The outcome of this is so obvious, but I can handle that if I’m having fun reading it. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy the writing style or either of the main characters.

I loved the punny title and the craft beer theme (starting each chapter with a different beer description was fun!) but I didn't love the love story. The characters didn't seem right for each other; I kept getting annoyed with Ryan and he didn't redeem himself enough to me. I loved the found family/work family aspect of the brew pub and I was happy when Kat decided to do what was right for herself in the end. I wanted to love it but I would read others by the author.

I was full of sympathy for Kat at first given all the unhappy happenings in her life so far, but after a while I got tired of her for being such a pushover, and for having no social life. It's like she was going to push away all potential good things that was happening in her life! The book turned out to be more negative than positive generally until she decided to go ahead with what she wanted for once and that could have been more of the story than the final few chapters. I am a sucker for happy endings so there are still 3 stars for the book. The craft beer theme was pretty interesting for me.

Overall this was a fun enemies to lovers. I loved the fun beer comparisons to people. the found family aspect of this was fantastic i loved the bars employee dynamic, would definitely recommend

When Kat’s boss and love interest doesn’t follow through on his promise to give her a job brewing beer, she leaves the job and moves and does what’s best for her. That was probably my favorite part because her boss Ryan said he loved her, but his actions indicated otherwise. This book included interesting tidbits about beer brewing and it has a more open ending than the usual HEA.

I love a good romance, and this one was wonderful! It had witty banter, and lovable characters. I was rooting for them the whole way through!

Love this one❤️

Thank you soooooo much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

2.5/5
tropes:
-enemies to lovers
-boss/employee
-slow burn

perhaps you won't have a fun time reading this if you're not a drinker, a beer drinker at that. this is heavily centered around craft beer set in a brewery. i found myself a little bored and hard to get hooked on this book in the beginning. nothing made me want to keep on reading, unfortunately. the characters weren't my favorite, and Ryan...oh Ryan.

overall it's an average romcom that you may have better luck with if you're into beer in general so you can relate to the character's interests more.

thank you netgalley for providing an arc for review

I really love a punny book title especially one set in a location we don't really get a lot in the romance genre. A romance set in a brewery and the title had me immediately requesting this book. Unfortunately, however, this book fell short for me.

The main characters just lacked maturity and at times it was so annoying I almost DNF'd the book. Especially Ryan with his white male privilege which he never really puts behind him. It's pitched as a workplace enemies to lovers, but the lovers part was so rushed because the majority of the story is just heated arguments, and I will say that Kat does grow towards the end of the book, but I feel like with her backstory she shouldn't have had to grow that much. Romance has the HEA but this one did not put in the work for it to be earned. Once you read the book you'll understand when I say they should have just ended up as friends.

2.5 stars from me.

My thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This cover? This title? This summary? Yes pleaseeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here we follow Kat who has had a string of bad luck. She's recovering from a job loss and a bad breakup. However, she discovers a new career path that she is passionate about...craft beer brewer. Things are looking up until the brewpub is sold to a new owner and the owner puts his son, Ryan, in charge. Ryan wants to change a lot of things and Kat won't have it! They will soon learn there is more to each other than meets the eye.

This was cute and fun and unique. I personally prefer wine or whiskey, but craft beer can be fun! Hubby likes trying all the crazy crafts. If this became a movie or show, I think he would adore this story (he's not much of a reader). However, I enjoyed learning about the process and different types of brews. Kat is a knowledgeable lady and you can't help but adore her and her passion!!

I had one big issue with this...Ryan. Sighs. He was rough...super rough around the edges. Just be honest with Kat and everyone. I promise he will get better by the end, but it was a rough journey for sure. There were times I just wanted Kat to walk away from that pub and that man and never return. But she loves the pub and the people...and she loves Ryan. Sighs.

Anyway, I did enjoy this overall. It was so refreshing. Sometimes it felt more like a chic lit than a romance, but the romance does happen...eventually. They have a lot to weed through so it takes time. Ryan was a tough character to fall in love with, but like Kat, when you do fall for him...you'll fall hard. But yes, this was pretty fun. A nice way to end August. I'll give it 3 stars.

I really wanted to love this book, as I love a good craft beer. However, I could not stay engaged with this story. There were parts that were just too political and didn't feel necessary to the overall story. I just couldn't relate to the characters.

This title instantly captured me as I am a lover of craft beer myself. And I really felt that Jayne captured what craft beer is and what the industry looks like, while she also filled it with so much love and commitment through her main character Kat and her friends.

