BUSINESS OR PLEASURE is a cute, steamy, and surprisingly humorous look at vulnerability and experience (of lack thereof) in relationships, stigma around mental health, and identity. Also: a love letter to fandom! I absolutely loved the open and honest interactions between these characters. I could've followed through a dozen more chapters, easily! An incredibly tender and fun read.

I've enjoyed all of Rachel Lynn Solomon's books that I read but I *really* loved this one. It may be because female main character Chandler Cohen mentions in the first couple of pages that she's wearing a Sleater-Kinney t-shirt (my favorite band), but I was hooked right from the beginning. Chandler (accompanied by her cousin Noemi) is at a book signing for a Rachel Hollis-type influencer because Chandler is the ghostwriter who actually wrote the book. When she gets to the front of the line, the author has no idea who she is and doesn't recognize her name, which throws her into a career related spiral and sends her to the bar. There she meets Drew, a cute, funny guy who is in town (Seattle) for a conference, and Chandler, fresh off of a devastating hookup with her friend and decade-long crush that ended with her squarely in the friend zone, is unexpectedly feeling a strong connection that leads them on a very meet cute date that ends in his hotel room. They're super into each other and things start out great but... the sex is so awful that Chandler sneaks out in the middle of the night. The next morning, her agent calls her to let her know that a celebrity who wants to hire her to ghostwrite his memoir is in town with his agent and wants a lunch meeting. Of course, the celebrity is "Drew" (whose name is actually Finn, and who was on an extremely popular werewolves in college show 10 years ago that still has a huge cult following) who is shocked to see Chandler. They decide to put their one-night stand behind them and Chandler agrees to go out of her comfort zone and go on tour to cons all over the country while they work on the book. Chandler accidentally reveals the reason that she left him that first night, and after he contacts a few other exes who all confirm that he's just not that good in bed, she jokingly offers to help him learn how to be better. There was so much I loved here - the whole werewolf show thing, the fact that this was a romance but the sex wasn't automatically amazing in spite of their chemistry, how funny these two characters were together, the fact that the male main character was humble about his shortcomings and willing to learn, and the mixture of humor and sarcasm and vulnerability that was the foundation of their whole relationship. Also a big plus for me was that Finn has OCD (which I also have) and the way that Rachel Lynn Solomon handled that with care and respect was huge. There was one small thing I didn't love about this (a "secret" from Chandler's past that I just didn't totally understand the purpose of in the narrative), but the rest of it more than made up for that to me.

Thank you Net Galley for giving me a ARC.

I overall really enjoyed this steamy book. I could not put it down and was bummed when it was over! I look forward to more books by this author!

Could it be that this one tops Ex Talk?? I think it comes incredibly close. I thought it was super enjoyable and incredibly steamy. And there is a mention of the characters from Ex Talk which was a pleasant surprise! The two main characters have amazing chemistry and I thought starting off with a pretty terrible one night stand was an interesting way to start off the book. This is definitely one to recommend to contemporary romance readers!

I never thought a book where one of the characters is the proud owner of Gandalf’s sword, Glamdring (a fun fact I didn’t know until now), could be such a steamy read. But holy moly, Rachel Lynn Solomon knows how to write a salacious novel!

One thing that really worked for this story was the pacing. There were plenty of steamy romantic moments, but the author did a great job of pacing the story so the plot was never lost in the moments of lust.

Let’s talk about the characters for a moment. I loved them both! Finn is the cutest with his nerdy obsession with Lord of The Rings, he even speaks Elvish, and his love for the fans of his show is evident, despite sometimes being worn down from the busy comic-con circuit. He’s also open about his struggles with mental health, which is refreshing to see from a male character.

As someone who's working to make a career out of writing, I loved seeing Chandler’s journey unfold and witnessing her reignite her passion for writing. Come for the sizzling romance between Chandler and Finn but stay for the sweet moments of Chandler falling for her one true love, writing.

Overall, this book was steamy, sexy, and so so so fun to read!

Another amazing and steamy read by Rachel Lynn Solomon!

I loved so much about this book, and disliked basically nothing. I love the Jewish MC's. I love the body positivity and sex positivity. I love the open communication. I love how each character has a unique relationship with their families. I love that the cast of characters as a whole seems to represent so much of the population--it's not just "another set of WASP MC's with 'diverse' supporting roles." I love how the fandom reminds me of the Buffy fandom of my high school/college days. I love that once again, the MC's in RLS's books aren't the popular cheerleader/football player types, and her books show that nerds and other less mainstream characters find (steamy) love on the regular too. And I *love* how she writes the steam. There's communication, experimentation, progression, heat, and consent.

Overall, this was a total hit for me! Thanks to NetGalley, Berkley, and the author for a review copy.

