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 Jonathan’s journey from grumpy and withdrawn to feeling alive again through this quirky project was so well done.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.

This is my first time reading something by this author, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The story’s premise was really interesting: a former lawyer is now an intern in a non-profit foundation, trying to find the “perfect job” in a different country. I liked that the main character, the MMC, is in her thirties. Jonathan is the typical grumpy MMC, but when the FMC actually talks to him and convinces him to work with her for the calendar project, she actually discovers how nice he is and all the reasons why he’s so grumpy because of all his trauma and past experience. At the end it was a cute HEA story.

Such a fun read. Holly is interning at a non-profit in Seattle, hoping to get the plum lead job coming up in Glasgow. That way, she can leave Seattle, and her disgrace at her previous workplace ,behind, and start anew
Unfortunately for her, the decision between interns will be via a contest, and she is stuck with Jonathan, the office grump. Things get off to a steamy start, and we also have PUPPIES !!
There are some bumps, some (lol) humps, and some miscommunications.
Overall, a great read, and I can't wait to hear more , perhaps Rachel's story next ?

Finding Mr. July is a cute workplace grumpy-sunshine romance between Holly, an intern starting again at thirty-something, and Jonathan, a graphic designer and photographer.

Overall, I thought that this was an easy read, with both comedic and heartfelt moments. It also takes place in Seattle, so it was nice to see how that setting was almost its own character in the story. I enjoyed the cast of characters (and can see some spinoff material).

Unfortunately, I did think some actions of the characters seemed more appropriate if the MCs were younger, so I was getting frustrated as the book went on. I think some of the dramatic moments could have been easily avoided with communication.

3 stars.

3.5 stars - I came for the hot guys with animals concept but stayed for the sweet romance. The concept here is the real selling point- a disgraced early 30-something forced to work as an intern and compete with other interns on the best fund raising project. And of course she's stuck with a partner she doesn't want to work with (cause even in your 30's group projects are no fun)- the grumpy designer. Cue all the workplace, forced proximity, figure out your life in your 30's fun.

AS someone who (voraciously) loves to consume those Australian firefighters with kittens and puppies calendar content, I immediately was pulled in by this idea. As someone who only until recently was also in her 30's, I also love a romance that centers on a more mature heroine, particularly one who is in a place of rebirth- romantically, professionally, personally. That kind of character arc really resonates with me- someone who felt like her life didn't even really begin until my mid-3o's, so I was really excited to dive in.

I loved the first half of this book. The playful concept, the opposites attract energy, the grumpy but lovable leading man (cause we just KNOW there's more to him), the quest for delicious shirtless dudes to hold even more adorable puppies. So fun. The back half fizzled for me a bit- in part because I felt like our 30something characters started acting much younger and emotionally immature and the ending conflict felt a bit contrived. Overall, though, this is a cute and charming story- and the fun concept alone makes it worth the read.

4.25 stars
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A grumpy x sunshine, workplace romance, and men with adorable dogs - what more could you want from a book?

Holly is starting over. After a scandal leaves her blacklisted from the world of law, she finds herself working as an intern for an environmental non-profit. At the the of her internship, she must compete against four other interns for the position of their dreams. The task at hand? Come up with a fundraiser idea that will bring in the most money, and whoever wins will get relocated to a position in Scotland. No big deal for Holly - except she's forced to team up with grumpy and brooding Jonathan.

Holly comes up with the brilliant idea of selling a calendar a la firefighter style, except her version will feature men and their adorable dogs. As the project progresses, Holly finds herself getting to see the true Jonathan, who isn't as grumpy as everyone thinks. I liked the concept of the book and how Holly and Jonathan had more in common than we think. In another life, Jonathan was a photographer - travelling around the globe, getting wonderful shots, that is, until an unfortunate incident lands him on a no-fly list.

Although this may seem like a fluffy read about dogs, the story dives into some deeper content and real-life emotions. This project is everything for Holly, she needs this job. She's currently living with her brother and his daughter, but when he announces he's looking to move to be closer to their parents, Holly begins to panic.

