Emmy loves her job - a data analyst for a professional baseball team. Working in men's professional sports however, is an uphill battle that has her squared away in the category of choosing her job over relationships, first unintentionally and now by choice. In the middle of preparing for her little sister's destination wedding and competing for a promotion at work, she gets a random text from an unknown number and it quickly becomes the best part of her day. To her horror though, her beloved pen pal turns out to be her archnemesis from work. Emmy can't seem to correlate the nerdy, sweet guy she's been texting with the ultra-suave bro that puts her down every chance at work. As her worlds crash together, Emmy has to decide whether she's ready to open up to the possibilities, or stay in her safe zone by keeping everything separate.

This was so FUN. Exactly the kind of escapism I love in a book, with some of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers, fake dating, one bed, workplace sexual tension. It felt like summertime in a book - out in a ballpark by the seaside with good food, good company and a fizzling feeling of joy as fireworks explode in the sky.

The author writes in the acknowledgements that it inadvertently ended up being a love letter to baseball and it certainly reads like it. Both Emmy and Gabe's connection to the sport is personal, and as someone who's not a baseball fan, it made me appreciate it. I loved that the work crew, although very much the "Boys Club," were not douche-y. Likewise with the family/best friend - they weren't stereotypically unsupportive and it made me love them all the more.

If you loved The Hating Game or the Spanish Love Deception, be sure to add Last Night Was Fun to your TBR!

I loved this book. It was charming, adorable, and fun. I'm partial to baseball and there are not enough of them. Thank you Holly Michelle!

Emmy Jameson and Gabe Olson are data analysts for the San Diego baseball team. They both love baseball and have a lot to prove to themselves and their families. They are competitive at work and the competition has made Gabe Emmy's archnemesis. One night Emmy gets a text from an unknown number. The mystery man was given a fake number and that number was hers. Emmy and her mystery man connect almost instantly and get to know each other over text.

At the same time, Emmy and Gabe are competing for a promotion at work and getting to know each other on a more personal level through work outings and an accidental yacht cruise. Eventually, Emmy's texting, professional, and personal worlds all collide.

I like that its a sport romance even though neither main character is an athlete. I enjoyed the nerdy data science jokes and the excellent baseball stats references. Emmy talks about being the only woman at work and its impact on her, but its not over the top or whiny. She has advocates and lets her brain shine.

I truly enjoyed this book. I can't wait to read other books by Holly.

For fans of The Hating Game and for baseball sports romance fans (this one is more behind the scenes than on the field/athlete focused), this is a fun romance with a great pace and solid chemistry and solid secondary characters who add depth to the story.

Thank you Avon for the review copy! Last Night was Fun is a great enemies to lovers read with a great meet cute vibe, strong slow burn chemistry, great family secondary characters, and a fun ode to baseball... I would say it's a perfect pool side read or one to tuck in your carryon bag for reading on a plane or during a layover! Spicy and steamy but also filled with banter and relationship development and with a brief, not to agonizing, third act miscommunication moment that didn't really take away from my enjoyment!

I loved this book! A smart rom-com, I didn't feel like it fell to the obvious tropes of the genre, even though it hinges on one of the biggest tropes of all. We know exactly what is going to happen for the first half of the book a la You've Got Mail, but then it gets to branch out on its own and find its own path through the romance of two co-workers who have been sworn enemies.

3.5 - 4 stars. Read as an ARC because I liked the premise. If I'm being honest, it took me about half the book to get into it and if I had to rate it on that first 50% I probably would have given it three stars. But the second half of the book made up for it in terms of pacing and character development. I loved the MMC the entire way through but the FMC I had a love/hate with her personality the whole way through. It's a quick, sweet read with a predictable story line.

What a cute, fun, romance!!!! This combined several of my top loves....love, baseball, and Southern California. What's not to love??? This was such a cute story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the advanced arc.

Read this book if you like had Hating Game, You Got Mail, Never been kissed vibes.
This book follows Emmy and Gabe, co-workers who "hate" each other and vying for the same promotion, while simultaneously falling for each other via text because Gabe was given a fake number that just happened to be Emmys.

Rachel's Review: I would rate this between a 3-3.5 but rounding up to a 4.
While I don't think that would truly happen or work out that way, I do think the book is an overall fun read. I would've liked to read more of the texts to understand their relationship and why their relationship was so important to them. I think my favorite portion of the book was the wedding scenes because it showed the text and real world combining and actually started to feel their connection. I do though HATE third act break ups especially when they literally just could have had one conversation and it would be fine.

Last night *was* fun because I spent a good portion of it reading the first half of this book. Finishing it up tonight with a baseball game on in the background felt right. I loved this. I’m such a fan of Holly Michelle (Holly James) and each book she puts out becomes my new favorite of hers. This one is a sports-adjacent romance set in the world of my favorite sport: baseball. Add in some “You’ve Got Mail” vibes and I’m so beyond sold.

