I finished this book in two days. I obviously enjoyed it and liked the main characters. I like baseball and it offered an interesting view into the behind-the-scenes part that a lot of fans don't think about. I thought we were going to get through the book without a miscommunication plot line but unfortunately, we did not. Due to that and the spice, because it's not my style, I would actually rate this a 3.5 stars. Thankfully, the miscommunication was short-lived but still unnecessary. Any time adults run away instead of having a conversation, it is a turn-off for me. Does this happen often in real life? It doesn't with anyone I know, so I'm not sure. There were some other needless plot lines added in, like the wedding mix up and Beth and her dating life, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

This book was so fun!! Third person sometimes had the reputation to feel slightly distant for the reader, but this one sets the standard for doing third so so well. The beginning starts perfectly and drew me into the story immediately. The single POV heightened the tension of the dual wrong number texts and lended itself to a pining MMC in the best, most deliciously subtle ways.

If you want a Romance book that tells a story and happens to have tropes, this is it. The most obvious one, the one bed trope, can be spotted from San Diego-to-Cancun away, but is done in a hilariously over the top, Rom Com way that it’s delightful to read. Who cares if it’s obvious? Who cares if it’s clichéd? Not me!

Our characters had depth and layers, and they were revealed wonderfully. Perhaps we could’ve seen a little more of the MMC overcoming his arc of parental approval. We only hear about his conversation with his parents in passing.

The way they find out who the other texter is, is delicious and tense and perfect. Lynn Painter’s Mr. Wrong Number should take note. The reveal heightens the tension between our mains in a way that makes you want to turn the page.

I love that the stakes of FMC finding a date for her sister’s wedding was more than just “showing up ex boyfriend” or “appeasing family.” It was specifically that her ex had told her she’s die alone if she married her job. Her wanting a date was rooted in showing up her ex in a very specific way, and I loved that. I love that she wanted her job AND a loving, supportive partner.

The baseball accident early on was so cute and swoonworthy and worth the read alone even if I was thinking “ouch ouch ouch ouch” the whole time. He calls her by her first name? He picks her up and carries her across the field? And then he brings her breakfast the next morning? The subtleties, the subtext, the bread crumbs of foreshadowing. I’m a sucker for it all. It was done so well.

My one gripe about the book is how unrealistic him checking into the resort is. She never gives his name to the front desk, but the all inclusive, expensive resort not only sends him to their private party at the bride and groom’s villa but also gives him a wristband to get into her room?? This would not only never happen but had me questioning if the author/editor had ever stayed at a hotel. Ever. Or watched any show or movie where the characters try to lie to get a room number. It’s a safety matter.

Even still.

5 star read. Like, a true 5 star read even if I didn’t give them out for more easily than Romance Books reddit apparently does. If there were higher stars, it would get those. Homerun and the bases were loaded. All the things. This is one that I’ll be buying and gushing about for a while to come.

I can't decide if I love or hate the The Hating Game comparison the book makes in the blurb. The Hating Game is so old at this point, and this book is spot on for a comp for it, down to some of the plot lines and tropes, that I just still can't decide if I hate it or think it was (finally!) the perfect "For Fans Of!"

Last Night Was Fun was such a great, comfortable read. It was one of those cozy rom-coms that was funny, relatable and could not stop turning the page.

Emmy works as a data analyst for the local baseball team in San Diego. One night she gets a text from an unknown number and strikes up a conversation from the mistaken texter who was given the wrong number on a date.

Gabe is Emmy’s coworker and they are rivals. They compete for everything and Emmy is completely intimidated by Gabe especially since she has to work twice as hard as her coworkers because she is a woman in a male dominated field. Gabe is definitely not Emmy’s favorite person.
Emmy’s sister is getting married and needs a date. So, after texting for a while and building this chemistry, she works up enough courage to ask her mystery texter to meet and be her date to the wedding, without even meeting.

The characters were so relatable and likable and I just loved everything about it. Emmy and Gabe’s relationship was perfect despite being rivals. I enjoyed the ease of the story and how it flowed.

If you are a fan of You’ve Got Mail, you will love this! Definitely recommend and a must read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Avon and Harper Voyager, for the ARC.
While there were definitely some unrealistic moments, I genuinely enjoyed this book.
Watching their relationship develop was such a treat — the Balboa Park scene was absolutely epic!
It was romantic, funny, and overall a great read. I'd definitely recommend it to fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope

In short, THIS was fun. A baseball-ish workplace rivalry rom-com sorta book. A little texting, a little vacay, and only one bed. You know how it goes.

