Ok....I really liked this book. I love the chemistry between the two main characters and how their personalities both go together and clash at the same time. I love how in ways they are both broken and that's what both brings them together and keeps them apart. I laughed, got angry and parts of this book even seriously broke my heart and then put me back together again. Oh and the mouth on Chase Parker, I love it!!!!

Vi Keeland is an exceptional author with a real talent for sweet, sexy romance, and characters that leave you desperate for more. Bossman is excellent and I loved reading it!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy

Bossman by Vi Keeland is the perfect mix of flirty, funny, and downright emotional. It starts with a hilariously awkward bad date, a meddling (and ridiculously attractive) stranger, and some top-tier fake childhood stories—then somehow turns into an office romance with serious heat and even more serious feels.

Chase Parker is the definition of swoon-worthy: cocky, charming, and impossible to ignore. His chemistry with Reese is off the charts, their banter is pure gold, and their love scenes? Let’s just say you might need a fan. But don’t be fooled—this story isn’t all laughs and flirting. Chase’s backstory will hit you in the feels, so keep tissues nearby.

Vi Keeland never disappoints, and Bossman is no exception. It’s a roller coaster of wit, steam, and heartache, but the HEA makes it all worth it. Read it, love it, and prepare to wish for a Chase of your own!

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was another great one by Vi Keeland. The characters were hilarious but also vulnerable by sharing their past traumas and hurts with each other.

This book was exactly what I needed in a romance book. I absolutely fell in love with Chase Parker. His witty banter with Reese and the way this man fell head over heels in lover with her like a little puppy dog had me dying. The only problem I had with him was his lack of respecting Reese's boundaries about PDA at work but she didn't seem super set on those boundaries either and it takes two to tango so I can't be too put off by it. Although the 3rd act conflict was the classic miscommunication trope and could have easily been rectified by them having a conversation, it was set around such a tragic circumstance and the grief that Chase was feeling was so understandable that it felt more realistic of why the miscommunication happened compared to other books. I also loved that the conflict lasted for a decent % of the book. Most romance books, the conflict is resolved in like 2 pages and they're back together again but this went on for a bit and pulled at my heart so strong I was even hurting for the characters themselves. There were some scenes that I wished we had gotten fully written out but had faded to black (eg. Sam's dinner with Chase and Reese where they told her about their relationship, Josh confronting Chase about their relationship, etc) but I thoroughly enjoyed everything that was given to us and this book was the perfect book for me to read at the time I did.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of the deluxe limited edition. I will absolutely be going out and purchasing this book for my library.

I loved this one! Super steamy and a quick read. I love office romances and a great mmc. This was very easy to listen to!

This book was not at all what I expected. It was a romcom for sure but the backstory of Chase and Peyton was so deeply devastating I will be thinking about it for weeks to come. I am very impressed with this book and it is no wonder why Vi Keeland is one of the OG KU romance authors who saw success on the platform. I'm excited to read what Bloom has in store for Vi in the future.

Tropes:
-workplace romance
-tragic past
-dual POV
-forbidden romance
-he falls first
-dual timeline

I loved Reese and Chase’s story. It was captivating for Chase to deal with and try to move past his tragic past. I loved their banter and tension. My heart broke for Chase on so many occasions. I loved the dual timeline and how she brought it together. This was a fantastic contemporary romance. This was my first from this author. I can’t wait to read more now. I am sold after this one. It is available on KU.

This is an updated version of the Bossman and I forgot how much I loved this book before. From the start, when Chase and Reese meet outside a bathroom on their bad dates, you could feel the chemistry. I kept wondering why Reese was even dating other people when Chase was a possibility. The quick wit and banter between Chase and Reese was fantastic. I could have Chase talk to me with that mouth any day.

This isn't your typical workplace romance, though it will make you wish you had a Chase at your office. This book has a little spice, some great dirty talk, heartbreak and intrigue. Your emotions will be all over the place with this book. I was so invested that I read it in one day.

