3.5⭐

There were many things I enjoyed about this book. The premise hooked me right away: A PR engagement between the CEO of a production company and the costumer designer hired for his next big cinematic project? Count me in! My favorite aspect was probably the setting, I loved following the behind-the-scenes of filmmaking, especially from the perspective of people other than the actors, which is the only side I had read from before. It also allowed for the book to have a good plot alongside the romance, which is something I'm always looking for in my books since it usually keeps the story interesting and gives the main characters' lives more context and substance. I also really enjoyed the supporting cast, from Finn's family to the rest of the film crew.

That said, there were other things that didn't work quite as well for me, like how the main characters acted in the workplace, mainly in the beginning. (It's a pet peeve of mine when it comes to romance books though, I don't think it would be a big problem for most readers). Also, the final conflict wasn't my favorite, not because it didn't make sense, but because of how it specifically played out in this case. Overall, the middle was much stronger then the beginning and end for me and I wanted to be more enamored with the main couple by the end. While I found some scenes between them really cute, others didn't quite hit the mark for me.

If you like banter, fake dating, and a sassy female main character that knows how to put the male lead in his place with a side of spice, I think this one is worth picking up and trying out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was so refreshing and original. A movie producer and the lead costume designer? Loved it! The banter between these two was so hot and actually funny. I wanted this book to be longer so I could have more of the couple being a couple instead of pretending or fighting. I could not put this book down and will immediately add other books by this author to my TBR pile.

3 stars

(thankyou netgalley for the arc )
(published august 14th, 2025)

I did really like this. However, I did find their relationship quite stupid and got very bored , I felt they barely communicated and then were hitting it off , makes no sense . I'm not gonna lie. I lowkey hated finn as well. I do fear he has some issues and needs to go to therapy as well as Sierra.
I do wish they got into their family problems more as I was interested in that .
I also adored the cat !!!

#getmorecatsinbooks2025

Sierra Banks FMC: Costume designer. Full lips. Auburn hair. Blue eyes.
-Maggie- mom. Dad bailed
-Trey Rollins - ex. Stuntman. Ghosted her. Competitive.

Finn Lockhart MMC: Hottest bachelor. Hazel eyes. Tall, dark, and handsome. CEO of Hart of Gold Productions. Rich. Playboy. Sharp jaw and prominent nose. Control Freak.
-Connor - little brother. Grace is daughter
-Liam - brother
-Cathleen - mom. Works with FMC. Dad left. She was depressed.
-Violet Stone - on and off again fling. Actress.

This guy should have groveled waaaay more not just to FMC but to his mom too! A public speech of affection doesn't make things better.

They were still cute together and enjoyed the character growth from them both.

I did love that he bought her a healthier energy drink company 😂

⭐⭐⭐⭐🌶️🌶️🌶️

3 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I’ve realised there’s beauty in that,” he said. “I don’t care if the pieces aren’t perfect anymore. They might be messy in ways, but the best things in life usually are.”

First thoughts - I think I’m gonna be so obsessed with these two, the amount of tension between them in their first interaction alone was crazy!!

Characters;
Sierra - I loved Sierra so much, she knew exactly who she was, what she wanted and she went for it. She’s unapologetically herself and stands on business. I absolutely adored her fiery personality when it came to going toe to toe with Finn, she wasn’t gonna let him walk all over her and that was so inspiring to read about. She is the grafter of all grafters, you can tell she really loves her job because those deadlines that she had to meet were wild. She pulled it out the bag and delivered like she knew she would and I loved how determined she was to prove to everyone how good at her job she is. She’s tough, she takes everything thrown at her on the chin and just gets on with it, doesn’t complain or anything like that. She makes sure everyone around her feels seen and heard, puts everyone else’s feelings above her own. I adored watching her confidence in her ability and her personality grow throughout the book and I think she found what she was looking for in the end.