I think my favourite part of the book is the onslaught of adorable dogs and their owners. The author does a great job of writing unique characters and their traits, but also matching those same traits and oddities to a dog. As much as I loved the book, I wasn't a fan of the third-act breakup. I don't think the book needed the additional conflict to get our main characters to the happily ever after they deserve.
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I would like to thank Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever, Anna E. Collins, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Finding Mr. July in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions formulated are my own. Finding Mr. July is set to publish on July 1st - you can pre-order your copy today.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the privilege of receiving this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second read from author Anna Collins and she brings some of my favorite tropes to the table. Enemies to lovers, work place romance, grumpy vs sunshine, and DOGS! Need I say more!?
I loved how Anna creates characters who are willing to challenge themselves when a new opportunity arises and get competitive! In Finding Mr. July, Holly’s journey, navigating the fallout of an unexpected career change in her 30s and the sting from a terrible breakup, forces her to reevaluate what she wants in life. At times I found myself cheering Holly on and at other times I was sheer cringing at her choices. Girl, what was up with the dude at the park and trying to get him to sign up for you photoshoot? That one scene was hard to swallow.
Still the story had so much charm and fun woven in and so many cute dogs ( and men 😉).

Broody MMC with hidden soft spots, workplace romance, starting over, and puppies! What more could you want?!
Holly King will do anything to get a promotion. After her career as a lawyer came to a hard stop, she is an intern at a nonprofit in need of a change of scenery and hopes to get a job across the globe doing something she feels passionate about. Her ticket to this job is to be the intern to raise the most money in a fundraising campaign. Her idea is to make a calendar featuring local "hot guys and dogs" (the animal kind). Sounds easy, right?
All except for getting stuck working with the broody, quiet grump at the office, Jonathan Summers. That, and deadlines, cancellations, sporadic puppies, on top of her own family issues and complicated feelings.
As the story unfolds, we get to meet all kinds of characters, and dogs, that seem to complete the puzzle her Holly's project. But when feelings get added to the picture, things can get a bit messy.
~~
The different scenery and setting the story takes place in make you feel like you could step right into the beautiful nature of the Pacific Northwest, regardless of whether you are near or far. I loved this book and think it is a quick, romcom of a summer read, and I would recommend this book to anyone who loves workplace romance, complicated feelings, broody MMC, close friendships and family, starting over, and, of course, puppies!
The ending was really cliche, and it felt like I was watching a cheesy rom-com movie, but I did love it. I felt like everything was tied together nicely, except for Jonathan's dad. I may be alone in this, but I did feel like he did up and leave his dad when he moved to Scotland with Holly. However, I can understand that other people may not feel the same way.
The biggest critique I would give this book is the name of the company they work for. I did not know if GCL stood for anything, and I felt that it should have been clarified. I even tried to Google GCL and other nonprofits to see if I could come up with anything, but it was never a certainty. Once I got over the company name, I thought the rest of the book was great, and I would definitely recommend it to others! I would also love to see another romance book about Jude and Rachel!

She was thrown off by his dismissive behavior in the beginning...I giggled like a little school girl at the way he ran away from her. Then, I laughed later when she challenged him to a drinking game. Having to compete to win the job offer in Scotland gave her the kick in the pants she needed to do whatever it took to win...and I guess that meant beating him at his own grumpy game. This was the moment I knew I liked this book.

Then I turned to the next chapter, and when he accused her of seducing him, that's when I knew I was going to LOVE this book! 👀🫣🤣

This is the perfect summer read for those who love:

Office romance
Grumpy/sunshine
Forced proximity
Banter
HEA
🌶🌶

There were so many great one-liners in this book. It had me cackling the whole way through! I'm looking forward to reading more romance books from Anna Collins.

This story was the cute rom/com I was looking for! Holly's character is so relatable- just a girl in her 30's trying to figure things out when life isn't going the way she expected. Jonathan is on a similar path to self-discovery, and the way they help each other is so cute. Jude and Rachel were such well written side characters. I laughed, but it also tugged at my heartstrings. Great summer beach read!