DNF @ 24%

Thank you Berkley Romance for the e-ARC and apologies for not finishing this!

While I appreciated certain elements of Honey and Heat, such as the exploration of wealth and class disparity, migration and identity, and workplace sexism, overall I found its foundations to be disappointingly generic and borderline outdated especially in the characterization of Cynthia. She was the stereotypical "ice queen"–a cold, ambitious, fashionable woman who (validly) battled against workplace sexism and bias while simultaneously being unnecessarily mean. While this is a typical portrayal, it lacked depth. While I recognize I didn't get far into the novel, I think generally there is opportunity even early on in the book, especially in dual POV, where baggage and reasoning can be teased in the narration to begin building the character in a robust way.

I also struggled to grasp the workplace rivals to lovers aspect of the novel because there actually wasn't evidence of a rivalry. Cynthia understandably didn't like Rohit as he swooped in and took the role she wanted, but he actually didn't know that, and they seemingly didn't compete for anything as they held different positions.

A few positives, though: I really liked that the novel was set in Kelowna (not everything needs to be set in Vancouver or Toronto!) and there were a lot of Canadian references, and I liked Rohit's backstory and his determination to care for his family financially. But this just wasn't for me, unfortunately!

3 Stars Thank you Berkley for this ARC! Unfortunately, Honey and Heat just wasn't for me. I understand the "Ice Princess" trope, but I couldn't connect with the main character, Cynthia, and it was hard to get invested in her story. Plus, the rivalry didn't feel as much as rivalry as the description for the book led me to believe. Overall, just kinda felt like this one missed the mark, but I'm glad to see a lot of other readers loving it! I fully believe that not every book is for every person and this one just wasn't for me.

Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC! This book was a mix of fun, some spice, yearning !!!, and a window into what the experience for an immigrant living far from home experiences.

Honey and Heat is an aptly titled romance that brings the swoons and ooh the spice! This is a very heartfelt journey that brings together an "Ice Princess" who fiercely protects her secretly soft heart and a man who longs to win that heart over. They are two souls who comes to truly see one another, fortifying their hearts to take the courage to explore what blossoms between them.

This is a love story between Cynthia and Rohit. Cynthia works at her father's company, working year after year to be his worthy successor. But he may have his eyes on another... on Rohit, a happy-go-lucky man who's been at the company for a year, and once upon a time shared a one night stand with Cynthia.

That sizzling one night stand turns into an ice cold shower when Cynthia meets Rohit again at her father's company, as her newest colleague. For the next year their dynamic is all bite and none of its initial sexy banter. Cynthia sees another man standing in her way and Rohit only sees the ruthless woman dubbed the Ice Princess by her colleagues. Where once they shared no distance has become an iceberg separating the two. And I honestly loved how they needed to navigate the way around the chilly layer between them. They each have misjudged the other. Cynthia sees Rohit as rather toxic positivity, not knowing all he sacrifices to provide for his family. On the other hand, Rohit buys into Cynthia's Ice Princess persona without seeing the vulnerability laying beneath the mask. But soon enough he will see -- as she will -- through those masks. It's a process like shedding skin and the layers beneath reveal two people who fight for their place every day. A very isolating feeling until suddenly they are no longer alone-- and no longer unseen. Their souls tether is such a beautiful way, lending support and encouraging each other to feel deserving of who they are and what they accomplish.

I adored Cynthia and Rohit. It's easy to love Rohit, he's all warm and good natured smiles. He exudes friendliness. Cynthia may be harder to love to some-- but she wasn't for me. Yes, she is statue made of marble. Impressive yet almost impenetrable. Cold and distancing. But that's just at first glance. That's just a mere surface reading before diving into her heart and embracing her true self she hides from the world. You see a little girl who went from freely given laughs and smiles to a young woman heavily guarding her heart and measuring every step taken. Knowing one misstep can throw her entire axis off balance. And working in a male-dominated atmosphere that reeks of misogyny has her having to work even harder, as unfair as it is. She wants her father to notice her efforts, but his eyes on Rohit alone. Initially he seems like just another man bound to look down upon her, but instead Rohit becomes the hand Cynthia most needs to hold. Not to help her along, but to simply stand by her side. To say, "I see you."

Just as she sees him back.

There may be some heartache in the third act, but I'm honestly a masochist for third act break ups, so I loved the bit of angst! It sets up for a very satisfying resolution.

i would have enjoyed more in the epilogue, but that's truly only because I didn't want to say goodbye yet. I left this one with a happy and highly satisfied smile.

