Grumpy coworker. Woman leaving a bad relationship, job and trying to change it up. Hot guys and cute dogs. Mix in a BFF listing after Holly's widowed brother.

Jonathan gets teamed with Holly to create a fundraiser to win a coveted role in Scotland. A night of tequila shots leads to a did we or didn't we. The attraction is hard to resist as they get closer to their deadline.


Thanks Goodreads for the ARC.

This was such a fun read!

It features a work place romance with conflict, men with dogs, lots and lots of dogs and humor.

Holly is 34 years old and is reinventing herself by working as an intern. There's a competition at work and whoever wins the competition will get a permanent position. Holly ends up having to work with the deep, dark brooding Jonathan who didn't want to work on the project. Eventually he ends up working with Holly. Their working relationship involves lots of mishaps and chemistry.

As the story progresses you can really see how both characters develop and change. The supporting characters are great additions and really add to the development of the story.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars!! Holly leaves her career as a lawyer to become an unpaid intern at an enviornmental non-profit. She needs to put together a fundraising proposal that will earn her a position at the non-profit. She’s forced to work with Jonathan Summers, her aloof coworker that she can’t quite figure out (minus finding him attractive).

Read if you love:
*** Workplace romance
*** Grumpy/sunshine
*** Men who love dogs
*** Age 30s romance

Okay, this was super cute! (And I am in love with this cover). This was my first book by this author and I’m definitely going to look into her previous novels. The chemistry between Holly and Jonathan was sizzling in this! Loved the premise, loved the back history of the characters, just a fun read that flew by for me!

Definitely recommend this one!

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

A really good read that was engaging. Holly is in competition with her co-workers in an attempt to raise funds. Jonathan is a photographer who used to be an award winner in photography until his severe anxiety hindered it. They both work together really well and you will be cheering them both on by the end of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and read forever publishing for allowing me to read and share my thoughts.

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.

Holly is competing with other interns to win her dream job and enlists the help of Jonathan as she produces a calendar filled with handsome men and dogs in a fund-raising attempt. Jonathan has a history of struggling with anxiety which has devastated his career as an award winning photographer. As they work together, a friendship begins and passion follows. It is a delightful and fun filled book that brings hope and possibilities.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Holly is in need of a fresh start. After leaving her law firm and taking an internship at a non-profit, she finally feels like she’s on the right track. When the opportunity to win a position at the Glasgow office she jumps in headfirst. Too bad she’ll have to team up with the office grump.

I really enjoyed this cozy novel. Both Holly and Jonathan are extremely likable, and it was fun to see their friendship develop. Jonathan has some baggage from his past that has closed him off, but he slowly reveals himself the more he trusts Holly. I really liked the two of them together and enjoyed watching them team up to create a fundraiser that will cement Holly’s position at the Glasgow office. They each bring out the best in each other and despite the heartache Jonathan knows he’ll experience when she wins, he champions her and supports her vision wholeheartedly. Underneath his grumpy exterior is a teddy bear. Even though Holly is determined to win, I liked that the author didn’t make her too hyper focused on the prize. She allowed Holly to fully immerse herself in the budding relationship.

Also loved that Jude and Rachel got their happy ending as well.

This is a fun, low angst, spicy read. Pick it up if you’re looking for a light read.

While I expected to enjoy what appeared from the cover to be a dog heavy romance, I wound up liking it far more than I'd expected. I was right in that a calendar played a role, too, and enjoyed Holly's search for twelve likely candidates and their dogs to pose for a non-profit calendar project to raise funds. Who knew it'd be so hard? While I wasn't amused by Holly's use of a dating app to find candidates under false pretenses,, albeit only after some persuasion, that was short lived and handled relatively well. Heck, she even found some guys willing to pose for no pay for the cause. Getting her "hot" brother, as her best friend and mentor describes him, took more effort, not to mention some sisterly bribery. Holly's unexpected career path has its ups and downs but she finds herself enjoying the project and, okay, working with the office's grumpy creative guy.