Emmy is my kind of girl. Working in a male-dominated field but routinely crushing it. She is smart and doesn’t sell herself short. She knows she’s just as good of a statistician as the men she works with, if not even better most of the time. She’s proud of her work and the dedication she’s put in to get where she is. She’s also not afraid to aim even higher. If that means facing off against the department golden boy, Gabe, for a promotion, so be it.

The dynamic between Emmy and Gabe sparks from the first time he is even a thought in Emmy’s mind. Even more so when they interact on page. The book is single POV, so we don’t have access to Gabe’s thoughts and feelings but he’s pretty easy to read. He’s cocky but he enjoys challenging Emmy because he admires and respects her skill. It’s the communicating part that is a struggle. Enter a mysterious wrong number text and the two nemeses have a chance to truly get to know each other without their preconceived office opinions.

There’s so much more to go into here with the forced proximity, fake dating, only one bed delight that is Emmy’s sister’s destination wedding, but this review is already so long. The whole weekend reinforces the chemistry between Emmy and Gabe while also giving them a chance to let their emotional guards down. Things get complicated when they have to return to their real world and they definitely commit some errors, but it’s a walk-off win in the end. (I had to get some baseball terms in before I finished.)

Big thank you to Avon for the print galley and the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Look, was this book new and refreshing? No. Was it delightful nonetheless? Hell yes.

I’m such a sucker for a You’ve Got Mail-style romance, and Last Night Was Fun totally delivered.

It’s packed with romance book tropes—rival coworkers up for the same promotion, fake dating, one bed—but still felt fresh. The baseball setting added depth, blending Gabe’s past as an ex-player with Emmy’s struggle to be taken seriously as a stats analyst. My one gripe? Gabe played a big role in the misogyny Emmy faced at work, and while he does redeem himself, it didn’t all have to come from him. Not cool, dude.

I looooved the texting, and the banter, and the spice was excellent. I definitely recommend this one. A great summer read.

I loved this rom-com so much! The description that it is perfect for fans of You've Got Mail and The Hating Game is spot-on. Last Night Was Fun is such a cute, fast read that I'm tempted to start it over again even though I just finished it a few days ago. It definitely helped bring me out of the reading slump I've been in all month.

Last Night Was Fun by Holly Michelle was so cute! Enemies to lovers, workplace rivalry, mistaken identity, it’s all there. I started this book not knowing what to expect but I must say it was so fun! I finished this in less than 24 hours. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the ARC

📚 BookTok Review: Last Night Was Fun by Holly Michelle ​

Calling all romance lovers! If you're a fan of enemies-to-lovers, workplace rivalry, and mistaken identity tropes, Last Night Was Fun is your next must-read. Set against the backdrop of professional baseball, this novel delivers witty banter, sizzling chemistry, and heartfelt moments that will keep you hooked from start to finish.​

Plot Overview:
Meet Emmy Jameson, the only female data analyst for a professional baseball team, constantly striving to prove herself in a male-dominated field. Her biggest competition? The infuriatingly charming Gabe Olson, a former college baseball star and her rival for a coveted senior analyst promotion. Emmy's life takes an unexpected turn when a misdirected text leads to a flirtatious exchange with a mystery man—who, unbeknownst to her, is actually Gabe. As their anonymous connection deepens, so does their real-life rivalry, culminating in a destination wedding where they're forced to confront their true feelings.​

What to Expect:
-Tropes Galore: This book masterfully combines beloved romance tropes like enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, only one bed, and he falls first, creating a narrative that's both familiar and fresh. ​
-Engaging Characters: Emmy and Gabe's dynamic is electric. Their competitive banter and undeniable chemistry make their journey from rivals to lovers incredibly satisfying.
-Authentic Representation: The novel delves into the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated industry, offering a realistic portrayal of Emmy's struggles and triumphs.

Final Thoughts:
Last Night Was Fun is a delightful blend of humor, romance, and self-discovery. Whether you're a baseball enthusiast or just love a well-crafted romance, this book is sure to hit a home run!

Release Date: June 10, 2025​
#LastNightWasFun #HollyMichelle #EnemiesToLovers #WorkplaceRomance #BookTokRecs #RomanceReads

My husband works in the front office for an MLB team so I had to read this book as soon as I saw the blurb. I was really excited about “Last Night Was Fun” but I wasn’t able to connect with the characters or the storyline from the start. There were multiple instances when Emmy was texting that it sounded glaringly like my 76-year-old mother instead. At the same time, some of her thoughts sounded like a teenager who had zero experience with dating. She was brilliant and sacrificed for years for the job yet took off FIVE DAYS at the trade deadline and didn’t work remotely once?! It didn’t feel like she could possibly be a real person.
I also felt like nothing happened between Emmy and Gabe to create a bridge between the frenemies dynamic and jumping into bed. Their connection felt forced, and their decision to pursue that connection seemed like it was based on nothing. I did appreciate the grand gesture at the end of the book. I was pleased with the woman in baseball aspect but the romance let me down.
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing this ARC.

