Holly is basically starting over in her career after leaving her job as a lawyer under unpleasant circumstances. Now she’s an intern at some sort of nonprofit and competing with the other interns for a coveted permanent position. And in order to do so, she’s working on a fundraising project involving men and their dogs. Her grumpy co-worker Jonathan is the only person available who hasn’t been claimed for another intern’s project, so she’s stuck with him. And then it turns out he has his own issues, having formerly been an award-winning photographer and having his previous career implode. These two are delightfully flirty and bantering and I enjoyed watching them fall in love. Great cast of supporting characters with Holly’s best friend and work mentor, her brother, and niece. I listened to most of this book on audio, and loved the narrator.

This was a super cute grumpy/sunshine romance featuring two coworkers forced to work together on a charity project competing for a work promotion. Not quite enemies at first, but also not quite friends, once they begin working together the chemistry is electric! They quickly develop a friendship and not long after, things heat up! This book has a good amount of steam, not too much, just enough to feel genuine. I really liked the two main characters together.

I also totally loved that their project was a dog calendar! So fun! I'm always down to read a romance that features some cute pups and this story definitely had that! I was sold right away on that premise and ended up really enjoying the book. I would recommend adding this to your summer reading list for sure!

Holly King had to start over. After she quit the law firm where she had worked, she wanted something different. Her best friend Rachel worked at a non-profit, and Holly thinks that might be the way to go. She gets on as an intern, and while she is older and more experienced than the other interns, she knows she has to show up and do the work in order to get noticed.

The executive director at the non-profit decide to have a competition for the interns. They each have to work with one of the creatives at the agency to come up with a fundraising idea. The intern who raises the most money will be offered a job in their Glasgow office. And Holly wants that job. She’s already had to start over once, and she wants to get away from the city where her ex had humiliated her and stole her job. She wants to get out of her brother’s guest suite and find a new life in Scotland.

As soon as the announcement is made about the competition, four of the interns rush from the room, quick to find a creative to pair with and snagging an idea quickly. So by the time Holly tries to find someone to work with, the only creative left is Jonathan Summers. Holly knew Jonathan. He had rescued her when she got locked in the supply closet. But he is known for keeping to himself, and when Holly tells him her fundraising idea, he shoots her down immediately.

Holly knows she has to try again to get him on her side, so she comes up with a plan. And when she gets him to listen to her, he agrees that her idea has some possibilities. What Holly wants to do is to create a calendar that features good-looking men with their dogs in beautiful outdoor scenes. She doesn’t have much time to put it together, get it printed, and sell it, so she needs to start right away trying to find models.

Holly tried everything she can think of to find men who are willing to pose for the calendar, asking at veterinarian offices and going to dog parks and even signing up for a dating site that features men who are dog owners. She manages to sign on one, and then another. She had to deal with some bad dates, but she was able to find several models for the calendar. Jonathan, as it turns out, is a talented photographer and sets up beautiful photos for Holly to use. And as the photos pile up, their relationship heats up as well.

But dating a coworker can be problematic, and as Holly comes up against challenges with the calendar, she remembers just how challenging it could be to work with someone you care about on an important work project. And it doesn’t help that if she does well on the project, she’ll be moving halfway around the world. As the days go by, the calendar comes together and her feelings for Jonathan grow. Holly is faced with the decision of starting over again in Glasgow or putting down roots where she is.

Finding Mr. July is a spicy rom com that looks at the strength it takes to start over. It’s a fun read about finding love in an unexpected place and letting it bring you all the happiness you wished for as a kid. And there are dogs and hot guys volunteering their time for a good cause.

I thought Finding Mr. July was very sweet and fun to read. As someone who has to start over after a difficult time, I thought Holly’s new start was brave and hopeful, and I couldn’t help but root for her. I liked Jonathan a lot too, with a fascinating past and a path towards healing. There were a lot of scenes in this story that just make me smile. This is a feel-good romance, perfect for summer reading, preferably with a furry friend nearby.