As a woman who works in a male dominated field, I also really appreciated her struggles at work. I also appreciate that she was able to maintain her authenticity and personal life without having to give up her career. So often women are expected to choose between one of the other.

This is an easy and enjoyable summer read - I highly recommend!

3.75 ⭐

LIKED:
- I really like the setup of this book. Is it the most unique trope? No. It’s coworker adversaries + Shop Around the Corner/You’ve Got Mail. But that’s perfectly fine! Their place of work is the unique part as they are both data analysts for (what is never really said on page) the San Diego Padres. I loved that. I’m a big baseball fan but it was really interesting to not have one of the main characters be an active professional baseball player.
- The MCs were both endearing to me. I wish we got a little more for Emmy that fleshed her out a bit, but she’s driven by family trauma and high expectations for herself, so that’s more icing than anything. And Gabe was fun. I wish he was a little more charming all things considered, but it made sense most of the time for the character, especially in the first part of the book where Emmy is very much not supposed to like him.
- I liked the character’s chemistry overall as well. I think that a lot of the “enemies” aspects of why they don’t like each other felt kind of forced and less than totally believable, but sometimes you just have coworkers you don’t like. Especially if you’re both constantly working towards the same personal goals.
- The relationship between Gabe and Emmy’s dad?? It was so sweet! I don’t know why but it just got me.

LAMENTED:
- I cannot stand Emmy’s sister. I know she’s supposed to be a bridezilla of sorts but she read like she was 13 and not 25 or whatever. I deeply did not like her.
- Some of the writing felt a little to cheesy for me, personally. I know some people like this kind of goofy Tumblr humor, but it’s not my favorite.
- Oh the third act breakup was just the worst kind of miscommunication trope misfiring. I’m not adverse to the miscommunication trope, honestly I’m kind of an apologist for it because it’s usually very grounded in realism. This one…was just silly. Why wouldn’t she talk to him? Also, I just think the kind of like HR relationship divulging, etc., generally felt a little muddy.
- The title doesn’t really fit for me. I get that it’s for the text that kicks everything off, but…it doesn’t really make sense for the rest of the book. Also that first chapter where he texts her was a really dry start. I almost wish the book had started with the dress fitting.
- The cover is…not for me. I like that the T is overlapping Gabe and they’re sitting on the text bubbles, but the color palette is jarring and reads a bit juvenile.

LONGED FOR:
- Making the sister feel less like a caricature
- More grounding to some of the characters and moments (eg., the third act breakup)
- A cover and title that better befit the book

Will I read the next one? : Yes, under this pen name especially. I’ve read two other Holly James books (well, I DNF-ed Name Your Price and the lore drop in the book for it, which was odd btw, keyed me into the fact that this was also her) but this one was by far the best of hers IMHO. I think Avon is really good for her!

It was cute. I like the You Got Mail vibes a lot. Emmy and Gabe had chemistry. You know how it’s all going to play out of course. But it is worth the read.

This is a great read! For a reason I can't quite define it gave me 'squeal and kick my legs' vibes like the movie "Set It Up" (glenn powell & zoey deutch). The plot isn't the same but the teasing, the teamwork in spite of frustration, the competition, and the sports professional, ladder climbing main characters make for a great setting. There are tropes galore but the writing is great. The hot scenes are *whew* hot and placed in the perfect spot in the book. There is very little emotional damage/baggage with the characters, just enough for conflict. I read this in 1 day because I just couldn't put it down.
Thanks so much for the ARC!

OMG! This was such a fun book.

First off, I requested because the cover looked so pretty and the premise sounded intriguing. This book delivered more than that.

It was so fun and enjoyable read. Love the main characters, you can relate to them and just the whole book was so endearing.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read! It was a cute, heartfelt romance that kept me smiling the whole way through. I found the characters, especially Emmy, to be incredibly likable and relatable. Her determination to succeed in a male-dominated industry really added depth to her character, while her unexpected connection with the mystery texter brought a fun, swoony element to the story.

The plot blended some familiar romance tropes—wrong number texting, workplace rivals, and a fake wedding date—but it was done in a way that felt fresh and nostalgic at the same time. I loved watching Emmy and Gabe’s relationship evolve, both through their playful text banter and their real-world rivalry. Their chemistry felt genuine, and the story had just the right balance of humor, tension, and heart.