I won't detail the plot further other than to say it was fun to read about the various photo sessions done, including some quirks of the canines, and the different feels/moods created by the photographer, who is certainly model worthy himself. Oh, did I mention Jonathan, the initially grumpy and reticent to be involved, is an extraordinary photographer? There are reasons he isn't using that skill as the story opens which I'll leave for you to discover as you read. As it turns out, he's a rather complicated guy that Holly just can't help being curious about after their meet-cute, although not sure the word cute is accurate. As you discover more about Jonathan, you'll understand why and more about his reasons for being standoffish. I liked both, albeit it took me a bit to warm up to Holly. A former lawyer, she has her own story to tell, however, and you'll gradually root for her to find happiness. Love how that goal was emphasized later in the book. Nope. Not telling. You'll just have to read.

Bottom line, while an entertaining romance on the surface, I liked the fact that the main characters were multi-layered. My initial reaction to Jonathan was bewilderment, I must admit, albeit I sort of liked his willingness to help a virtual stranger initially in the book, Holly. Glad they fixed that pantry door, Holly. Her relationship with her brother and his daughter is close with amusing brother-sister banter between them. In fact, the dialogue flowed naturally, even in the spicier scenes. Nothing heavy duty, mostly just sweet and sexy to warm you up and bring a smile at their budding relationship. And, I liked her brother's budding relationship that may keep him in town long enough not to risk the eternal ire of a teenage dragged away from long-time friends on a parent's whim. My thanks to #Forever - #GrandCentralPublishing for this early peek at a book I wound up thoroughly enjoying. Loved Holly's discovery of what was probably her mother's stash of Holly's old school days memories.

Dogs and hot guys featured together in a charity calendar, need I say more? This was the perfect blend of a workplace romance between a grumpy photographer and a sunny intern starting a new career path.

Once Holly got to know Jonathan, aka the office grumpy shadow, she realized there was more to him and the more she learned about him the more she found herself wanting to spend time with him. Holly awakened something buried deep within Jonathan which reignited his passion and it didn’t hurt that there were adorable puppies involved.

I really liked that Holly and Jonathan were older MCs and that they had already had a big setback/shake up in their lives so they had a clear path they were moving towards. They certainly strayed from said paths but they did it with the right intentions for the better of themselves and others. All the side characters made for a great all around story and you really can’t go wrong with adorable dogs especially Sir Leonard.


Thank you @readforeverpub and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback

I absolutely adored this book. I've read a few books from Anna now and I love how she builds her characters and their relationships but this one felt extra special. I loved the characters back stories and how they eventually connected. Trying not to give any spoilers but it felt honest and real. The quirkiness of the calendar plot and doggy photoshoots gave the book that nice rom-com feel without being too cheesy or too emotional. I'm not even a dog person but I love how each owner/dog relationship felt unique to the situation. Even the last adoption felt perfect for the plot.

Jonathan was the perfect brooding, MMC and I love his growth the most. A great book for a cozy, summer weekend.

Thanks so much to Forever, Anna E Collins and Netgalley for the widget. I attest that I am leaving my review honestly and voluntarily.

This was a really fun summer read! I really enjoyed the plot of this book, especially two grown up MC’s who are able to communicate with one another. One minor complaint was the secondary plot with the brother and best friend. I felt like it never really had any resolution. I would recommend this to all of my friends who are in the mood for a lighthearted romcom with dogs!

Are you a romcom fan? Check out Finding Mr. July by Anna E. Collins comes out this summer and it was a great read.

This book was straight-up adorable. Holly is unhinged (in a lovable way), Jonathan is grumpy but lowkey a softie, and the whole hot guys + puppies calendar idea?? Peak marketing and knowing your audience.

Their banter was actually funny and the chemistry felt real (no weird insta-love vibes, thank god). Also loved that Holly was out here chasing career goals and emotional growth, not just a man.