Rachel Lynn Solomon has become one my favorite romance authors. Her books are fun, sexy, thoughtful, and funny. Business or Pleasure is all of those things (with a big emphasis on sexy). I truly enjoyed reading about Chandler and Finn as they navigate realizing they had a disastrous hook up to working together for months on the memoir Chandler is ghostwriting.

Highly recommend!

A read that is not only fun and spicy but also truly sweet and vulnerable!

Jewish Representation, Mental Health Representation, Celebrity Romance, and MORE!

Ghostwriter Chandler Cohen needs a change, and after an awkward book signing for a book she wrote and received no credit for, she's happy to do something different and go home with the cute guy across the bar. But he's more than what he seems and after a failed hook up, she's happy to never see him again. Until she finds out she's writing his memoir!

I really enjoyed this one. And boy is it HOTTTT!
I am obsessed with the premise. It is so good and original. It is ridiculous yet somehow weirdly relatable in every way.
Both main characters in this were also amazing to travel alongside. Chandler is relatable and I immediately grew to love her. She's accessible, funny, and lovable. Finn is truly a perfect book boyfriend. He's a marshmellow of a man. He feels so grounded, approachable, well-adjusted, and sweet. I fell in love with him immediately as well and was rooting for him from start to finish!

Why this one wasn't a 5 star?
I struggled with the pacing of this one a bit. It was slow moving in the middle as they traveled from one destination to the next and it didn't feel like much happened. Felt like it all could've been solved sooner with less pages for the same result.
I also felt slightly frustrated with the "miscommunication"/ 3rd act breakup in this one. The stakes are pretty low and it's clear that they are very much into each other from the start, so it was frustrating to see miscommunication rear its ugly head or mostly, usually self aware, Chandler blatantly ignoring the signs and letting her "fear" sabotage things that then immediately get resolves a chapter later.

Overall, this was such a solid, unique romance. I highly recommend picking it up!

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for my free electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

this was very predictable, almost too early on. I enjoyed the millennial quips, but grew tired of the main character. Maybe it was bad timing reading this but it was not my favorite.

I own all the books that this author has written but sadly they have been sitting on my shelves since they released. But I knew I had to start reading her because I've heard amazing things and readers were right! This is a clever romcom that revolves around books!! I loved it! I'll be immediately going back to read her other two novels ASAP!

Business or Pleasure is Rachel Lynn Solomon’s latest smash romance hit, about Chandler, a ghostwriter who has been tagged to write Finn’s memoir after his years of being on a short-lived but cult classic teen werewolf show. The only less-than-professional snag is that these two met the night before their work together began, in what was the best beginning of a first date and less-than-stellar hookup. Will Chandler giving Finn lessons in the bedroom impact their ability to work together on the book?

This book was stellar, sexy and smart! I truly enjoyed this book and could not put it down! It feels like the first of its kind - the two protagonists are able to have these psychologically safe conversations and openly talk about intimacy, while still making their chemistry and the pacing of the book feel natural. This is certainly a book that I will be recommending to all of my friends, and will be adding to my husband’s TBR!

This romantic comedy set in conventions and hotel rooms across the country is a lot of fun! Chandler Cohen's writing career has stalled but she has found work as a ghostwriter of celebrity memoirs. Her latest client turns out to be the guy with which she just had a disastrous one night stand. She agrees to take the job and embarks on a trip around the country observing her client, heartthrob actor Finnegan Walsh, interact with his fans at various sci-fi & popular conventions. Will Chandler & Finn's book and sex lessons lead to something more?

This book is a very fun read with lots of slow burn sex scenes. However, there is a reveal about Chandler's past that involves an abortion. It's presented as a deep dark secret that she opens up about to Finn. I appreciate the inclusion of this information but, truly, it is handled as a big deal. At this point, it would be refreshing to have this common medical procedure treated as such in a book.

I have genuinely enjoyed all of Solomon’s adult romance books, and BUSINESS OR PLEASURE is no exception. It was a fun premise, executed with Solomon’s signature charm, banter and nuanced characters, and I certainly went through a spectrum of emotions as I read it. The only reason this one didn’t get rated a touch higher is because, much as I liked Chandler and Finn, and though I found parts of their stories relatable, I was just not as invested in them as I have been with Solomon’s other couples. Still, BUSINESS OR PLEASURE is a fun read and I’m confident many readers will like it too!

I love RLS's books, and this one is no exception. The premise is very unique and fresh, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Chandler (lead FC) and Finn (male MC) were both really great characters. Chandler shows an incredible character arc, and Finn is the sweetest cinnamon roll ever.

One thing I really appreciate about this book is the relationship that Chandler and Finn develop that's definitely NOT based on physicality, despite the fact that Chandler is giving Finn lessons on how to please a woman. There is mutual respect, honesty, and a vulnerability that's extremely refreshing.

