Sex positive, an awkward first hook-up, and a hilarious “oh my god” moment that subsequently follows, get ready to be swept away into another heart-felt rom-com by romance favorite, Rachel Lynn Solomon.

Solomon takes us into a story starring two quirky characters, a ghostwriter, Chandler Cohen, and a C-list actor Finn Walsh, who end up working together on Walsh’s memoir. And the setup for their first and second encounter is just AMAZING!

And what I absolutely love about this book is the way Solomon writes her MC with a self-awareness and confidence in how to be satisfied and give satisfaction. It’s refreshing when two characters are able to be completely vulnerable with each other. But I feel, most importantly, both characters taking a risk in figuring out in a safe and consensual way, how to find satisfaction (for both people involved) when in the bedroom.

Business or Pleasure is a romance novel not to be missed!

Happy Reading ~ Cece

4/5 ☆

this was great. fast paced + well written, RLS does a great job at creating well rounded characters — ones that actually communicate at that!

loved how sex positive this was and the open communication it created between chandler + finn. they have such a natural chemistry that translated to the bedroom easily after a few lessons. their progression to a relationship made sense and so did their hesitations and insecurities about their careers.

really enjoyed this one! bonus points for the mental health + Jewish rep.

Rachel Lynn Solomon can do no wrong. Really enjoyed this romance, the characters, and the entire story from start to finish.

Out July 4, 2023 [Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!]

Rating: 5/5 stars

Chandler Cohen is a professional ghostwriter struggling with her personal and professional life when she has a deeply unsatisfying one night stand…who turns out to be her latest client.

I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH. It’s funny, sexy, full of top notch banter and great characters and a slightly silly but super engaging premise. All of that is outstanding and absolutely enough to make BUSINESS OR PLEASURE worth reading, but it’s not what earned it five stars for me.

Rather, what made this book a five star read is the deeply relatable way the author writes about being a 30ish millennial struggling with career burnout/disillusionment. The impeccably deft handling of mental health topics. The flawed and scared and occasionally chaotic but deeply real characters. I felt so deeply and meaningfully seen by so many parts of this book, and when you find something that resonates so deeply, you hold on tight and don’t let go.

I’m absolutely imploring you to go preorder this one/get your hands on it however you can as soon as you possibly can! I hope you love it as much as I did.

Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: sex positivity and feminism; mental health rep; relatable characters

CW: Mental health (anxiety + OCD); some mentions of antisemitism

Chandler Cohen puts the ghost in ghostwriter.  In fact, the author of the book she just wrote didn't even recognize her at her book signing.  However, the evening turns promising when she finds herself next to a handsome and charming man at the bar and they instantly connect.  This leads to an extremely awkward hook up that she soon wants to forget.

Easier said than done when her next project is ghostwriting his memoir.  Finn Walsh is a C-list actor best known for his role as a lovable nerd on a cult classic werewolf show and currently makes his living making appearances at fan conventions.
 
Chandler wants to keep their partnership as professional as possible, but when she admits to him their one night stand wasn't mind blowing they strike a deal.  When they are not working on his book, Chandler will school Finn in the art of sexual satisfaction.

As they grow closer in and out of the bedroom they have to decide what is more important.  Business or Pleasure?
 

This one started out a little awkward.  They jumped right into the sex scenes and it was very cringe.  Obviously, that was part of the story line, as she ends up educating him throughout the book.  But, to start off that way was a little...eww! 
However, I did love the sex positive role Chandler played.  Sex isn't just for men.  Women should receive pleasure, too, and should feel 100% comfortable asking for what they want.  This progressed throughout Finn's education, but was very prominent.  So, if you're not into lots of sexy scenes, this might not be your cup of tea.  I got a little The Kiss Quotient vibes.

I also loved the role Finn played, shedding light on some mental health, especially in the entertainment industry.

Their relationship together was super sweet, tho.  It felt authentic from the start, even though it began a little awkwardly.  I tend to think some rom com's get overly cheesy and this wasn't one of them.  This felt like an equal balance of a great story line and spice!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an early E-Copy.

Rachel Lynn Solomon is a master of writing original romances. Her ideas are always just crazy enough to work and I love the way she makes them come to life. Business or Pleasure is no exception and I absolutely loved the concept. I also love how all of her books are a love letter to Seattle. I could relate to this MC more than any other MC of hers because of her age and occupation, which I really appreciated. As always the mental health rep was well done. Another stellar romance.

What a delight of a book!! This was my first RLS and definitely won’t be my last. I adored the characters and the unique plot. This book is single POV but felt like I still really got to know Finn because the main characters were so open and honest in their dialogue. So refreshing! Loved the sex positivity as well.

Business or Pleasure lived up to all of its cute, cartoon cover, rom-com glory.

For those of you seeking a character-driven story, this may just be the read for you. Our female lead, Chandler Cohen, is an unusual force to be reckoned with. While she may struggle stepping out of her comfort zone, once she does, she can’t be stopped. She is a sex-positive, unapologetic, whirlwind of independence that makes her easily lovable. As a narrator, her voice was so real. It made an otherwise unbelievable story fall into the realm of believability. Seeing the accurate anxiety representation on page was very much appreciated.

