the glass ceiling, and women and men in the workplace. Excellent story that will have you ready to punch some characters while swooning over the others—especially PJ!

3.5 stars

The Build Up was a sweet workplace romance that had a lot of Black love, plus size rep, HBCU pride, and Atlanta love! I love that this story focuses on a mature couple (40+) in the thick of their careers and absolutely at the top of their game. Ari and Porter are 2 architects working together on a project to build a new stadium in Atlanta. Ari has faced a lot of misogyny and unfair treatment at her previous firm and is hesitant when she first meets Porter. But Porter proves to be an absolute sweetheart and man of his word. I loved how he was always supporting Ari in the best ways and giving her the credit she deserved. I only wish we saw more of Ari taking accountability on page when it came to apologizing to Bella and also to Porter at the end.

I do think this book could have benefited from one more pass for edits to make the story tighter. Some lines and words choices became repetitive and it wasn't entirely clear from the reading if Ari and Porter were having an ongoing relationship during their project or for how long.

Overall I think this is a great debut for Tati and look forward to see what she has in store next!

Thank you to Tati and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

The Build Up by Tati Richardson is a nice debut that encapsulates Black middle-aged love. We follow Ari James, an extremely talented architect that's starting over at a new firm, and Porter Harrison, an established architect that is vying for partnership at the firm. When they're forced to work on a career-defining project for a billionaire family, Ari and Porter have to choose between investing in a relationship together or risking their alluring future careers.

I loved how unapologetically Black Ari and Porter's story is! Both of their families have rich histories and a cast of characters that are intriguing enough that you want to see more of them. The tension and love between them grew organically throughout the story as they spent more time together.

I am looking forward to all of Tati's future releases!

Thank you to NetGalley & Carina Press for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sadly, I had to DNF. The main characters were sweet but the chemistry just wasn't enough to move the plot forward.

There were some good things about this novel, namely a clear voice and funny, sparkling dialogue. But there were some real weaknesses for me too. A workplace romance with too much workplace and not enough romance. A villain with absolutely no nuance at all. "Manhood" and "womanhood" as euphemisms for genitalia in the year of our Lord 2023, please let's stop this? A medical emergency raising the stakes with a slapdash plotline about alcoholism. And perhaps worst of all, an epilogue that has the "relax and it'll happen" magic baby after IVF. The novel didn't need any of that!

This book was good! There was so much great representation in this book—plus-size, black romance. I’m not typically one for insta-love, but I really enjoyed this book. I think the author developed the story and characters well, however, I struggled with the FMC’s indecisiveness. I think this took away from the book at times—it just felt very wishy washy. Overall, cute read! I wouldn’t reread, wouldn’t rush out to buy it, but overall—cute!

I saw this book talked about by a friend on Instagram who I look to for recommendations and decided to request to read it. I was not disappointed. It didn’t feel like a debut at all.

This book is sweet, really steamy, and super low angst. I loved the plus sized rep and that she was completely confident in her own skin. I also loved that the MCs were 40+, so I felt more connected to the characters. I’m a sports fan, so it was also fun to see both soccer and baseball represented.

Ari is a badass. I love seeing strong, confident, women in romance novels. Porter is swoony. He’s into her from the get go and will do anything for her and anything to be with her. He’s also what we like to call a gentleman in the streets and a freak in the sheets.

I love a good support system and both of their moms were a hoot, especially when Ari’s mom unexpectedly drops by unannounced. (IYKYK)

One character will bug the heck out of you, but they do get their comeuppance in the end.
The only thing that slightly left me wanting more was that it was instalove for both of them and I would have liked to see a little more build up to the relationship, but thought the book was great, overall.

Thank you to Carina Press and NetGalley. I voluntarily read an early copy for this book.
4.5 Stars

