This was a super cute, super fun read- perfect for the summer!

A fake phone number texting exchange unknowingly turns rivals into soulmates! Emmy Jameson and Gabe Olson are coworkers vying for a promotion within their professional baseball organization. Both love all things baseball, mathematical and competitive. They are determined to outdo one another at work in the hopes they will land the coveted Sr. Analyst position they are both competing for. What they don't know, is that they have been secretly texting one another when Gabe mistakenly texts Emmy one night after his date gives him a 'fake' number. The connection out of the office is real- but in the office, they can't stand one another.

Things start to develop, shared experiences bring them together unknowingly, and a family wedding sets the stage for them to reveal who they really are and how they truly feel about one another.

Special thanks to Avon, Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A rivals to lovers rom com set in the analytics part of a baseball team. Emmy and Gabe are both up for a big promotion. They are also both texting with someone and building a relationship which we know is with each other. Yes it is echoes of You've Got Mail but it's baseball! Gotta say that I was more sympathetic to Emmy as Gabe doesn't come off well at first. And the third act crisis is one of miscommunication. That said. it's a quick entertaining read. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Fun one.

I love a good office rivals romances and Last Night Was Fun did not disappoint there! However, the third act break up due to miscommunication killed the vibe.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing the ARC.

First, I want to say that I really enjoyed this book. I loved the You've Got Mail vibes mixed with the Hating Game office rivals to lovers situation that Emmy and Gabe find themselves in. I thought the story was very well written, and that the pacing was not too fast or too slow. It felt like it moved at a nice even pace. I also enjoyed the fact that the author didn't leave them in suspense for too long about the other's alternate identity.

I have two major issues with the book, however. The first being that in the beginning Gabe came off as a grade-A jersey with a dash of sexism and misogyny thrown in. It is acknowledged that Emmy works in a male-dominated field, and for someone who later claims that he had been interested in her the whole time, he exhibited a lot of behavior that would frankly turn most women off from him entirely. I didn't ever quite warm up to him as the love interest because I felt like his behavior was really that awful.

The second thing is that this book employed one of my least favorite tropes in the third act breakup - miscommunication. These two characters spent the majority of the book talking about how easy it was to communicate with each other, how they were able to open up to each other and be comfortable with each other. But then one of them overhears something and instead of talking it out, lashes out using baseless assumptions about the other party's motives. And then blocking all forms of communication with them without ever allowing them to discuss things. It frustrates the hell out of me.

That being said, this book is fun and a bit needy, and definitely full of cool baseball stuff. I think my misgivings of it are more a reflection of me than of the book or the author and I think plenty of people will love this book for its charm.

I am a huge fan of You've Got Mail and anything that follows that sort of storyline, so I was really excited and optimistic about Last Night Was Fun. I won't lie - I struggled at the beginning, but I think it was a me/timing issue because I started reading again today and hit a stride and could NOT stop. I found myself reading when I should not have been. Like at work. While my friend was sitting and talking to me. You know, things like that.

The characters are likable, relatable, and flawed. They are so stupid! But it was SO good! Of course it seems obvious to the reader and not the characters, and that's the beauty of it all. I was waiting, on edge, for the various shoes to drop throughout and wasn't sure when or how it was going to happen. Despite it being fairly predictable, I was still so nervous and stressed. Genuinely.

The writing in this story is so easy and fluid. There are some incredible references, allusions, and descriptions that I could only hope to one day come up with something even half as good. I was repeatedly so excited about the way Holly wrote things and described things. The pop culture references were top tier.

I will be reading her other novels and keeping an eye out for upcoming releases. It was everything that I want in a Rom Com.

Now I'm going to go watch You've Got Mail and try not to reread this immediately.

The cover? Adorable. The amount of baseball? Amazing, big sports girl. The third act breakup? No. The FMC completely lost her mind and took things way too far in my opinion. This was sitting at a solid 4 star read before the last 20% of the book which had me dropping a star.

The banter was amazing and I loved the text messages between the MCs. If you can look past a ridiculous third act breakup then give this one a chance.

Thank you to Avon for allowing me to be an early reader. All thoughts are my own.

The blurb saying that this is a mix between You've Got Mail and The Hating Game is 1000% accurate. While the plot was a bit obvious, the banter and chemistry between Emmy and Gabe was soooo good. Gabe was just misunderstood and Emmy felt like she had to constantly fight to prove herself. These characters were very well developed. ANDDD the ending with Beth has me hopeful??? Definitely a must read for anyone who loves Rom-Coms!

I don’t care how many times I've read a “You’ve Got Mail” styled story, it's a plot that will always be timeless in my eyes! Last Night Was Fun was easily one of my favorite takes on this trope! It was a perfectly paced, fun, and heartwarming read.

I really loved Emmy and Gabe’s relationship. It wasn’t always smooth! Miscommunication was a big factor for them , but I loved it because that is what made it more relatable and real. It’s easy to be blind to what is right in front of you when you are caught up in your own issues, careers, and insecurities. Once their eyes were open- they were very intentional about choosing each other, and it made me feel so incredibly happy!