This is also described as an enemy-to-lover romance, but I didn't really feel the romance between Kat and Ryan. The hotheaded discussions that turn into chemistry just felt like uncomfortable and angry arguments between two people too different to see eye to eye. And they never really do either, they just decide to ignore it so they can be together. The rift that ends with them going separate ways, which leads to Kat finding her place at the new brewery pub, felt completely logical and right for the story. And I think I would have preferred that the ending being that they agree to just be friends. I found them both to be immature, but I felt that Kat changes throughout the book, while Ryan doesn't, except for the last pages which feels a bit to neat, a bit to happy considering the problems just weeks earlier. It didn't feel realistic that everything would be solved so perfectly and Ryan completely change his opinions so it fits with Kat's.

To me this was a romance between Kat and craft beer and I read it as such.

This was an interesting read!

Overall I found the story enjoyable. There’s quite a bit of mental health unpacking that occurs over the course of the book, which I wasn’t quite prepared for. As I live with (clinically diagnosed) depression and anxiety myself, I wish I’d had a slight bit more warning via the book blurb about what I was getting into. For what it’s worth, I feel this proved to me that Jayne is a good writer, because as situations start spinning away for our main characters and things get nuts, it ratcheted up my anxiety. Kudos to a writer for being able to convey a situation so well it physically affected me!

Small criticisms: after all the buildup and slow burn the first two-thirds of the book provided, the end felt rushed. I would have also liked to see more of Joe and Prairie, perhaps a scene where Kat visits them. Kat consistently and repeatedly views Joe and Prairie as surrogate parents, but to never visit them after they leave their brewery seems odd. I understand that Jayne likely did this to further underline Kat’s tendency to step back and close off, but that still felt strange to me. It also would have felt more satisfying for Kat to get some sort of actual closure from them, rather than her guesses and conjecture.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

I am all for a sweet romance and the brewery aspect was a unique plot line. However, the beer became too much of a plot line and with so much depth; more than I cared about regarding the beer. I needed more about the romance. Overall, it was okay but nothing that will make it stand out among the many many many other romances out there

This was a sweet romance, set in a craft brewery.
As someone who loves craft beer, it was a fun setting to read it in, and I learned lots about beer, because she describes a beer before every chapter.

The romance wasn't as hot, or as electric as I usually like, more of a slow burn, but it was okay. Honestly the beer was the most interesting part!
3.75

A very basic but good romance novel. I liked it but it wasn't all that different from any other romance novel. I still like it tho.

3⭐ I wanted to love this one, but for me, it was just meh. I felt like Kat and Ryan were both immature, and their relationship felt more like business than romance.

I'm not a beer drinker, I don't know if that made a difference! 🍻🍻🍻

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

As a woman in the beer/brewery world, I knew this niche romance would hit different! Taking place in Chicago, the couple who owns and operates a microbrewery has to sell their business to pay for unfortunate medical expenses. Enter our tall, dark, and handsome new manager, Ryan! After a roller coaster of emotions and events, Kat fights tooth and nail to be hired as the new brewer at the updated brewery. I loved the ending of this book - unexpected in a good way, it didn't seem to fit the standard mold.
The middle of the book did seem to drag a little, there were parts I felt could be omitted and didn't do anything for the plot or process of the story. I was also looking for more physical attraction between Ryan and Kat as well - felt like I was left hanging. The non-perfect ending did save this one for me!

This was an enemies to lovers, boss/employee, opposites attract rom-com that left a lot to be desired.

I really liked the concept with the beer and how Kat (our FMC) associates people with different types of beer. The book started out really cute. Loved the way Kat and Ryan first met, but as the story progressed, it just seemed more like a business partnership rather than a romance.

Ryan and Kat both seemed really immature. Ryan especially. I felt no chemistry between them, which was disappointing in a rom-com.

Overall it was just okay for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

I love romances that include baking/cooking/bar/brewing! I am also a big fan of craft beer, so I thought this romance would check all the boxes!

I did enjoy how each chapter included descriptions of different types of beer, as well as how the author compared different characters to different types of beer.

I also thought this book had a strong beginning. Unfortunately the further into the book I got the less interesting and engaging it became. The main character was interesting, but the real stars of the story were the side characters. The ending also fell flat for me, and it felt a bit too "perfect".

I did read this book in 2 days, so if you want to a quick romance and you're a fan of craft beer give it a read. If you are not a fan of craft beer you can probably skip this one.