all I wanted was cute dogs and hot guys and instead I got insta lust, a HR nightmare, and a severely hatable female protagonist.

The way the mmc kept pushing the male love interest into helping her was crossing so many unprofessional boundaries, and joining dating apps and tricking guys into joining her calendar campaign felt really icky. she acted eighteen, not mid thirties.

thank you to Forever for the arc in exchange for an honest review

After Holly is locked in a closet and saved by her grouchy office co-worker Jonathan, she never imagines she’d end up working closely with him on her intern project—a calendar featuring hot men and their canine companions. While he doesn’t believe in the project, she does and will do anything it takes to win the intern contest and her dream job.

I really enjoyed this novel—I thought the story moved along quickly and found myself invested in Holly and Jonathan’s relationship—from their awkward beginning to the trust they developed. I laughed out loud at times and shook my head in dismay at others. I was glad when they got their HEA.

I liked this novel as much as the first one I read by this author.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel.

I really wanted to like this based on the premise but it ultimately fell flat for me and I only finished about 25% of it. It felt like it wasn't going anywhere and nothing had really happened. I couldn't quite reconcile the idea of a 34-year-old intern and also didn't really feel like there was a ton of chemistry between Holly and Jonathan.

I wanted to love this one. But it came up a little flat for me. The premise of the book sounded great. But I stated reading and just couldn’t get into it. I did stick with it all the way through. Bits and pieces did stick out for me. Overall the story wasn’t for me but I can see it being for others.

This sounded like a cutesy romance for the summertime, but unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I was hoping to. I didn't find myself clicking with Collins' writing style. It felt a bit clunky and occasionally unnatural. I also didn't enjoy our two main characters. Both Holly and Jonathan didn't stand out to me. Well, Holly stood out a smidge, but only because I found her actions annoying. The premise of them having to work together on this calendar was fun, but could've been executed better. Despite this novel not hitting for me, I can see how it would appeal to others, especially fans of the workplace romance trope, so I would still recommend it for anyone looking for a quick beach read.

Finding Mr. July is about Holly, a 34 year old intern who has recently chosen a new career path after being somewhat forced out of her previous career as a lawyer. Competing for a coveted position in Galway in a fundraising competition at her company--and thus a chance to start over--she finds she must team up with Jonathan, a taciturn coworker who she accidentally hooks up with at a company party when the contest for the Galway position is announced. Holly and Jonathan work together to create a fundraising calendar of handsome men with their dogs.

The writing is very engaging, and I found myself reading this book quickly. It is on par with other contemporary romances out there, with funny quirks sprinkled throughout.

Without spoiling what happens, my biggest issues are that Holly and Jonathan are unlikeable characters. I was intrigued that Holly was around the same age as me, but she seems to overreact any time she does not get what she wants. It also bothered me how Holy seems to use Jonathan for the first 40% of the book as a photographer for the calendar despite him obviously starting to develop feelings for her. Additionally, I detested how the two of them agree on a "no strings attached" fling, but when push comes to shove, Holly basically pushes Jonathan into a corner to pose for the calendar in a kind of disturbing way to get what she wants.

Jonathan, unfortunately, isn't much better. He is endearing at the beginning as a man who is also looking for a career change as a disgraced photographer. However his "grand gesture" to Holly at the end demonstrates that the two are as graceless as two people can be when they don't get what they want.

Finally, it seems like there is an underlying theme hinting at the way that American society treats men vs. women in this book. Both Johnathan and Ava, Holly's niece, make comments that highlight issues that women face in American society. I found these comments a little bit off-putting in the context of Holly's pursuit of the calendar, in which she often asks men to take their shirts off, not to mention lying on her dating profile as a recruiting method for the calendar. I am all for discussing these themes about gender and equality in books. They are important, but after the stunt with Jonathan posing in the calendar, I felt that the theme was explored inadequately and inconsistently.

Overall, this book showed promise, but my issues with the characters really impacted my enjoyment of it.

Thanks to Forever Publishing for letting me read this early as an arc.

Finding Mr. July
by Anna E. Collins
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5 rounded up)

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Finding Mr. July by Anna E. Collins was such a fun and charming read! The story follows Holly, who’s launching a new career in her thirties as leaving law. Wanting a fresh start, Holly finds herself competing against other interns for a job in Scotland. Her project idea is cute—clever and creative—but to make it work, she needs the design help of Jonathan, the office’s resident grumpy emo.

The setup of this story is adorable, and it was a quick read. I really enjoyed the banter between Holly and Jonathan, and the gradual build of their relationship grew on me. At first, I found Jonathan’s quick shift—from emotionally unavailable loner to emotionally invested partner—a little strange. At the beginning we learn that Jonathan barely talks, but we never really see that with Holly. Honestly though? I was enjoying it enough that it didn’t really matter. Collins makes the mc’s dynamic work in a way that feels sweet and satisfying. I was definitely giggling into my kindle.