It did slow down a little in the middle, but overall it’s pure serotonin. Would 10/10 recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this ARC

Releases July 2025 - thank you NetGalley for the sneak peak!

Sunshine-Grumpy, Workplace romance. Men with dogs - need I say more? A cozy romance with heart and humour.

Holly is starting over, after leaving her lawyer days behind after a scandal left her blacklisted, she now works for an environmental non-profit as an unpaid intern. With the internship coming to an end, there is one final challenge between her and a new job and fresh start abroad for a year. Holly and 4 other interns need to compete by having fundraisers - highest profit wins the job. When all the interns pair off with other coworkers quickly - Holly is left scrambling to find someone creative to help her with her calendar idea. With no one else available, she asks the broody, grumpy web designer Jonathan to help her. With some convincing, and some tequila - and being volun-told by his boss - he's in. But what follows is a series of ups and downs, unwanted chemistry and discovering that life is more than just having the right job, it's about being happy.

They’re putting together a dog calendar so what’s not to love?! Finding Mr July is about a previous lawyer, Holly, working as an intern at an environmental nonprofit where she is competing with other interns to receive a position at the new Glasgow branch. Holly comes up with a hunky dog calendar as her final project and convinces the office’s mysterious and broody Jonathan to be her project photographer. She is set on winning the new position to start fresh and get away from a previous scandal. Along the way, she learns about Jonathan’s own scandal in the past that lead him to the nonprofit organization. They of course fall in love along the way. I LOVE that she didn’t give up on her goal in the end and that he’s along for the ride with her!

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC! All opinions and ratings are my own!

I loved that the FMC was a little bit older than her counterparts and resetting her life. It’s a great opposites-attract workplace rom-com. The MMC is a grumpy grump, if that’s your jam. It’s a sweet, cozy-feeling book.

When Holly’s career as a lawyer crashes, she takes her friend Rachel’s advice and signs up as an intern at a nonprofit ,hoping it’ll eventually lead to a full-time job in Glasgow.To land the job, she has to win a fundraising competition—and her big idea? A calendar featuring men and their dogs (honestly, genius). The catch is she’s stuck working with Jonathan, the grumpy office loner who clearly wants nothing to do with this project.

But as they start working together, something shifts. Jonathan, who’s been hiding from his own messy past, starts reconnecting with his old passion for photography. And slowly, the guy who used to dress head-to-toe in black is letting a little color—and a lot of Holly—back into his life.

As they grow closer through the project, Holly stumbles on some old school papers where she answered the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” with just one word: happy. And it hits her that maybe success doesn’t have to mean climbing some career ladder. As the calendar project (and her heart) near the finish line, Holly’s left wondering what it really means to win..

This was such a fun read! Holly and Jonathan’s chemistry was spot-on, and I loved watching their relationship grow. I also really appreciated that not every month of the calendar was just a “beefcake and his dog” — there was so much variety and heart in the project. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the free advanced copy! I’m happy to leave this review voluntarily.

You know that feeling when you start reading a book and it ticks all of your boxes, making it so you can’t put it down until you finish? That was "Finding Mr. July" for me. I went into it expecting a cute little romance; one that I would enjoy, but ultimately wouldn’t stick with me for long after I finished. I was so, so wrong about that. I loved this book so much that I’m going to pre-order a physical copy for my bookshelf. I already know it will become a comfort read for me in the future when life gets to be a little too much to handle.

"Finding Mr. July" is about a woman named Holly who is working as an unpaid intern for a nature conservation company in hopes of winning a prestigious spot at their Glasgow location. She finds herself in a rather unusual predicament one day at work and the only one who is available to come to her rescue is the broody, black-clothes-wearing, mysterious guy in the office who doesn’t ever talk to anyone: Jonathan. His reaction to this rescue seemed a bit over-the-top, which immediately sucked me in as a reader. I needed to know more about this man. Only one intern at the company can win the program liaison job, so Holly begrudgingly asks Jonathan to help her take photos for the calendar she’s putting together for her fundraiser project. Both of them have some baggage in their past that drives their attitudes and motivations, and as he helps her with her final project they end up healing each other in ways neither one saw coming.