Finn Walsh, our male lead, is equally as lovable being his sweet, nerdy, Lord of the Rings obsessed self. Tell me how many men can be told their skills in bed aren’t…up to par and still carry themselves with grace. Then tell me how I’m not supposed to fall absolutely head over heels for this man.

I must say, the relationship between our two protagonists was without a doubt one of the healthiest ones I’ve seen on page. Their communication, though it was met with obstacles, weren’t ones they were unable to get over. Both Chandler and Finn stripped down to their most vulnerable selves both physically and literally and weren’t afraid of bracing through the difficult conversations.

As for the spice…I’m not sure why I went into it expecting the bare minimum, being as the synopsis literally states their arrangement, but I was still pleasantly surprised by the open-door romance. I’ve become immune to most stories with this level of intimacy, but let me tell you, the chemistry between Chandler and Finn was just…wow. I got so many butterflies. Did someone turn the thermostat up? Don’t get me wrong, their initial rendezvous, for lack of better wording, made me beyond uncomfortable. I was just as embarrassed, if not more than, our main characters. But it takes a talented author to evoke that emotion and build it into a yearning romance.

One of my only critiques revolves around our main conflict. While predictable, I still expected it to build into more of a mind-blowing climax with a swoon-worthy love confession. While I was a little disappointed with the way it all ended, I will admit that it coincided with our characters' personalities.

I have such a deep appreciation for this author’s writing, even with this being the first of her works that I’ve read. It is clear in her depiction of mental health awareness and the Jewish culture that she believes in the causes she chooses to represent. As someone with diagnosed OCD, being able to connect with a character because of this disorder, one that is very rarely presented on the page as such a monumental matter, is one I don’t take for granted. That being said, I do wish the representation was a little more than the stereotypical need for cleanliness and order. There are so many facets to this disorder that while I don’t doubt this is one that many like myself struggle with, there would’ve been much more impact delving into the other side of OCD; the more compulsive side.

While I usually find the more modern, pop-culture references to be cringe-worthy, the way it was written in this novel was slightly comforting and nostalgic. Perhaps it's because it reminded me of the Comic-Con scenes in my own favorite book series, or maybe it was because I, myself cannot like anything in a chill way, but whatever it may be, it gave me a sense of home.

Real talk, someone give this woman a Nobel Peace Prize because this was the only time TikTok was mentioned that I didn’t immediately want to DNF a book.

Overall, Business or Pleasure was a four-star read that made me want to curl up by the fireplace with a warm cup of hot cocoa, per Chandler and Finn’s request.

Thank you to Berkley Romance and Rachel Lynn Solomon for providing me with this ARC. As always, all opinions are my own and are not influenced by early access to this title.

Business or Pleasure might just be the most sex-positive thing I have ever read. This was a fantastic contemporary romance for the reader looking for more than just that same old bedroom scene.

4.5 stars. Rachel Lynn Solomon's third adult romance is my favorite so far. Celebrity ghostwriter Chandler has a disappointing one-night stand with a stranger...who turns out to be Finn, the former teen star of a supernatural show who wants to write a memoir. She reluctantly takes the job, which will involve touring the country with Finn and visiting assorted cons. Chandler finally admits to Finn that their night together didn't do it for her, and he asks for help. As these things often do, this leads to very hot, very organized sex lessons.

An excellent depiction of honest communication between (eventually) romantic partners. Chandler in particular is very good at saying what she needs. I loved watching them get closer and trust each other.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

This was one of my favorites from this author. The characters felt authentic and fun and yet still a steamy read. I took off a star because I didn’t love the ending as much as the rest of the book. I didn’t feel it had as much suspense between the characters do build back up towards a happy ending.

A solid read for me. I thought the ghostwriter concept was fresh and I enjoyed watching Chandler and Finn find their chemistry - though I was nervous for a while about how that would pan out.

Chandler is a ghost writer who pens memoirs and books for minor celebrities. After a rough book signing event, Chandler is pleasantly surprised to meet Drew. He’s charming and good looking- and completely awkward in the bedroom. Chandler is in for another surprise the next day when she realizes her celebrity book subject is a bit familiar…

I loved this book! I’m a fan of Rachel Solomon from her previous work of Weather Girl and The Ex Talk, but I think I enjoyed this book even more. The humor in it had me rolling! The reference to Little Caesar’s pizza (if you know, you know) had me literally laughing out loud. I appreciate the humor and realism of an awkward sexual encounter, which you don’t often see in a romance. Finn was the perfect nerdy but sweet male main character. Additionally, I really appreciated the representation for mental illness within this story and how it was treated with both compassion and normalcy. I loved how the author was able to sensitively address important issues such as mental illness, sex positivity, abortion, and therapy within a romantic comedy.