Thank you Berkley Romance and NetGalley for this advanced complimentary copy! I leave this honest review voluntarily. 4.5

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an ARC of this. This was such a cute, sweet and spicy read!!! This is a workplace romance with the rivals-to-lovers trope. As well as black cat female main character and golden retriever male main character. I love how Cynthia and Rohit meet in a bar one night and sparks flew, but then things took a turn. Cynthia found out Rohit was a new employee at her father’s construction company where she also works. Cynthia was giving black cat energy a little toooo much. She was a bit off for me at the start. I could understand where she was coming from, but she just assumed way more than necessary. She did eventually grow on me and had some growth herself. Rohit was just so precious, loved him!! He had a lot going on in his personal life that people didn’t know about. They just always saw him as the guy smiling and engaging with everyone. The pacing can seem a bit on and off, but overall it was a nice read.

I received an ARC of this book and appreciate the opportunity. Unfortunately, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. As a fan of workplace rivals-to-lovers tropes, I was disappointed to find that the rivalry aspect felt lacking. The main character, Cynthia, rubbed me the wrong way, and her personality made it challenging for me to become invested in the story. Additionally, the writing style didn't resonate with me. While I appreciate the author's efforts, this one just wasn't my cup of tea.

A heartfelt and heated one night stand to workplace rivals, dual POV, black cat x golden retriever love story featuring two South Asian Canadian leads both vying for the CEO position at Kumar Construction, a Kelowna, BC company.

Cynthia and Rohit meet in a bar one night, have a sexy one night stand only to later find themselves competing to take over from Cynthia's father when he steps down as CEO (the only thing is, no one knows Cynthia wants the position, which tbh bothered me a lot throughout the book).

I loved the Canadian setting and how sensitive and big-hearted Rohit was, everything he did was to take care of his family back home who had high medical bills, even dropping out of his MBA program in order to get a paying job. Cynthia was easy to root for as a strong, bossy, takes no shit FMC who knows what she wants but who had a hard time vocalizing it to those close to her (including her father and Rohit).

The chemistry between the leads was fantastic, there was great tension and I also enjoyed the cameos from characters in the author's debut, Sunshine and spice. Great on audio and highly recommended for fans of authors like Sara Desai or Sajni Patel. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Honey and Heat is the perfect description for Cynthia, the FMC of this workplace romance. She's assertive, knows what she wants and deep down she has a soft side. Meanwhile Rohit is a romcom lover who sees the bright side of everyone. Enemies to lovers, a little grumpy/sunshine, some good spice and a wonderful HEA. At times I felt like I was missing something, I don't know exactly what - it was just a little lagging and I didn't feel invested in the characters. The book was sweet and overall I enjoyed it.

I’ve been on the brink of tears for days as life is hard but this book helped pull me out while helping me healthy cry a little. Cynthia Kumar is the “ice princess” personified. Strong, focused, capable, and so alone. She is fighting for her father’s attention and her mom’s acceptance of her single kid-free life. She’s the anti-“good Indian girl” and she doesn’t care. After a rough family dinner laced with disappointment and judgement (who hasn’t been there) she ends up at a bar where she meets Rohit. Rohit, the simp king, who basically wants to live his life groveling at the feet of Cynthia. At one point I swear he was going to pass out from seeing her toes.

God, I loved these characters. Rohit and Cynthia have an amazing night and then the next day she finds out Rohit is the potential candidate her father is considering to be his replacement-not her! (The audacity!) I love a mean FMC who wants what she wants and a simp who loves being bullied by his woman. This is a workplace romance with a cultural twist. There are plenty of men who are trash in this story but out of those murky pits we have Rohit who lives to serve his family and Cynthia. Reading the first book in this series will help sweeten this one but it’s not necessary. (But please go read that one as it’s also fabulous)

I really wanted more interactions with Cynthia’s family as they really drove this story. Their desires and expectations for her and the business they run driving the two main characters together and apart. I connected deeply with Cynthia and her struggles with her father and Rohit’s burdens for his family.

The story is open door romance but I would give it like 2 🌶️🌶️. The yearning was top tier though as the forced proximity was going to drive someone crazy. (Maybe me…) The story was delicious, the characters diverse, and the references to “10 Things I Hate About You” makes this book an easy 5 stars for me.

Thanks to Berkley Pub for the ARC from the Hub for Underrepresented Voices! To see myself in a story is a dream

All the descriptions are true--this is the heat turned on. The praise is well deserved. I flew through this because I can’t resist the siren call of ambitious girl staying ambitious but also wanting companionship, loyalty and appreciation at the same time.

Palit always does the commitment after getting together really well. Cynthia Kumar and Rohit Patel are cute as hell together. It's very fulfilling spark of positivity. The supportiveness : Once they get together, even if they're fighting, they want to understand each other. They're good to each other.

Cynthia's goals and ambition is portrayed so well. I enjoyed the ins and outs of Cynthia's conflict with her father and the workplace immensely.