The third-act conflict was a bit dramatic and predictable, but I still enjoyed this story and definitely recommend it to my fellow You’ve Got Mail fans!

Thank you NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy! This is an honest review, all opinions are my own.

A fun, easy read. A different take on a sports romance but a delightful change. Admittedly to enjoy this book you have to suspend reality & ignore any concept of stranger danger and just go with it. It’s not super believable but that’s okay! It worked for me. It was sweet, deep at times and always a fun time. The ending was a bit too much for me. I’m not a fan of big public romantic gestures and jury cringed through the whole last part of the book. But the rest was a good time as long as you just let go & go with it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All opinions are mine alone.

Last Night Was Fun is a super cute romance about two rivals who work for the same professional baseball team. I love anything that comps to You’ve Got Mail — there’s something so fun about the epistolary elements and mistaken identity trope. I had a great time reading it and loved Emmy and Gabe!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.

The summation of You've Got Mail and The Hating Game is so on point. This was such a fun office romance. Emmy and Gabe both work for a baseball team and is aiming for the same job/promotion.

As a male dominated field, Emmy faces a lot of boys club mentality as the office and her nemesis is Gabe. The office nemesis vibes are strong and I felt bad for Emmy working in this environment.

The texts between Axe Murderer and Bird Girl was so good. I love how they opened up to each other.

I appreciated that the story didn't drag out the mystery of the texting and the story moved forward. The story is just full of laughs and both characters are likable. The supporting characters added a fun aspect too.

Thank you @avonbooks for a copy of this.

This was a fun one! I really enjoyed the whole experience of this book. The characters were great and had so much personality. The storyline was funny and when it picked up pace in Mexico, I was hooked. I enjoyed how Emmy and Gabe both had their own things to deal with and openly talked about it. Cute romance with a little bit of sports and a lot of fun.

I enjoyed this book the most at the beginning when the main characters were exchanging texts and having their workplace enemy time. It lost something after they found out the identity of the other and got together. The remaining story felt way too overdramatic and went on for too long. Still, library patrons should enjoy this title.

I just finished Last Night Was Fun by Holly Michelle and I had such a great time with it! It’s a super cute, funny workplace romance set in the world of professional baseball.

The story follows Emmy, who works in analytics, and Gabe, her super competitive coworker. They’re basically rivals—until a text mix-up leads to them accidentally connecting without realizing who the other person is. It’s got this awesome blend of enemies-to-lovers and secret identity vibes that totally hooked me.

Their chemistry is 🔥, and I loved how both characters grow throughout the book. Plus, it’s full of banter, heart, and just enough drama to keep things interesting. If you’re into slow burns, great dialogue, and a fun, sporty setting, I definitely recommend picking this one up!

Oh, let me tell you about this delightful twist on a classic romance trope! Picture this: a wrong phone number leads to unexpected sparks, but wait—there's a twist! Enter the world of workplace rivals, where the tension is thick and the stakes are high. Emmy has always had to claw her way to the top in a male-dominated field, while her undeniably charming coworker, Gabe, seems to saunter through with ease, reaping accolades simply because he’s a guy.

One fateful night, Emmy receives Gabe’s wrong number text, and instead of brushing it off, she decides to dive into a digital connection, unaware that her rival is on the other end. The chemistry builds as they exchange texts, both wrapped up in their own identities, completely oblivious to who they’re really talking to.
The story unfolds through Emmy's single point of view, and I wish we got to see Gabe's thoughts to witness his smoldering pining. I do think staying with Emmy gives us a nuanced understanding of her world. Because we really get to experience her fears and frustrations, which drives the story's conflicts and makes her journey all the more compelling. But Gabe was great and I just wanted more of him.

In short, this book has a wealth of engaging elements that made it a pleasure to dive into Emmy and Gabe's romance. If you're even remotely drawn to sports romances, STEM narrative twists, or the ever-exciting rivals-to-lovers arc, you absolutely need to grab this one. And don’t forget the added fun of wrong numbers, destination wedding antics, and workplace shenanigans. Trust me—you won’t want to miss out on this gem!

All of the marketing for this book is definitely accurate in saying Last Night was Fun is a mix of You’ve Got Mail and The Hating Game 👏🏻👏🏻

I love me a wrong phone number turned more trope but add in workplace rivals on either end of the text string?? Diabolically delightful!! In a largely male-dominated field, Emmy has always had to fight for her spot and recognition where her (incredibly attractive though she’d never admit it) coworker Gabe seems to breeze on through and take successes simply because he’s a guy. Enter in a wrong number given to Gabe one night at a bar and Emmy’s decision to keep messaging and a virtual relationship is born between these two rivals…though neither knows the other’s identity.

While this is a single-POV narration by Emmy and I, personally, would’ve ADORED getting dual-POV to see Gabe’s pining, I did see the benefits of just having her POV in the flow of the story. We were taking a journey with Emmy and understanding how she saw the world, delving into her fears and how it colored her viewpoint enough to lead to conflicts later in the story.