Rachel Solomon was able to write a heartwarming, spicy, and hilarious book that is truly special. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves awkward and funny moments, hilarious dialogue, Jewish representation, and spice. Be sure to preorder this book now!

Thank you so much to Rachel Solomon, Berkley Romance, and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely LOVED Business or Pleasure. Ghost writer helps famous person with sex lessons. It was so secretly spicy, talked about OCD and anxiety honestly & was so fun! I love Solomon for her honesty that she writes into books. Characters are always real, funny & their endings are so, so sweet! Overall, it was so fun & a true Solomon classic!

I loved the Ex Talk and Business or Pleasure is right up there - another wonderful rom-com by Solomon. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!! The ghostwriter theme is really interesting and you don't feel like this is a story you've read before. Well done!

Excuse me while I FLING myself into the SUN!!!

TW: anxiety, OCD, on-page panic attack, discussion of abortion, emotionally abusive parent (past)

I never know how to start my reviews for Rachel's books. Gush for 20 paragraphs? Condense my spaghetti thoughts into bullet points? How does one articulate that this is the 8th RLS release and my 7th arc and I don't understand how she tops herself every time?

This is a low-angst workplace romance with mental health rep and career anxiety and traveling around the country. A book about a Seattle-based writer afraid to let herself jump that I believe reflects some of Rachel's personal anxieties.

A story about someone learning how to be "good" in bed, AKA be self-aware and understand how partnership works.

A character with germ-centered OCD (like mine!!) who deals with it every day. Seeing a character inspect every dish, who was afraid to eat at restaurants, whose anxiety around contamination affects his every day was like reading myself. Sometimes you need to ask for a new glass or spoon because the other one was giving you weird vibes!! I love adding books with mental health rep like mine to my list because it is a very short list (other books include American Panda and A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares). Also, the discussion about feeling imposter syndrome with your own illness uncovered something in my brain that I need to examine later when I can't sleep at 3am.

Another book in the RLS Universe where socks play a significant role (something Rachel hadn't noticed until I pointed it out, but now we need sock merch right??).

A tv show that is basically Teen Wolf and a Hallmark movie that literally predicted Jeremy Jordan's Hanukkah on Rye Hallmark movie that came out last year.

A vegetarian love interest.

A random ode to Reno, Nevada, a town where there is nothing. Trust me.

A dedication that will make you emo and then a reading guide in the back that will make you proud of how far Rachel's come (or at least that was my experience).

A nursing back to health scene that I may or may not have inspired (I have receipts if you don't believe me).

Random bits of scripts and news articles scattered between chapters.

And a lot of respect and love for fandom culture and conventions.

This is not a romance for the closed-door girlies, so if on-page sexy times aren't your thing I would just suggest skipping this one. The sex scenes are vital to the plot and there are a lot of them. They're also on the more realistic side, so if you're a smut girlie lower your expectations or go read a Tessa Bailey.

Easily Rachel's best adult romance thus far. I am so in love with this story and these characters, and now I lowkey want to become a ghostwriter for my famous friends. I don't currently have any because we're still pretty young, but I know at least one of them will become famous and then I will write their memoir.

Thank you to Rachel Lynn Solomon and Berkley Romance for the physical arc! All opinions are my own.

Rep: both leads are Jewish, FMC has generalized anxiety disorder, MMC has OCD, a SC uses mobility aid, a SC has two moms, gay Indian American SC

RATING: 5/5 STARS

My new favorite of Rachel Lynn Solomon's books! BUSINESS OR PLEASURE was SUCH a fun read. I flew through it. The premise is so unique. I loved reading about an adorably inept hero... who is not so inept by the end of the book. I feel like a lot of MMCs in romance these days are "perfect" so it was so refreshing to read about one who isn't. I hope this book blows up because it truly deserves it. I would describe this book as a mash up FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK (Jewish rep, celebrity MMC, writer FMC), BOOK LOVERS (book writing and editing process), and THE KISS QUOTIENT (relationship coach trope & steam) but so unique in its own way!!

Rachel can do absolutely no wrong! This book had me hooked from the first chapter! I thought long and hard before writing this review trying to think if there was anything that I didn't like or would change in this book. And there is nothing. Every part of this book has me wanting to read it again for the first time. I love that Noemi was so supportive of everything that Chandler did and was. The level of steam in this book is immeasurable and I am all about it! Fin and Chandler are such a perfect couple! I can't love them anymore! I would love to read about their future! Please give us a second book about Chandler and Fin!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Wow, what a refreshingly honest story about relationship and sex! Not to mention how the open and honest relationship

Too often in romance books we’re missing healthy communications between the main relationship which can be beyond frustrating when they’re both grown adults. Rachel Lynn Solomons averts that wonderfully with Chandler and Finn.

Easily a 5 out 5 stars for me!
(Side note she wasn’t lying when she said this was steam. I was straight up blushing in some scenes!)

I adore Rachel Lynn Solomon's witty prose and endearing characters. She once again produced a superb work, and I adored this one!