The Build Up -ARC Review
⭐⭐⭐/5
PUB DATE: March 28, 2023
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QUICK LOOK: Black Romance, Women in Architecture, Work-Place Romance, He Falls First, Plus-Size rep, Insta-Love
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SYNOPSIS: Ari James just moved to a new town and started at a new architecture firm. She is hoping for a fresh start and a clean break from the mess she left behind. When she is partnered with Porter for her first big project she is excited to make a great impression at the firm. But, her amazing partner begins to become a bit of a distraction.
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WHAT I LIKED:
-Women in Architecture
-Black Women in Business
-Demonstrated the struggles black women have in the business world
-Plus-Size Lead
-Work-Place Romance
-Guy Falls First
-Exposes Fat-Cruelty/Harassment
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WHAT I DIDN”T LIKE:
-Insta-Love/Love at First Sight - Male lead is “I will do anything for her” deeply in love before he even knows her name
-FMC could not make up her mind - (“Let’s be together” then “Oh no we can’t!” back and forth over and over)
-“Let’s Keep it Casual” - We all know this never works, but trying to do this with a coworker just seemed so impossible.
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I will be honest - both Insta-Love and “let’s keep it casual” are both tropes I do not like, so those made it hard for me to enjoy this. But the biggest frustration I had was the FMC’s hot and cold, back and forth. She could not make up her mind - the cycle of “yes, let’s do this” and then “Oh wait, I can't do this” was on repeat. I got frustrated with her, but also just felt really bad for the MMC who wanted to go all in from the start.
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Thank you @netgalley for my eARC copy. I was given this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was phenomenal. Ari and Porter are the perfect "Partners in Design". I usually don't read workplace romance but this is changing my mind. ALL THIS BLACK LOVE! I live for how they brought the best out of each other while still being themselves. I live for Ari's redemption arc in finding her love. I love how Porter rode for Ari from jump. I could not find a better antagonist than in Greer and the bosses. I love the Tyrese Coca Cola commercial moment. Hell, I live for Jamal and he better get a book or novella. Also, this is the first grown (40 and older) love story I read and I'm here for it too! For a debut novel, the standards have been set very high for you, maam.

Something was lacking or off about this to me. I’m not sure if it was that the romance part felt rushed after the main characters had just met or it was the whole I was burned before with an office romance but you’re totally worth it thing. The writing was fun and flowed well, I think I was just annoyed by some small details.

Ari and Porter are Black architects at an Atlanta firm. Ari is fleeing a toxic work environment (for a new equally toxic one) and Porter is gunning for partnership. They are in their 40s and the language choices/tone of the book definitely reflect that. Some of the language choices like “sirs” or “bourgeois” over bougie or just the flowery descriptions of their physical reactions to one another took me out of the story. As far as the romance, it develops fairly quickly because the attraction is hot and heavy instantly. The dynamic between the two of them is solidified by 34% and it’s their personal and professional crises that keep them apart. I think the book has a really great running start but it just lost steam for me.

I didn’t dislike this story but I didn’t love it either.

I was really into it in the beginning when Ari & Porter first met.

This is a work place romance. Ari moves to Atlanta for a fresh start at an architect firm and Porter is longing to make partner. I did enjoy Ari working in such a male dominated field.

The back & forth with Ari wanting Porter but not wanting him was what I disliked. It was like she was a teenager and not a 40 year old woman. She lacked communication skills and iced Porter out when he didnt deserve it

A stellar debut, this book was steamy and funny. I did find the writing really dry and at times the content was entirely irrelevant and boring. Overall I was pretty meh about the whole thing but I’m sure the next book is going to be better.

Oh my goodness. Tati Richardson's debut novel, The Build Up, will have you cracking up, crying, and going “Oh my!” The humor! The steam! The sweetness! Every good person deserves their own Porter Harrison.

The story follows a Black architect, Ari James, as she works to design a soccer stadium in Atlanta, GA alongside her irresistible colleague, Porter. Sparks fly from the start and don’t stop until they’re setting off fireworks. I loved Ari and how competent and confident she was in herself. The poor woman had to deal with SO MUCH BS from her various male colleagues (and some “well-meaning” ladies along the way, too), but she never lets it get to her, and ultimately achieves both love and success thanks to her own two hands. I love that she doesn’t *need* Porter—she chooses him, and vice versa. I wish I had half the confidence Ari has. And both characters are hilarious!

Thanks to Tati and NetGalley for the ARC.

Ari James has moved back home to Atlanta to take a new job at an architectural firm after dating a coworker at her last firm went horribly wrong. Because of this, Ari is very guarded and has sworn off getting involved with coworkers. On her first day, Ari meets the handsome Porter Harrison. The book is written from both of their points of view and we see that Porter and Ari immediately fall for one another but try to fight it. They go through a few twists and turns, ups and downs, but eventually end up together.

I liked the Black representation in this book. Ari, Porter, and their friends went to HBCUs. Their parents were Black, their friends were Black, the firm they worked at was Black. I also liked that the main characters were older instead of the typical twenty somethings.

I understand self-preservation and all but I did not like the way that Ari treated Porter sometimes. Ari initially tried to treat Porter like a friend with benefits and she didn’t always communicate properly like leaving the firm without telling him and trying to leave for Spain without telling him. That’s not romance or love, especially for a 40 year old woman. I also thought that some things were so over the top to the point that they were just corny.. like Greer.

Overall, a fun and quick romance read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press & Carina Adores (Harlequin) for the e-ARC!