Egalleys for Finding Mr. July were provided by Forever through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.

This was such a cute book! Finding Mr July also has some of the best, most realistic relationships I’ve ever read about! From the bond Holly (FMC) has with her brother, Jude, to her romantic relationship with Jonathan, I really loved it all. I also must commend the author for great conflict resolution! I was so so so worried over the ending and how exactly it was going to work out for our love birds, so I was so pleasantly surprised and happy over our ending!

Jonathan will forever be THAT broody and grumpy MMC we all love and adore. Holly is was so loveable! And REAL! Plus that SPICE?!? SO SO SO GOOD!

This book was not on my radar before I got a chance to read the eARC, and I have to say I’m glad I got a chance to read it. It was a fun romance, and there was some good banter between the two main characters, Holly and Jonathan.
I think it’s the kind of book that is fun to read when you’re looking for something light, something when you don’t want to overthink things and just escape to a cute romance, with a lot of dogs. I mean, I’m a dog percent, so I’m definitely sold on hot guys with dogs. I was surprised how quickly I went through the book, and I read it in less than 2 days (while still working, because life.)
Honestly, it was a good discovery, and I’m probably going to look into adding some of her other books to my TBR.

Love the premise. Holly is trying to start a second career by taking an internship with an environmental nonprofit. If she can be the intern to raise the most money during the summer, she can earn a permanent position in Scotland. Her fundraiser: a calendar featuring dogs and hot guys in nature. Her photographer is the (hot) office grump. But as they work together they realize they both have baggage to unpack.

Grumpy sunshine romance is one of my favorite tropes. And the workplace aspect added great tension which led to some good spice. The photo shoots were fun as well.

I found the third act breakup annoying and unnecessary. I felt like the characters should have trusted each other more by that point. I did like the resolution of the breakup though.

The narrator did a great job with all the voices and made the story come alive.

Thank you to @Netgalley and @readforeverpub for the chance to review this ARC and to @hachetteaudio for the ALC.

A fun read Holly is an intern trying to win a competition and gain a role in the economy office in Scotland. She has never got on with colleague Jonathan but needs his help now. A great read.

This one started off strong, but somewhere around the halfway point, it began to lose momentum for me. It’s a contemporary romance featuring a grumpy-sunshine dynamic, told from a single POV, with an FMC in her 30s...elements I usually enjoy.

Around the halfway mark, the pacing started to slow, and I found myself losing steam. Holly had potential as a main character, but her level of immaturity didn’t quite make sense for where she was in life, and it ended up driving an unnecessary third-act breakup that felt more frustrating than emotional.

I also struggled to fully invest in her career journey. It didn’t seem like she was all that passionate about the job she was pursuing. It felt more like she was running from her old one, which made it hard for me to root for her success. I didn't really care if she won the competition or not because she didn't seem like she was that into the message of the company. She just wanted to go to Scotland.

That said, the audiobook performance was a highlight. The narrator gave a great performance overall, and I especially loved the voice she used for Jonathan- gruff, distinct, and totally on-brand for the grumpy love interest. 3/5 stars

A mixed read for me, but there were definitely some bright spots.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ALC & ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What a quick fun read.
This book had me laughing out loud.
Cringing at times.
And the adorable animals. OMG!
Thank you so much Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

ALC Review: Finding Mr. July by Anna E Collins
Pub Date: July 1
Narrator: Lauren Ezzo

Wow I loved this book!! This is my first book by the author and I definitely need to check out her other books. I feel like I've been in a bit of a rut just reading authors that I know and not always taking chances on new to me authors. I am super super glad I checked this one out as I had a great time and didn't want to stop reading!

? Who is a new to you author that you've discovered recently?

