Finding Mr. July by Anna E. Collins is a fun, fresh, and surprisingly heartfelt romantic comedy that offers more than its flirty title might suggest. With witty dialogue, a strong heroine, and just the right amount of heat, this book delivers a charming escape that’s perfect for fans of smart, feel-good romance. The story follows a writer caught in a quirky situation involving a local calendar and the search for the perfect “Mr. July.” What begins as a lighthearted mission soon turns into something much deeper, as real emotions, unexpected chemistry, and personal growth start to surface. Collins balances humor and heart with ease, making the characters feel authentic and the stakes meaningful.

I really enjoyed the narration I think she brought the FMC to life and made her relatable.
I loved the story, how both of the main characters had real but different struggles and how they navigated their growing feelings for each other. Also their chemistry was great.
This was a sweet and cozy romance and I loved how easily it drew me into the story- I finished listening to it in one day and I felt kind of disappointed that it ended.

A fun, heartfelt, yet spicy time - I recommend, especially if you love dogs and hot men ;)

What to expect:
- Workplace Romance
- Forced Proximity
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Starting over in your 30s
- Hot Men + Dogs!!
- Single POV
- Pacific Northwest setting

This was such a fab time! I really liked Holly, the FMC who is starting out in a new career at 34 after a bad break-up and swearing off law for good. Holly is determined, yet caring, without being cringe. Jonathan made for an excellent grumpy to her sunshine! He is tall, a hard nut to crack, but it’s all worth it when Holly melts his cold exterior.

The 'hot men and their dogs work calendar fundraiser project' was such a fun premise. The scenarios Alex E. Collins mixes up are fabulous, full of humour, angst and warmth. The romance in Finding Mr. July felt real, and the characters' actions were relatable. The romance was not only super sweet, but also mega hot! I was rooting for them so much.

The audiobook was very well done as well - Lauren Ezzo does a superb job and bringing this lovely story to life!

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Fun contemporary romance. A quiet grumpy man is my kryptonite. In fact, he could've been grumpier to her for longer in the book and I would've loved it. I listened to the audio and Lauren Ezzo did a good job with the material.

This was such a cute read and a great listen! I loved the concept, and men with dogs? Who can resist? I really enjoyed this second chance, coming-of-age type of story, with the second chance coming in the form of Holly starting fresh in a new career and figuring out what truly lights her up. The calendar project was such a fun setup, and her dynamic with Jonathan was everything I love in a grumpy and sunshine pairing. He’s quiet and broody, but from the moment he helps her out of that locked room, there’s this slow burn connection that had me hooked. I absolutely swooned over how tuned in he was to her, catching every little expression and muttered thought like he couldn’t help but pay attention. Their chemistry built at just the right pace, and when things turned up the heat, it felt earned and so satisfying.

Lauren Ezzo was a great narrator and really took on the character of Holly in an authentic way.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Grumpy meets sunshine, but the spark took a while to catch.

I really wanted to love Finding Mr. July. The grumpy/sunshine dynamic is one of my favorite tropes, and there’s definitely charm in watching two opposites slowly navigate toward a connection. This one is a slow burn—emphasis on slow.

It took me quite a while to finish, and honestly, I almost marked it as a DNF. The writing felt too wordy, and the pacing dragged in places. While the characters were likable enough, I didn’t feel fully pulled into their world, and I often found my attention wandering.

That said, I stuck with it because I needed to see if there’d be a happily ever after, and I’m glad that payoff was there in the end. It just wasn’t quite gripping enough for me to rave about it. If you enjoy a very slow slow burn and lots of internal monologue, this might be a hit for you. For me, it was just okay.


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I loved this book, and overall would rate a 4/5 stars. I enjoyed the workplace romance, grumpy sunshine vibes, and all the talk of men & puppies! A very cute, quick read for me, and I really enjoyed the narrator and how she brought the characters to life. The narrator can sometimes make or break an audiobook for me, but I loved the personality she brought to each character. After listing to this book, I immediately went to check out the author’s other work (as well as the narrator’s).
📚
I would recommend for readers looking for workplace romance, grumpy x sunshine trope, a HEA, and anyone who may be a fan of calendars with shirtless men and cute puppies 🐶
✨
Thank you Hachette Audio for providing this audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A refreshing, lighthearted story about Jonathan and Holly, who have to work as a team to achieve a prize, but do not exactly know each other. Both have their own secrets and insecurities, which do not obstacle whirling their hearts in a lovely romance, while working towards the goal. I loved those two, up until Holly managed to make Jonathan miserable for his honest mistake (which was actually a BIG mistake). Anyway, good things happen to people, who work hard and those two really managed to do a great job and prove to make this book readable and enjoyable.