Overall, if you’re looking for a light, charming romance with a strong female lead and a perfect slow-burn payoff, this one’s definitely worth picking up!

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was light and super cute. If you’re a fluffy rom-com girl, this should be right up your alley. As a reader who likes a little more conflict and fewer puns, it wasn’t a perfect fit for me, but I could see it being a great beach read. I liked that the FMC was a data analyst, and I liked the San Diego setting.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

10/5 stars!! Loved the energy, romance and story! Gave it a glowing review on Goodreads and about to post on my socials about. Hoping there are many SEs picked up and I am optimistic it will be super popular.

I really loved this! By far, my favorite STEM romance this year. This was a fresh twist on a classic trope, and novel enough not to seem tired or silly. Gabe and Emmy were amazing characters to get to know, and I liked them all the more for their flaws. I’d love to see more from this author!

this was a super cute read! I enjoyed it so much Emmy and Gabe are perfect. Both perfectly imperfect and realizing they are meant for each other.

Overall, I really enjoyed “Last Night Was Fun.” It was appropriately named, because this book was fun. The chemistry between the leads was great and I loved seeing how it went from text to in person.

The pacing was great and I didn’t feel like there were any slower parts where my attention waned. Seeing how their relationship progressed was a joy and I spent a ton of times saying “How can you not realize it’s him???” to my ereader. I loved seeing the connections between texts and what was happening in the story.

The one thing I didn’t love was the third act breakup, but I enjoyed the ending. It was definitely a swoonworthy gesture.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager via NetGalley for this early copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

Talk about a super fun book! Loved the You’ve Got Mail Vibes! Such a fun concept how she took that anonymous chatting and put her own spin on it! Two of my favorite tropes are featured: one bed, enemies to lovers. I couldn’t put this down! Thanks for the ARC Holly Michelle and Avon and Harper Voyager.

Last Night Was Fun is the kind of book that feels like it was written for people who love sharp banter, undeniable chemistry, and that delicious slow-burn tension where you’re internally screaming for the characters to finally get a clue.

Emmy is a badass — a woman thriving in a male-dominated field (data analytics for a pro baseball team) and sticking to her rules: no dating, no over-sharing, and baseball always first. Gabe is her charming, infuriating work rival who’s just as competitive and stubborn. The twist? They unknowingly start texting each other after a wrong number moment, and what kicks off as harmless banter turns into genuine emotional connection — all while they’re battling for the same promotion at work.

The setup is very You’ve Got Mail meets The Hating Game with a sports world backdrop, and it works because the writing keeps it fun, emotional, and fast-paced. Even though readers will clock early on who the mystery texter is, watching Emmy and Gabe figure it out (and wrestle with it) is pure entertainment.

What really sold me wasn’t just the texting or the classic enemies-to-lovers beats — it was how the author handled the emotional core. Emmy and Gabe aren’t just snarking at each other for fun; they both carry real insecurities, past losses, and the pressure of proving themselves. Their rivalry isn’t petty — it’s layered, and when they start letting their guards down, it feels earned. Also, the “only one bed” trope at the wedding? Nailed it.

Is there a third-act breakup? Yes, and honestly, I’m usually over that move, but here it was short, believable, and didn’t drag the ending down. The resolution felt mature and satisfying — no overwrought drama just for the sake of it.

This book is the perfect pick if you want a romance that’s smart, funny, emotional, and filled with characters who feel real — messy, competitive, vulnerable, and all heart underneath the snark. A strong debut for me from Holly Michelle, and I’ll definitely be checking out whatever she writes next.

4.5 stars — highly recommend if you’re a sucker for rivals-to-lovers with real tension, emotional depth, and texting that’ll make you grin like an idiot.

You’ve Got Mail + The Hating Game? Say no more.

I loved this one from the very from text message and while it was so clear who was texting Emmie, I loved watching it play out. Enemies to lovers & one bed trope? Delicious. Only thing that would’ve made it better was a forced kiss that made them realize they were magically attracted to each other ❤️

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for sharing this one with me!

Emmy and Gabe begin flirty texts due to Gabe getting "fake numbered". Little do they know that, in reality, they were rivals at work. Since they were going against each other for the same promotion they had to decide if they wanted to sacrifice their promotion or their relationship. I love that the story was based around baseball and, although it was a quick read, it did address deeper topics. Overall, it was a cute, easy read that I'd recommend as a beach read.