Finding Mr. July follows Holly who is changing careers in her 30s and is now an intern at a nonprofit. She and the other interns are competing for a chance to head up their new office in Glasgow Scotland and she has to come up with a fundraising idea that will raise the most money. And of course, she gets paired with the office's most grumpy photographer who thinks her idea of a tasteful calendar featuring hot men and their dogs is silly. But Jonathan begrudgingly helps her and the more time they spend together, the more Holly realizes that his grumpy exterior is really hiding a much softer guy underneath

I loved the balance this book had between the overarching plot and the romance and how the two affected each other. Holly's task to find 12 hot guys with dogs starts to feel a little chaotic and zaney at times but it just fit with the overall romcom vibes. The chemistry between Holly and Jonathan was really delicious and I was ready for those fireworks when they finally did get together!

Read this for:
- Workplace Romance
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Lots of cute dogs
- Slow-ish burn
- Starting Over
- Single POV

Thank you to @hachetteaudio for the ALC and @readforeverpub for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

ARC REVIEW: Finding Mr. July by Anna E. Collins ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 🌶️🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Finding Mr. July follows Holly as she navigates a career restart in her thirties. Vying for a promotion, Holly competes with 4 other interns to see who can create a unique fundraiser and raise the most money for their nonprofit organization. Paired with an unwilling, grumpy photographer named Jonathan, Holly decides her fundraiser will be a tasteful pin-up calendar of attractive men and their dogs. What ensues is a workplace grumpy vs. sunshine romance that melted my heart!

I had such a fun time reading this story! I loved the setting, the pacing and the chemistry between Holly and Jonathan. Jonathan was a great MMC, I loved how attentive he was to Holly and his swoon-worthy charm. I think that while communication was the main conflict in their relationship, it felt realistic in the way that it can be hard to truly understand and verbalize our own wants and needs. Also, this book features adorable appearances from a numerous amount of dogs of which gave the story another layer of charm!

Finding Mr. July was published July 1st 2025!

What a fun read, perfect for vacation, the beach, the backyard, or wherever your summer happy reading spot is located.

I love a MMC with a grumpy attitude and a soft center. Jonathan has both, as well as some significant emotional baggage. It's fun to watch him square off with Holly (great banter!), especially when their undeniable chemistry comes out to play. He's a good guy but issues have steered him away from his passion (photography) and into a new field where he keeps his head down and interpersonal contacts to a minimum. I loved watching him slowly reopen and begin to regain his confidence.

Holly is an intern at a new company who brings a single-minded focus to her new position. She's determined to win a promotion that will take her far away from her backstabbing ex and the betrayal that cost her a promising law career and she's determined to do it with Jonathan's assistance. Easy peasy. Except, Jonathan doesn't want to help, she's struggling to find twelve dogs with agreeable owners, and then there are those pesky feelings that keep cropping up.

I enjoyed both Jonathan and Holly though, I admit, it did take me longer to warm up to Holly. She has the more significant growth arc, resulting in moments throughout the book where I wondered just how - or if - the author would get these two on the same HEA page. No worries. She accomplishes it in a realistic and believable fashion.

Secondary characters add a lot of humor, emotion, and texture to this story. I especially enjoyed Holly's mentor and Jonathan's dad as well as Holly's brother and niece. And, of course, the dogs. Their photo shoots were an absolute delight, especially the socially awkward ones.

If you're looking for a fun, light, workplace romance with snappy banter, sizzling chemistry, unexpected twists, and a happy ending, check out Finding Mr. July.

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley
Fair and unbiased review

This was a cute rom com and I enjoyed the story. But overall I just found it to be okay. There were some very slight errors that did not effect my rating.

Finding Mr. July is a fun, feel-good rom-com filled with opposites-attract charm, forced proximity tension, and an adorably chaotic pack of dogs! When intern Holly King enters a high-stakes nonprofit fundraising competition, she pitches the ultimate calendar idea: hot, outdoorsy guys posing with rescue pups. The catch? She has to work closely with the office grump, talented (and swoon-worthy) photographer Jonathan Summers.