RLS has a knack for writing believable characters, and I think this book is no different.

rachel lynn solomon writes GOOD romances, the kind i just looooove to devour-- full of fun and slightly quirky characters, great use of classic tropes, unique details, and awesome representation within her characters. this one had: OCD, anxiety, really healthy and open sex positivity (and a male character who STRUGGLED with sex and needed to be taught!!! we love to see a man on a journey!), a nerdy jewish male MC who loved (and i mean LOVED) lord of the rings and was an actor from a werewolf show (so cons abound!), a female ghostwriter who OF COURSE wants to write her own books and OF COURSE falls for the actor whose memoir she's writing.

tropes include (but are not limited to): one bed! third act break-up! a twist on a work colleague! one night stand! ETC

this was a fun one!!

While I liked this fine, it definitely wasn't my favourite of Rachel Lynn Solomon's adult romances (that honor lies with Weather Girl). I will admit I was quite bothered by the fact that Emerald City Comic Con was in September in this book, something that was revealed about 5% in and I guess the book never recovered from.

thank you so much berkley for this arc

4 stars!

this is a story, that follows a format that i actually have never read before, and was pleasantly surprised to lay my eyes on. i absolutely adore rachel lynn solomon’s writing style, i’ve been a fan of hers for the past couple years now and this book did not disappoint. when it comes to chandler, the person that she is and the attention to detail, and her backstory, and her story going forward, is something so special to me, i love how unique this character is, and how realistic she feels i feel like she’s somebody who i could literally know irl. finn is just everything you would want and not only a partner, but in a friend as well. i think that the OCD representation in this book is phenomenal, and how this book navigates topics that are normally taboo in an informative way is really important. i had a fun time reading this book, chandler and finn’s chemistry is palpable from the first interaction, and i love how it carries through and stays consistent and grow throughout the story, i really adored this read

Okay okay okay!!!!! RLS has been super hit or miss for me over her past couple books. Ex Talk was not a fave, although I enjoyed Weather Girl. BUT BUSINESS OR PLEASURE just knocked everything out of the park!!!

I totally adored this story and the growth of both a friendship and relationship between the two main characters!! There was mental health talk, what it’s like growing up in the spotlight, remaining relevant, and finding your purpose in life.

Plus, there’s not much better than a teach me trope, especially when the girl is so sex positive and teaching open communication (and where the cl!t is 👀😂) to a one night stand that went very wrong. The ending also felt very real, and there wasn’t a full on third act breakup, but time to figure out what they wanted separately as opposed to leaning on the other for validation and purpose.

Definitely add this one to your TBR and preorder!! Thanks to berkley romance and NetGalley for the early copy!

Thank you to Berkley Romance for providing me with an early copy of Business or Pleasure in exchange for an honest review.
Rachel Lynn Solomon's latest romance novel, Business or Pleasure, explores the relationship between a ghostwriter and a struggling actor. The book follows the story of Chandler Cohen, a ghostwriter who attends a book signing for the book she ghostwrote, but unfortunately, the author doesn't recognize her. Feeling dejected, Chandler goes to a nearby bar to try and shake off her disappointment. It is there that she meets a charming man who she ends up having an awkward hookup with and she wants to forget the hookup and move on.
However, fate has other plans for her. Chandler's next project is ghostwriting a memoir for Finn Walsh, a C-list actor known for his role on a werewolf show. To Chandler's surprise, Finn turns out to be the same guy she had the one-night stand with. Chandler is determined to keep her partnership with Finn strictly professional, but as they work together more closely, their relationship starts to change. They must figure out what is more important: business or pleasure.
This is a sweet romance that has one of the healthiest romantic relationships I've ever read. The character development is fantastic, and I loved how Chandler and Finn communicated their issues in a mature and respectful manner. Finn's sincerity and determination to improve his bedroom skills was also a refreshing change from the typical alpha-male characters in romance novels.
The pacing of the story was the only downside for me. At times, it felt quite slow, and I wanted more action to keep me engaged. Despite this minor flaw, Business or Pleasure is an adorable romance that I would recommend to readers who enjoy slow romances with refreshing main characters.
Overall, Rachel Lynn Solomon has done an excellent job of creating a heartwarming romance that will keep you hooked from start to finish. The unique storyline, fantastic character development, and healthy romantic relationship make Business or Pleasure a must-read for all romance fans.

At first this novel intrigued me, the writing was good, the premise was interesting. The main character was humorous, I enjoyed her struggles. However, I could not see the chemistry between her and Finn. It was awkward and weird. After their first sexual adventure, I just cringed every time they had an interaction. Which is unfortunate. I enjoyed the novel, but it wasn’t my favorite romance. I couldn’t connect either with the characters, and it was very face value, without diving too deep.
I’ve been wanting to read “weather girl” because I’ve heard good things, but we shall see based on how I felt about this.