The “hot guys with dogs” angle was a smart idea and totally different, though I did feel the focus on physical appearance was a little heavy at times. As someone who struggles with body image, I found those moments detracted to story a bit for me. That said, readers who are into the swoony, shirtless calendar-guy trope will probably love it.

Overall, this was fluffy, feel-good fun with a little spice. Perfect for fans of workplace romance and grumpy/sunshine. Definitely check out Finding Mr. July by Anna E. Collins.

This is the first book I read by the author and I enjoyed it!
I thought this was a fun, cute read and perfect for summer,
After a scandal ends her legal career, 34-year-old Holly starts over as an unpaid intern at an environmental nonprofit. With one final challenge standing between her and her dream to start over outside of the country, she’s forced to team up with the office grump, Jonathan, to pull off a quirky fundraiser: a calendar featuring hot guys and cute dogs.
Holly and Johnathan have an instant connection and with a bit of forced proximity while working on the calendar they became more than coworkers.
I really loved Holly and Johnathan together. It was great seeing Johnathan put his walls down and soften for Holly.
Holly was a bit much and selfish at some parts but she did have growth by the end of the book!
Overall I enjoyed this book!

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the arc!

Finding Mr. July by Anna E. Collins was a fun read, I love a dog-themed romcom.

In this one, Holly is a disgraced lawyer starting over in her mid-30s at an internship with a nonprofit. She’s part of an intern competition to run the most profitable fundraiser, and recruits grumpy former photographer Jonathan to help: her idea is to create a hot-guys-with-dogs calendar.

I loved the dog content, and really enjoyed the story featuring an older heroine and hero who were both trying to get their lives back on track. I struggled with some aspects of Holly’s character and how she treated Jonathan in the second half, but overall this was an easy, fun read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central for my review copy.

This was a cute story about a woman who has to start over in her 30s. I think it was very relatable. It was the perfect length to a complete story without unnecessary wording. Great for a summer beach read!

I really enjoyed Finding Mr. July! The premise of putting together a calendar with hot guys and dogs? Absolutely brilliant—and Anna Collins pulls it off perfectly. The story is heartwarming, funny, and full of charm.

I especially loved the characters. Jonathan’s journey from grumpy and withdrawn to feeling alive again through this quirky project was so well done. It was sweet, believable, and really satisfying to watch him open up and grow.

This book has everything I love in a feel-good romance—great chemistry, emotional depth, and a creative concept that kept me smiling. Highly recommend!

It’s a feel-good romance that’s playful and passionate, but also full of heart and a little messy in the best, most human way.

Finding Mr. July is a witty and heartwarming romantic comedy that had me smiling from the first page. Anna E. Collins strikes a great balance between lighthearted charm and meaningful character development, making this more than just a surface-level romance. The premise is fresh, the dialogue sparkles, and the chemistry is undeniable without being over the top.

What stood out most to me was how grounded the characters felt—flawed, funny, and relatable in ways that made me root for their happily ever after. While the pacing dragged slightly in the middle and some of the plot turns were easy to see coming, the emotional payoff and satisfying conclusion made it well worth the read.

Perfect for fans of character-driven rom-coms with heart. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more from Collins!

Thank you to NetGalley and Read Forever for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was DNF for me at 21%. I really wanted to like it and there was nothing wrong with the story it was just a miss for me. I really didn't care about the main characters and was just kind of bored by reading it. While it was not the book for me would still recommend anyone give it try. I want to thank NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Mostly light-hearted romance featuring a 34 year old former lawyer competing for a permanent position at a non-profit that would allow her to relocate to Scotland. She attempts to recruit the grumpy former photographer from the creative department to assist with her fundraising project—a calendar featuring shirtless men and their dogs. Jonathan is deeply unimpressed by her proposition, and she challenges him to a drinking contest. There’s a little grumpy/sunshine dynamic, and an expiration date looming. They’re “just having fun” even though everyone around them can see it is something more. The last 20% was a little soft and felt rushed, but this would be a great palate cleanser to break out of a book slump.

4 ⭐️

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
3.75 stars

Spice: 2/5 🌶️

Would recommend if you like:
🎥 “Must Love Dogs” 🐕
💼 Workplace romance
✍️ Katherine Center
👩‍❤️‍👨 Grumpy/Sunshine

Holly is a thirty-four-year old who is trying to pave the way for herself in a new career path. She has decided to do an occupation 180, & leave her legal career behind to pursue her dreams as an environmentalist. Jonathan is also reinventing himself, while also learning how to heal from his past.