I don’t have too many baseball-related romances on my shelf—which is a shame because it’s pretty much the only sport I know the majority of the rules for thus making it my favorite—but I’d say this one is a good one to have/check out. Honestly, I liked how the author added STEM to the sports romance genre and took a small peek behind the sports-world curtains to the data analysts helping to keep the teams running.

Basically, what I’m saying is there were a lot of really good things going for this book and I thoroughly enjoyed diving into Emmy and Gabe’s romance. Y’all should for sure pick this one up if you’re at all intrigued by sports romances and/or STEM romance. Even broader, pick this is up if you love rivals to lovers, wrong number turned more, one room destination wedding shenanigans, and workplace romance.

Big thank you to the folks at NetGalley and Avon for a chance to read an early copy of this delightful book! Definitely starting out my summer romance reading on a good note 🥰


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5)

Emmy is a data analyst in a male-dominated world, working behind the scenes for a professional baseball team. She’s brilliant with numbers, passionate about the sport, and holding her own among her three male colleagues — including Gabe Olsen, her cutthroat rival who’s vying for the same promotion. When Emmy receives a mistaken text and begins a witty, flirty exchange with a stranger, she has no idea she’s texting the very coworker she can’t stand… or so she thinks.

A little You've Got Mail meets Moneyball, this rivals-to-lovers romance is charming in its setup and satisfying in its execution. The text relationship is engaging, the banter feels authentic, and the eventual reveal is handled well. There is a brief third-act miscommunication (as is often the case in romances), but it’s resolved quickly without derailing the emotional payoff.

I appreciated the novel’s commentary on women navigating male-dominated fields, especially in sports and analytics, and I loved seeing a heroine who is unapologetically great at math. Emmy’s confidence in her work is empowering, and it adds depth to the otherwise light romantic plot.

While the story didn’t stand out as especially groundbreaking, it’s a solid, feel-good read — perfect for a weekend binge, a beach day, or anyone who enjoys baseball, clever texting, or workplace tension that slowly turns into something more.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Where should I start?

Hate to love,
Office romance,
One bed,
Baseball,
So stinking cute!

It starts with texting the wrong number and develops into a crush…and you can guess what happens next! SO good!

They both work in statistics and he makes an equation to quantify “feelings”….and there are grand gestures!

I for sure recommend! Thank you to the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read this as an ARC.

I try really hard not to DNF arcs but unfortunately I did not make it through this one and I DNFed at 40%.
The premise is such a good one and I think a lot of people are going to love this, but I just could not connect to the main character. The texts exchanged with her mystery man were so awkward and I didn't feel any chemistry between them, which made it difficult to understand why she said they were flirting, etc. There were so many times she couldn't think of a response to something, and to me that felt like a bad sign that neither of them seemed to notice.
The interactions between the MCd in real life were much better, but I was troubled by a lot of the baseball beliefs (gut feelings shouldn't be a factor in pitching changes, for example) she had that made me wonder if she actually even enjoyed baseball at all.
After a week and making it only 40%, I am throwing in the towel. I think it's a me problem and this will be a popular one, just not for me.

Last Night Was Fun is the kind of book that sneaks up on you—in the best possible way. What starts as a classic rom-com premise (a one-night stand and a next-morning “uh-oh”) quickly unfolds into a charming, emotionally rich love story filled with humor, heart, and undeniable chemistry.

The story follows a relatable, whip-smart heroine who has absolutely no intention of falling in love. She's independent, slightly cynical, and completely unprepared to deal with the aftermath of her spontaneous decision to have a little fun for once. But when that “little fun” shows up in her life again—smirking, annoyingly attractive, and far too kind for her own good—she’s forced to reckon with more than just her poor decision-making.

Enter the hero: charming, patient, and the exact opposite of the complicated, off-limits type she’s usually drawn to. He’s not just hot—though, yes, very hot—he’s also funny, emotionally intelligent, and impossible to push away. Watching their relationship evolve from awkward run-ins and flirty banter into something deeper was so satisfying. Their chemistry crackles off the page, but it’s the slow unveiling of their vulnerabilities that gives this rom-com its emotional punch.

Holly Michelle’s writing shines with quick wit, engaging pacing, and dialogue that actually feels real. There are moments that had me full-on laughing, and others that snuck up and made me emotional in a way I didn’t expect from a book that starts with a hangover and a stranger’s bed. She strikes a perfect balance between sexy and sweet, funny and heartfelt, messy and meaningful.

Last Night Was Fun is for anyone who loves their rom-coms with depth, their banter with bite, and their characters a little flawed but entirely lovable. It’s about letting go, showing up, and realizing that sometimes the best nights—and the best love stories—start with absolutely no plan at all.

This one goes on my list of favorite comfort reads. It's fun, flirty, and unexpectedly full of heart. Highly recommend for fans of authors like Tessa Bailey, Ali Hazelwood, and Lucy Score.