This was a great summer read! I really enjoyed it as an audio book, and would read other books by this author in the future.

Girl Dinner is a charming, cozy rom-com filled with puppies, slow-burn chemistry, and heartfelt moments. The writing is absolutely lovely—especially during the quiet, romantic scenes, which really shine. While some of the plot beats felt a little uneven, I still found myself fully immersed in Holly and Jonathan’s journey and rooting for their happy ending.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy!

I adored this book! This was my first book by this author and I was drawn to it by its clever concept and honestly I do believe the author did a fantastic job. This book has some of my favorite tropes , workplace romance, closed proximity, grump/sunshine, he falls first to name a few. I really enjoyed how Holly and Jonathan were able to come together and how their romance developed. The love was evident to the audience which I believed was done so well which made me cheer for them in the end. I love the concept of using the dog calendar I mean who wouldn’t want that! I also loved exploring the decisions that Holly needed to make regarding her life and her expectations for the future and how Jonathan was willing to step out of his own way to be with Holly. I really enjoyed the narrator for this audiobook and felt that the message was delivered in a delightful and fun way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette audio for the advance listening copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fun workplace romance. I like the audio narrator. It isn’t always fun to start over when you feel like life threw you around. This was Holly’s chance to figure out not only what she wanted for her career but in love too. I liked the pacing and character development.

I loved the story. This is my first book by this author, so I went in with low expectations. I was pleasantly surprised. I thought the plot line was somewhat unique and I liked the characters and their arc. The writing was well done. As for the narrator, I enjoyed that too. I would recommend this book for anyone who is looking for a lighthearted, quick read. It was positive and upbeat with a bit of emotion. It was a solid 4 stars.

This book was so sweet. The FMC's struggles with what she wants to do with her life hit home for me. I loved all the descriptions of the dogs getting photographed! The MMC is a cute misunderstood grump that just wants the best for our FMC and it was so cute.

The voiceactor did such a gread job. The shifting of the voices for the different characters feels real and smooth.

Quick, easy audiobook listen but nothing special.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this as an audiobook. Lauren Ezzo did an amazing job with the narration. It flowed nicely and was easy to follow along with no matter the speed.

The story itself was fun and light. The romance was heartfelt and engaging. I will say I didn't like how Holly would jump to thinking Jonathan was trying to sabotage her. It did drag a little in the middle, but with the audiobook I was able to adjust the speed.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for receiving his ALC.

All the interns for an environmental agency are pit against each other in a challenge of who can fundraise the most net money with a project of their own creation. When the oldest intern teams up with the quiet and withdrawn web designer the race begins to win the permanent job position and heal the past all at once.

This book looked a little unassuming at first. I’d read a book by Anna Collins before and wasn’t super impressed—but I’m so glad I gave this one a chance! The cover (with the dogs!) and the title—especially perfect for July—totally drew me in.

This is a workplace romance following Holly, who left her law career after it went up in flames. She takes an internship at an eco-nonprofit she’s passionate about, and while she’s there, she meets Jonathan, a graphic designer who turns out to be a former award-winning photographer.

They get assigned to work on a project together, and slowly a relationship begins to grow. This was such a great grumpy/sunshine romance! I loved the emotional depth between them. While there was miscommunication and conflict at times, they actually talked through things, owned their mistakes, and apologized—which you don’t always see in romance novels.

What started as passion and attraction developed into a caring, tender relationship that genuinely moved me. I wasn’t expecting to love this as much as I did, but it completely won me over.

I really loved the concept of this book. Finding men with hot dogs to pose for a calendar? The recipe for a perfect swoon worthy romcom. However, it often felt like that was the secondary story and I’m still not really sure what the main point was? This was so boring and confusing. Dnf at 45%

A great audiobook—the narration was fantastic, and I am definitely adding Lauren Ezzo to my list of favourite narrators! Her single narration performance was brilliant, the balance with the voice of the MMC was really well done.

This book is at its best in quiet and intimate moments—the prose is absolutely gorgeous. I’ll be happily picking up anything else this author writes!

The only reason this wasn’t a 5 star came down to the conflict not quite hitting for me (the FMC is very single-minded and doesn’t really reckon with that), the stakes and beats felt unbalanced at times which would throw me out of the story. But having said that, the quality of the writing and immersion during scenes with romantic connection was so fantastic (I really can’t overstate how lovely) that overall I loved the book and would highly recommend it.