Very cute story! I loved the chemistry between the main characters. Perfect amount of spice! It was a nice, easy read. I definitely will recommend this to my friends!

I just...am speechless. I don't read romance with my eyes! But this one I did and it was PERFECT. Likeable characters. It was a unique premise. I started reading it when I was in Cancun and they were in Cancun and I finished reading it on MLB Opening Day. Everything I love!

This book just made me HAPPY. My jaw dropped, I smiled, I laughed. I can't even be coherent. This was amazing.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books for this masterpiece

As someone who works in professional baseball, I was so excited to get an e-arc of this book! Two inter-office rivals gunning for a promotion in analytics with a you got mail twist sounded right up my alley, but I’m afraid this book didn’t live up to my expectations. I have a few thoughts so I’m going to try to break things down to characters and what I liked and disliked.
Characters:
First we have Emmy who works in professional baseball to feel close to her deceased brother. She’s extremely jaded and emotionally wounded from her ex making her choose between him and her job. I love her representation of her experiences of being a woman in a man’s world. She gets talked over a lot, especially from our MMC, and feels excluded from her peers. I did feel for her in these aspects as a woman who works in baseball, but I also want to point out that she erected her own barriers between herself and everyone around her due to her ex, which I think is a bit of a dramatic stretch (but who am I to say that it is, never have experienced that myself). It was good to see her figure that out in the end and have some self awareness personal growth! It was a beautiful journey to see her open up to love, grief and moving on, and accepting that she deserves good things. But other than these things, all we know about her is that she likes spicy food and reality tv. I didn’t feel there was a lot of personal depth to her outside of her brother and her career.
Our MMC is Gabe Olsen, Emmy’s coworker and enemy who Emmy connects with via wrong phone number. An ex baseball player himself, he was nice enough until he talked over Emmy in an office meeting. He had just of much of a hand in excluding her in the office as her fellow co-workers but later confessed to her that he’s liked her the whole time. If you like her, why not treat her nicer in the office? He plays it off as tension and liking being challenged but I didn’t think that was much redeemed there. Other than him being a baseball player, the reader doesn’t get a lot of personal depth to him either. He was nice and that’s about it. He fell flat to me as a character.
The big issue that I have is do I believe these characters were actually in love? No. I think they were very sexually attracted to each other and thought that was love. Do I believe they really fell in love over texting about bird puns and band names? No to possibly? Despite screwing each other’s brains out, I felt no chemistry or true connection.
Then…there’s the third act breakup with our favorite miscommunication trope!!!
Emmy finds herself in a pickle when HR doesn’t approve and she has to choose between Gabe or her job. She overhears a snippet of conversation and thinks Gabe stole her job and lashes out at him after knowing he had a dream of switching careers and he would never pull that stunt on her, but she obviously forgets and treats him like crap when he tries to clearly communicate that wasn’t the case. YOU ARE 30 PLEASE COMMUNICATE!!!! But the grand gesture she did for him was fun.
I did like some parts where the obviousness of texting each other was right in front of their faces and how happy they both were to connect with someone. It made it fun as the reader to be in on the secret and not the characters and watch them figure it out. I did also love how Emmy’s boss was also a woman, and always be in Emmy’s corner and open up doors for her to advance in her career.
I really wanted to love this book more than I did :/
2.5/5

This might be one of my favorite books I’ve read from Netgalley ! I loved Emmy and Gabe’s story I will say some of it did remind me of the hating game but not to much 10/10 recommend !

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I adored this sweet romance. The author wrote single POV and slow burn so perfectly in this workplace romance. The characters are lovable and endearing. It was a fluffy book without being overly cheesy. I definitely recommend for romance lovers.

3.75 stars rounded up to 4

This was a fun, quintessential beach read. This is one for the girlies with a fantasy baseball team and who are excited that spring training is here.

What you can expect:
-Baseball, but the moneyball kind
-Enemies to lovers
-He falls first
-Workplace romance
-Witty banter
-Hidden identities
-2/5 spice
-TW: addiction and death (off page)

So many tropes I absolutely love, and they’re pulled off fantastically in Last Night Was Fun.

I loved the text banter between Emmy and Axe Murderer/Gabe, and when their flirtation moved to in-person I found myself missing some of that spark. But the wittiness between two very smart, sharp, talented characters made for a great read.

This would have been a four star for me but the open door scenes left something to be desired for me. This may be personal preference above everything else but they were like…door slightly ajar scenes so they didn’t deliver in an impactful way and I found them to be a little yada-yada-yada by the end. They’re important for the character development and plot so I definitely wouldn’t consider them gratuitous but I found that they leaned heavily on cliches without delivering in a satisfying way.

Despite that. I had a lot of fun reading this book. It was a quick and easy read that touches on sexism in male dominated spaces, grief, and how we communicate with the people we love in the wake of loss.

This book gave me very strong The Hating Game vibes! Emmy and Gabe were so fun to watch their relationship grow and friendship as well. I loved the banter and just general vibe of the plot!