Amazing, published 2016, re-released 2025 with new cover. Great story, steamy, plot twists, kept me coming back, finished in one day. I read and listened to this wonderful book. Thank you @Netgalley and @SourceBooksBloomBooks for the ARC. I loved Reese and understood her working to stay focused on her new job and not to be distracted by her new Boss, Chase Parker. But the tension between these two keeps pulling them together. They both have past traumas that effect their ability to allow themselves to fall. The story plot was handled to well. I highly recommend this book

I was hooked from the very first page! Bossman is filled with humor, chemistry, angst, and sensational banter. If you’re looking for a well-rounded romance novel that will pull you in and give you all of the feels, this is the book for you. I knew that I was in for a fantastic reading experience with this book, but it far surpassed my expectations.

From the first moment they met, there was something between Reese and Chase. Their introduction was certainly unique and curious. What started out as Reese trying to get out of her boring date, turned into a random stranger giving her his unwelcome opinion about how she was handling her date. While Reese was annoyed at the gall of this stranger sticking his nose where it didn’t belong, she couldn’t help but be intrigued and interested in this charismatic and handsome stranger, especially when he attempted to make her date more exciting.

Chase Parker is the complete package. He’s cocky, intelligent, confident, gorgeous, and quirky. His ability to make up stories at the drop of a hat definitely added to his witty charm. The chemistry that he and Reese had was palpable. The back and forth and flirtatious banter that they had was second to none. It kept me laughing and flipping the pages as fast as I could read them.

When Reese gets hired on at Chase’s company, she is excited to get the new career opportunity, but she is also apprehensive to have such a flirtatious relationship with her boss. Chase has made it very clear that he’s attracted to her, but she has made it equally clear that she has absolutely no intentions of mixing business with pleasure, even if the boss gives his blessing.

I loved the romantic tension that played out between Reese and Chase. It’s the slow burn between the characters that entices me into a romance, and this book had it in spades.

Beyond all of the intense attraction and humorous moments, there were also past issues for both characters that added to the depth of the story. These events from their pasts just made me want their relationship to succeed all the more. My heart broke for both of them, especially Chase, and I wanted nothing more than for him to overcome his pain and guilt.

Bossman was a highly entertaining read that kept me laughing, swooning, and falling in love right along with the characters. It was the perfect balance of everything that I look for in a book, and I didn’t want it to end.

*5 Stars

I had forgotten how much I enjoy reading workplace romance books and this one was such a fun read! The best part of the book was at the beginning when the main characters meet. Reese is trying to get out of bad date by hiding in the washroom at a restaurant and calling her best friend for help, when her conversation is overheard by Chase who offers her some advice. Chase certainly leaves a memorable impression on Reese but she doesn’t expect to ever see him again. A month later when Reese starts her new job, she discovers the CEO of the company is Chase.

While the story initially felt like an insta love story, it was actually more of a slow burn. Then tension in the book was due to the fact that is a forbidden romance, involving a boss and an employee. Both the characters had past trauma, especially Chase who dealing with a tragedy involving a loved one. The chemistry and the banter between the two characters was amazing and the story felt like a light read even with the mention of some heavier topics. The story was told in dual POV and dual timeline, which gave the plot more depth. Both the characters were well written and highly likeable.

Thank you, NetGalley and Bloom Books, for this eARC of this trad published version of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Vi Keeland’s writing is a great mix of comedy and romance! This book has a hilarious premise that pays off right from the start! I absolutely loved Chase and Reese’s meet cute and it set up a great romance throughout the book! This book also balanced having a lot of emotional moments and demonstrated the impact grief can have on someone’s life and relationships. Overall, this was an amazing book!

rating: 4
spice: 1.5

i thought this was gonna be a cutesy fluffy book with dirty talk sprinkled in, but i was wrong. this book had so many emotional and sad parts and i became a wreck.

i love reese and chase together, they’re so perfect for each other — from the way they met, to their banter, all the way to their forever.

i normally am not a fan of dual timeline, but this one was done so well. i liked seeing chase’s life before reese and what shaped him to be the man he is now. it was so sad what happened to him, and i couldn’t help but to feel the guilt he was carrying.

definitely 10/10 would recommend if you like:
- boss x employee
- he falls first
- tragic pasts
- jealous mmc

3.7 Stars
One Liner: Fun!

Reese escapes to the washroom to send her friend an SOS voice message, a request to get her away from her boring date. Chase Parker offers free advice, which Reese doesn’t want. However, Chase brings over his date to join her table, pretending to be a childhood friend. Reese's boring date got better, and they parted ways.
Then, Reese finds out after a month that Chase is her new boss. The spark is still strong, and workplace romance may or may not be a good idea!
The story comes from Reese (more) and Chase’s POVs.