Their work relationship gets off to a steamy start, and sparks continue to fly as they scramble to photograph twelve months’ worth of hunky dog lovers in just a few short weeks. With Holly’s dream job on the line and her heart unexpectedly tangled up in something more, she’ll have to decide what matters most.

This one is full of heart, heat (yes, open-door spice!), and puppy love, out now and perfect for fans of workplace romance with a side of canine cuteness!

I’ve loved Anna E. Collins ever since reading “Worst in Show,” but unfortunately this read did not deliver like I hoped it would.

I have to say the puppies aspect definitely gave me the will I needed to finish this—I can’t say no when animals are involved. Also, I found the trio dynamic between Holly, Rachel, and Jonathan hilarious!

The tension Holly and Jonathan had was so steamy! I lived for it. But… I hate to say… I didn’t like this couple. I can’t quite pinpoint why; I just wasn’t feeling it. I don’t think they had enough chemistry or cutesy moments for me to fall in love with them together. The tension was top-notch, but when it came to them being serious, I couldn’t see the vision.

The audiobook is the perfect companion for this read! The narrator does a wonderful job forcing emotion into her voice and delivering every word with such ease.

Ultimately, this wasn’t the right read for me, but I’d still recommend it!

Book itself: 1 ★
Audiobook: 4 ★

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾 & 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠!

Two colleagues both trying to prove themselves are forced to work together on a charity project that could mean winning a workplace exchange in Scotland for a year. I really loved the premise of this grumpy x sunshine romance that starts off with a one night stand, then has co-workers Holly and Jonathan becoming friends and more as they track down candidates for a outdoor men and their dogs calendar. I enjoyed this way more than I was expecting and thought it made for a fun light hearted read. The PNW/Seattle vibes were strong, the men and their dogs were varied and cute and the relationship between Holly and her brother was heartwarming. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Rachel Lynn Solomon. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

Truly it's a 2.5 stars for me. Rounded up.

The beginning had potential, like the grumpy and the girl that seeks approval gets together. And because of a fundraiser it forces them to work together and then develops feelings. I'm here for that! The banters are cute, quip and fun. But my goodness, it dragged on longer than it has to be.

Yes, we get it, you wanted to move away, far away. You want to reinvent yourself and reset even though you went to law school and that's what you wanted all along. Not being true yourself is a consistent theme, but how many times are we rehashing it?

I do appreciate the vignette of the trouble waters in the dating pool in order to find people for their project. My thing about that is too much going back and forth, does he, doesn't he likes me. The book is full of those. Don't even get me started on the 3rd act, that was the very anticlimactic, but so was the reveal of his 'damage'.

I liked the story concept, but the writing did not work for me, but then again to each their own. I was tempted to walk away a few times, but I knew there is a HEA, and stayed for it.

Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read Finding Mr. July. Finding Mr. July is about two colleagues, Holly and Johnathan that are opposites who have to work together to complete a project. During the process of working together they learn more about each other and develop feelings. It was a light read. I enjoyed the story. I felt the ending was rushed. I wish there would have been more time at the end with Holly and Johnathan. I would like to read a book about Jude and Rachel’s story.

Thanks to Forever for an advanced copy of Finding Mr. July by Anna E. Collins. Any book that has a dog on the cover sounds cute to me!

While this sounded cute, the more I read, the more the plot of this book bothered me. The whole interns' fundraising comeptions was ehhh and while I didn't mind the calendar idea, but that Holly was going on a dating app to find the guys was a little weird. Also, she seemed very immature.

Unfortunately, the romance wasn't enough for me to get past the plot I wasn't enjoying.

This is a cute contemporary romance - Jonathan is a hot, grumpy main male character and Holly is a 30 something working on her second career after a bad breakup with her lawyer ex. There are fun dog photoshoots, some spice, and interesting family and friend dynamics. It was predictable in that easy, light rom-com way. I felt the third act didn’t flow with both of how both main characters had been maturing through the book.

Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.