Naomi and Cynthia's friendship blossoms this book. We see all the payoff. It's really encouraging and healthy perspective that quality adult friendships don't have a timeline. Watching Cynthia be a friend confidently is a window into who she is when she is seen and valued.

I also connected so strongly to Rohit in regard to resentments and obligation. What makes Rohit a modern character is not burying himself beneath his feelings. My only caution is the book as a whole is very toned down in terms of urgency--the story moves very slowly.

Lastly, I live to see South Asian people choose and be openly attracted to each other romantically. There's a lot pop culture, real culture, and frankly contemporary romances where we are undesirable to each other. Amidst that it's nice to see two South Asian people find each other hot.

Thank you to Berkeley Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of "Honey and Heat" by Aurora Palit in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my opinion. #honeyandheat #netgalley

3.5 rounded to 4

There was a lot to like here--Rohit being the main draw--and a lot that was frustrating. Which was Cynthia, until she began her character growth. But beneath that, the struggle between a romance and an office politics story did not blend well for me as a reader, mostly because of all the straight-up misogynism that was never called out. Especially in front of Cynthia's dad! I wanted him to walk in front of a bus. Pluses were the romance by the end, and especially by Cynthia's doing the work to reconnect with her mum.

I don’t usually pick up straight up romance novels, but this one hooked me from the start it was such a fun, addictive read! Honey and Heat follows Cynthia Kumar, the so called “Ice Princess,” who’s groomed to inherit her father’s multimillion dollar construction empire until he names someone else as his successor: Rohit Patel, her one night stand. Cue the drama. Now Cynthia and Rohit are forced into a reluctant partnership to save the family business’s reputation, all while juggling their fiery rivalry, undeniable chemistry, and the possibility of something more.i had such a good time reading this! The banter crackles, the tension is delicious, and the slow burn between Cynthia and Rohit makes every page worth it. Even if you don’t usually read romance, this rivals to lovers workplace drama is a sweet, spicy ride.

Honey and Heat is a companion novel to Sunshine and Spice. But have no fear, you can read this as a standalone. That said, I look forward to reading Sunshine and Spice, as well as any other book Palit releases.

Honey and Heat showcases a woman who knows her worth and is willing to fight for it. It also showcases a man who loves love and will do anything to support those he cares about. If only the two had communicated better, several issues could have been resolved much sooner. That said, if that had happened, the book would have been at least 100 pages shorter. That said, most of Cynthia’s issues revolve around her relationship with her parents, rather than Rohit.

There is no wasting time in the book getting to the open-door sex scenes. I believe it was in Chapter 2 or 3. Obviously, with the mention of a one-night stand, you know there’s not going to be much of a delay in those scenes. However, you will have to wait a while for more, as Cynthia and Rohit need to focus on their relationship.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Honey and Heat and look forward to reading more from Palit. Who do I think will enjoy reading it? Do you enjoy reading about workplace romances? What about books with strong family connections? Or, ones with sassy leads who learn more about themselves as the book goes on? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you should consider reading Honey and Heat.

Cynthia Kumar has all that it takes to be the next CEO of her father’s company. But her dad ends up choosing someone else as his successor and that person happens to be Rohit Patel, Cynthia’s (hot) one night stand. Here’s the thing that the synopsis does not give away: Rohit doesn’t actually know that he’s the successor. Cynthia’s dad does not actually give him the good news until much later in the story. So, Rohit, who’s pretty much in love with Cynthia, has no idea why she hates him so much.

There’s a lot to like about this book. The characters were flawed and interesting. The relationship dynamics were complex and nuanced. The office politics were messy, just like real life. But there were questionable behaviours and reactions that went ignored. For instance, Cynthia has been the subject of such overt misogyny that I’m surprised her father has not once called out the men on his senior leadership team. Some of the comments that were thrown at Cynthia happened in the presence of her father. I couldn’t respect him after all of that, despite Cynthia working so hard to earn his praise. At the same time, Cynthia is ambitious and wants to be the heir of her father’s business. But she never once actually brought this up to her father, who in turn had no idea that Cynthia had such aspirations. Then again, I am 100% sure that had Cynthia been a boy, her father would’ve automatically handed over the reins to her, regardless of whether she wanted it or not. So, as you can see, this daughter-father dynamic is complicated, but by the time I finished the book, I was not fully satisfied with how the conflict between them was resolved.

My absolute favourite thing about this book, though? Cynthia reconnecting with her mom. The thing with Cynthia is that she had always craved her father’s approval, which in turn meant that her mother was left on the sidelines. But throughout her journey, Cynthia realizes that she missed so much time with her mom because she was too busy trying and failing to impress her dad. And she really works on that and improves her relationship with her mom.