My Thoughts:
Last year, I saw many Goodreads friends read the author’s romantic suspense thriller. The general consensus was that it had a bit too much romance since the author excelled in the genre. I decided to read her book from that genre. Luckily, this one was available as a rerelease.
I can see why she has so many fans. The banter is funny and hot. Despite the slowish pacing, the book doesn’t feel boring at any point. Yeah, it has a few weak points too.
We get the FMC’s POV more while the MMC’s is mostly limited to the past track. I like how this works in the plot. It keeps things in their track while also showing us the character backstories. We can see that the MMC is the same yet different from the past to the present. This shift is subtle but noticeable after we read half the book. That said, I’d have liked a Chase chapter from between times to create a proper bridge between the past and present.
The MMC is pretty much in from the beginning and makes no excuses for it. While I could see the FMC’s hesitation (all valid reasons), I don’t like that she thought it was okay to string along another (actually a decent) guy for that long. Maybe I should consider it a character flaw.
Despite instant attraction, the push-pull dynamics go on for a good time. This works in favor of the relationship as readers have time to root for the characters. The steam is 3.5+ and quite a bit of dirty talk thrown in. However, it feels seamless due to the MMC’s arc.
I like side characters too, especially Sam. The sister is great too and adds to the laughs.
The book has many lighthearted scenes in the first 70%. After this, it gets a bit heavy (with reason). There are still a few light moments, though the mood shift is clear.
While I like that the third-act breakup is handled in stages, I did want a bit more of a couple time with the lead pair before the epilogue. Moreover, the epilogue was over too soon.
This rerelease has a bonus scene (I won’t tell you what it is) I enjoyed much.

To summarize, Bossman is an entertaining read despite a few flaws. I’ll be sure to check out other books by the author.
Thank you, NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Reese finds herself hiding in the bathroom, trying to get out of date, when I am overheard by a stranger who offers her some dating advice. When he returns to his date, she catches him looking over but is mortified when he comes over to her table and pretends to be an old friend. When they part ways, there is no way that it could be predicted that Chase would end up being her boss one month later.
This is a book filled with humour and romance, and whilst at times cliched, it just seemed to work. Reese is a likeable character, while Chase is definitely the charmer. The chemistry between Reese and Chase is fairly intense, but it manages to maintain a lightness due to the wicked banter between them. An enjoyable read!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Bossman was previously published as an indie book and is now being rereleased by a publisher.
Vi Keeland definitely has a way with words and you can feel the chemistry between Reese and Chase coming out of the page! Their banter was top notch and while both had troubled pasts, their relationship brought out the best of them.
This books has some heavy moments but also so many fun ones. Both characters had actual fun together! While there is an element of insta attraction, this is kind of a slow burn since they officially get together later in the book.
I loved how patient Chase was with Reese, and I just loved Reese so much in general, she was funny and headstrong.

Thank you netgalley for allowing to read this book!

Something in the formatting made this impossible to read on my kindle. Lines were uneven, chapters started mid-page, and it was hard to manage to stay in the story because of it.

I love this book so much. The banter, the relationship, and the sad history both characters had to deal with. I really wasn't expecting the dark part of Chase's life, but that made me love his character even more.

.Workplace
.Forced Proximity
.Forbidden
.Past Trauma
.Dual Timeline
.Dual POV

I went into Bossman with high expectations after loving Dirty Letters from the same author, and while it was a solid romance, it didn’t completely blow me away. Vi Keeland writes her signature banter, hot chemistry, and a strong, resilient FMC, but something felt… missing. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I do know two things that didn’t work for me: first, the MMC’s name is Chase. After Chad, is there a worse name for a romance hero? And second, the third-act breakup. I would’ve preferred if they stayed together and worked through their trauma as a couple rather than taking the predictable break-apart-and-reunite route.

That said, Chase is undeniably hot, and the romance itself is good. If you’re looking for a fun workplace romance with great banter and some emotional depth, this is still a solid pick. I just wish I loved it as much as I wanted to.