This is such a cozy, workplace romance. Don’t let that fool you though! There is still a lot of character development & personal growth that is exhibited from the main & side characters. The competition between Holly & her other coworkers really keeps the plot moving/interesting.

What I liked: 🫡
-The plot didn’t feel repetitive, & the scenery changes worked really well for me
-Bingeable read
-You slowly get to see the main characters let down their walls/open up to each other
-The humor is very natural, & plays into the different character’s personalities
-DOGGIES🐕😍

What I didn’t like: 🫢
-I wish I felt more chemistry between the characters.
-I typically like closed-door romances so I’m not the best judge of smut, but it just felt very mechanical to me (at times).

Thank you so much to Netgalley & to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the e-arc! ୨୧

Anna Collins has written another sweet romance. It’s a quick and light read written with plenty of warmth, humor and playful banter among its interesting and dynamic characters.

The main characters are both struggling with starting over after imploding their careers and personal lives. They don’t always behave well, but they course-correct fairly quickly. They both have big hearts, and they make each other better when they are together. The relationship gets a quick start [which isn’t always the case with the opposites trope] and develops at a steady and realistic pace. Creating a hot-guys-with-dogs calendar together puts them in a variety of entertaining situations, and also gives the reader a nice tour of some of Seattle’s highlights.

In all, I really cared about these characters and I enjoyed watching them, and their relationship, grow. The story held my interest [although I was not a fan of the calendar concept, I did love that it meant there’d be a lot of dogs] and the journey was entertaining and satisfying. This is a good lazy day/beach read.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC! While I had high hopes for this book, it did not live up to my expectations. The premise was interesting and something I hadn’t seen before but in the end the characters and writing style fell short for me. While I’m sure some people would be fine getting over things like that if they truly loved the plot, but I unfortunately kind of sided with Jonathon in that I didn’t like Holly’s project pitch. I also just didn’t really connect with any of the characters and because of that I had a hard time really getting into this book. I think that people who absolutely love the grumpy x sunshine or workplace romance trope might be able to overlook what I couldn’t in this book, but I personally could not.

Last year I had the pleasure of reading Anna E. Collins' Worst in Show. I found it so earnest, so sweet, so romantic, and just so moving. Needless to say, I instantly became a fan of Collins, so I have been eager to read Finding Mr. July and I am happy to report it fabulously lived up to all expectations! Finding Mr. July is a truly heartwarming, swoony, and a total delight of a read!

Protagonist Holly is looking for a fresh start, one that will fly her across the ocean to Scotland. In order to get there she first needs to prove herself in the company she interns for by winning a competition in which the best fundraising project will see one competing intern secure a full time job in Glasgow. Her idea? A calendar featuring shirtless men with their dogs. The problem? She needs a photographer. Enter her coworker who seems more shadow than person with how reclusive he is, Jonathan. But paired with Holly? A grumpy x sunshine trope you will relish!

Right off the bat Holly and Jonathan have a fun yet beguiling encounter at their work where he helps free from from a small room she accidentally gets stuck in. The next day Jonathan responds to her thanks in a sullen, distracting manner. From the start he is distant which makes needing his help an awkward matter for Holly. Nevertheless she trudges on and is able to secure his help (with some light blackmailing). All this does a wonderful job at framing their opposing personalities, ones which feel different and yet are so complementary. It makes their initial proximity really fun to witness. I was giggling and kicking my feet like crazy at the start! There were so many little details that really caught my attention, such as the way Jonathan was so clearly paying attention to Holly when she muttered things under her breath, or how tuned in he was when a quick expression on her face gave away her true feelings...he caught those moments each and every time and baah! I swoooooned! I swooned! I so love it when the love interest becomes so perceptive of the object of their affection (especially when they try their best to pretend they feel anything but affection).

The swoony, light-hearted connection develops over the course of the narrative at a wonderful pace so when it turns hot and heavy you are 100% invested in seeing them through to happily ever after. But it won't be smooth sailing. Without giving anything away, Holly is determined to win the competition and make a home in Scotland, and Jonathan has a certain situation that may not see him eager to follow. Hurdles ensue, with communication a certain factor to overcome. Communication plays a part in their relationship both building and crumbling their connection, but all of it felt very realistic. Even when I wanted to bang my head on the wall in frustration, at the same time I absolutely understood every reaction of out both Holly and Jonathan. It's quite the test Holly and Jonathan face in the final act, but its result is well earned thanks to a beautifully paced plot that carefully sets the strong foundation to a poignant romance.

I had such a joyous time reading this charming and realistic love story!

Thank you so kindly to NetGalley and Forever for this advanced complimentary copy, I leave this honest review voluntarily! 4.5

Holly was not an overly likable character and the book felt very overwritten for its tone. Maybe this one would get better, but after not enjoying this author’s previous book, I think she just might not be for me.