Now, why am I only talking about the family dynamic and not the romance? I think Cynthia and Rohit are great together when they are on the same page. I could see that the author was trying to sell this romance from a feminist point of view, but I’m not sure if I’m convinced. I’m not saying that Rohit and Cynthia are anti-feminist. As individuals and as a couple, Rohit and Cynthia are 100% feminist. But there were certain work-related situations that were supposedly resolved in a feminist way, but ended up being the opposite, in my opinion. It’s a challenge to apply the lens of feminism in office romances and have it executed effectively. Office politics are not exactly the easiest things to incorporate into office romances, especially if you’re angling to resolve them in a feminist way. So while feminism was great in the context of the romance, I’m not sure if that lens was used effectively in the context of office politics.

Overall, there were things to like about this book, but I don’t think that the office politics were properly addressed. We also really needed an epilogue.

3.5 stars for this rivals (one-sided of course) to lovers workplace romance!! I fee

Cynthia Kumar is ready to take over as CEO of Kumar Construction when her dad retires - but the problem is, he's brought in a new face to be his successor, Rohit. Of course, Rohit knows none of this, and after he and Cynthia meet before he starts at the company and hit it off - his hopes of finding love can be found dead in a ditch!!! Cynthia is driven, a little frosty, and a quick thinker - Rohit is diligent, friendly, and anxious. Seems to me like the combo of the two of them would actually make the best CEO...

I thought this was a sweet easy read, but I found myself frustrated time and time again with Cynthia. As a strong character and a woman who takes no prisoners, she should be one to speak up and make the men in her office hear her...and yet, she doesn't. I do like that she didn't compromise on who she was and have to change to fit the job, so I'll give her that!!

Thank you so much to Aurora Palit, Berkeley, and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun black cat x golden retriever workplace romance! It starts off with a one-night stand, only for Cynthia and Rohit to realize they actually work at the same company.

Cynthia, often seen as an “ice princess,” has spent her whole life preparing to follow her dad’s legacy and take over as CEO. Rohit, on the other hand, is an immigrant from India who’s incredibly hardworking, well-liked by everyone, and dedicated to supporting his family back home. From the very beginning, Rohit is completely down bad with Cynthia, loyal, sweet, and following her around like the golden retriever that he is. 🥹💛💜

The spicy scenes were written well and I loved the mix of workplace tension and family values. Rohit being so family-oriented really stood out to me, and I liked the way his family always encouraged him to choose his own path and prioritize his happiness. The only downside is that some parts dragged a little, especially with Cynthia constantly being weighed down by her workplace frustrations and her dad’s treatment of her.

Overall, the writing was strong and the romance turned out really sweet. I enjoyed watching these two opposites find their way to each other!

This was trope city and I looooooved it. Forbidden workplace romance? Rivals to lovers? Grumpy (her)/ sunshine (him)? He falls first? Give me EVERYTHING.

I also loved how complicated their dynamics were with their families in very different ways, but also for the same reason - a lack of clear communication on both ends. Which, understandably, lead to trouble communicating with each other (you only know what you know).

They both love their families to the point of burnout and beyond - arranging their entire lives around what they think they need to be for them. And because of that, the way they’re able to be soft with each other (after a little clarity and time) is all the sweeter for it. They both see all the facets of each other that they work so hard to keep concealed, and it’s delightfully shocking to both of them when they realize it doesn’t make them any less worthy of love.

Thank you @berkley @aurorapalit for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

My thoughts:
Honey and Heat is a cute read with engaging characters. Main characters are Cynthia and Rohit. Polar opposites in so many ways.
What happens when they are thrown together in the workplace?
Family Drama
Workplace Romance
Workplace Rivals
I had a hard time getting to like Cynthia…she did grow on me by the end of the book. Rohit was just a lovely man in my opinion.
Honey and Heat certainly is a tension filled read!

No second book slump for Palit!! I absolutely adored Honey and Heat, just as much as Sunshine and Spice, possibly a little bit more. This is an interconnected standalone so you don’t have to read Sunshine and Spice but you should because it’s great.

Honey and Heat’s main characters, Cynthia and Rohit, are so deliciously complex. There’s miscommunication but don’t mistake that for a tired miscommunication trope. This book is about the things that are hard for us to say because of what that might mean, especially when it comes to letting someone in. Their tension and chemistry and rawness was so beautiful and real. I was screaming cheering for them. Everything that happened came together in twists and turns that were always believable.

As the daughter of an Indian immigrant, I identified so much with not just Cynthia but I saw my father’s story in the story of Rohit and Rich (Cynthia’s father) and the heavy expectations that fell on their shoulders. It really felt personal in the best way.

Whatever story Aurora Palit tells next, I know I’ll be buying it. This book solidified her as an auto-buy author for me!

I loved every single thing about this book. The love story was swoony, heartfelt, and addictive. The characters were so well-written, and their journey together was beautiful. I can already tell this will be a book I revisit whenever I want to feel all the feels.