I’m not a person that ever has trouble visualizing characters and scenes from books in my head, especially if the author is particularly good at descriptions, but this story was so incredibly vivid for me. The characters practically leapt off the page and straight into my head, and I could see them clearly.

The dialogue was so natural and the emotions behind every single conversation seemed so real. It never felt forced or inauthentic to the characters just for the sake of being clever; every interaction was important and meaningful. It wasn’t just the dialogue that was impressive, either, because I found myself absolutely stunned by the beauty of some of Holly’s inner thoughts, especially in regards to Jonathan. Some lines in this book are like actual poetry, so gorgeous and flowery, and I wrote them down in my notes so I can look back on them when I want to.

I loved the intimate scenes between Holly and Jonathan. Most of the books I’ve been reading lately have been of the “spicier” variety, some downright vulgar and overly detailed. The scenes in "Finding Mr. July" are much softer, more romantic, but still hot and steamy. There are just enough of them to satisfy the desire to explore the intimacy between them without being overwhelming.

I feel like I could literally go on and on about this book forever. Author Anna E. Collins knocked this one out of the park and I will be rushing to read more of her books as soon as possible. "Finding Mr. July" is an absolute gem, and hands-down my favorite read of this year so far. My last parting thought: can we make this calendar a reality please? I need it for my wall.

Finding Mr. July by Anna Bennett is everything you want in a contemporary rom-com: sweet, funny, heartfelt, and packed with chemistry — plus a whole lot of adorable dogs.

At 34, Holly King is at a major crossroads. After burning out in a high-stress law career, she’s decided to start fresh, chasing a dream in the nonprofit world. Her big break is within reach — a full-time job in Scotland — but first, she has to win the nonprofit’s fundraiser competition. Her pitch? A calendar featuring hunky guys and their dogs. It’s a brilliant idea, but it means she has to work closely with Jonathan Summers, the office grump known for being silent, brooding, and maddeningly handsome.

From the start, Holly and Jonathan clash, but there’s an undeniable spark between them that only grows stronger. Underneath Jonathan’s gruff exterior is a genuinely good guy with a soft heart, and Holly’s optimism and bravery slowly break down his walls. Their dynamic is fun, full of tension, and just the right amount of slow-burn romance. Watching them go from reluctant coworkers to something deeper is pure rom-com magic.

I loved how real Holly felt — her fears, her ambition, her willingness to start over even when it’s scary. Her journey is inspiring without ever feeling preachy or unrealistic. It’s a reminder that it’s never too late to choose yourself and build a life you love. And Jonathan? Total grump with a marshmallow heart. Their connection was believable, heartwarming, and full of chemistry.

The backdrop of cozy nonprofit offices, a whirlwind of cute dogs, and the frantic pace of putting together a full calendar shoot in just a few weeks made the story even more entertaining. Plus, Scotland looming on the horizon added just the right amount of tension about what the future could hold for Holly and Jonathan.

Anna Bennett’s writing is warm, witty, and transports you straight into the world she’s created. Every page feels cozy and uplifting, and the romance is equal parts sweet and swoony.

If you’re a fan of office romances, grumpy-sunshine dynamics, strong heroines making big life changes, or just want a book that will leave you smiling, Finding Mr. July is a must-read. It’s pure joy from start to finish — and it might just make you want to adopt a dog or move to Scotland by the end.

Cute, fun and inspiring. This was a delightful read.

I really enjoyed Holly's character. Trying a new career at 34 can be daunting but Holly definitely inspired me. She's determined and brave which I found admirable. Plus she has the lovely love interest of Jonathan. If you love grumpy heroes with a marshmallow center, Jonathan is your man. I thought Holly & Jonathan's dynamic was a lot of fun and entertaining.

Would recommend to fans of office romances, romcoms and grumpy heroes.