Finn - Oh Mr man, you had me questioning everything in the beginning. I honestly did not know if I was gonna like him, he was rude, entitled and pretty childish. However, it wouldn’t be a good enemies to lovers if we didn’t have a dislikable character at the start. He clearly shows he cares through small gestures, acts of service is clearly his love language too and that was very obvious in this book. All the little things that Sierra likes/does he makes sure she has or does something for her that’ll make her feel better. He’s hyper focused on this movie, the extent of it is almost clinical, everything has to be perfect, on time and done properly or it’s not good enough for him. He is pretty short-tempered when he’s frustrated, this being connected to his childhood and the issues he’s had growing up in that environment. He’s shut everyone out and turned his emotions off. Finn has this entire fake personality that he presents to everyone that doesn’t truly know him as he is and he believes that this version of him, is more likeable than the real him. I was very back and forth with how I felt about Finn as he kept reverting back to his stubborn and rude self that we seen in the beginning. He saved it in the end, he grovelled and made things right with Sierra which I can appreciate.

Relationship - I lowkey loved their dynamic in the beginning, the whole hate-flirting and gentle bullying? I was eating that up. We got to see the softer sides of both of these characters, Sierra is obviously more open with her gentler side but it was still nice to see her in a setting that wasn’t her being focused on work. Finn keeps everything locked up tight with his shiny fake smile and personality on show, we see throughout the book that this isn’t actually who he is through and through. He’s got that naturally charming side, the softer side that just wants Sierra to be happy, making sure she’s eating and looking after herself. I enjoyed seeing them go from hating each other to being comfortable lying in the same bed together. The fake relationship started to clearly blur the lines between them, they were both confused as to where this relationship was going to go afterwards but with minimal discussion on that front it was bound to fall apart. These two were living together but we didn’t really get to see them as a couple, yes it was technically a fake relationship but during that time real feelings were developed and they were all but acting like they were married minus the actual label. I’m glad they got their happy ending, it wasn’t looking too hot there for a second but they are good together.

Critics - This book had me in the beginning and I really wanted to love the whole thing through and through, the few things that brought this rating right down were so frustrating I would have been lying if I had given it a higher rating in my opinion. We see these characters in the beginning as two people that can’t stand each other, they then form this sort of stilted friendship after being thrown into a PR relationships. It was nice to see that development throughout the book but then all of a sudden they go from that to sleeping with each other which felt like it happened in a blink of an eye, then that’s all they were doing but also with a little bit of relationship dynamics thrown in — without actually discussing it. Then we have the third-act breakup, which is on me for not realising was a trope otherwise I may not have read it in the first place as I am not a fan. Finn goes from being this guy that’s actually got more depth than he’s letting on, softening around the edges to completely 180’ing back into a petty, childish, spoiled millionaire and throwing his toys of the cot when he doesn’t get his way or something goes wrong. He completely disrespects Sierra, is horrible to her and throws barbed jabs at her when she makes one mistake. Bare in mind she’s been bending over backwards for this man the entire book, always being there to support him, creating amazing costumes within his ridiculous time-frames and helping him whenever he needs, even getting in that PR relationship with him for his movie, all the while agreeing to air her dirty laundry again, for him she gets no benefits from this. All Sierra wanted was to make beautiful costumes and have Finn care about her and he just completely ruined that. This man did not do enough grovelling in my opinion, in the beginning anyway. It took him two months and multiple people for him to realise how much of a colossal mistake he had made in his treatment of Sierra, yes he did do the whole grand gesture by telling the world world he loved her but it just grated on me that it took so long. Sierra wasn’t perfect either but I do believe the blame lies with Finn, I loved that they got their happy ending but personally I think it fell a little flat with how he treated her when they broke up. It just didn’t hit the same due to how mean he was, yes he did have that character development clearly and he did change.

Overall - I enjoyed certain aspects of this book, from the hate-flirting, the soft moments we see in Finn, Sierra getting to shine and Ro and her silliness, it was a fun read. The third-act breakup and the way Finn kicked Sierra when she was down, personally put a damper on my enjoyment of the book as a whole. I liked the declaration of love from Finn to the whole word about Sierra, I just believe I maybe would’ve enjoyed it more if those things hadn’t happened or maybe had happened but in a different way. Personally I loved the beginning and the end of the book, however, the story just didn’t deliver the way I wanted it to.

Fun lighthearted read. Leslie North's The Boss I Can't Stand is a perfect palette cleanse kind of novel. Very cutesy, and mildly predictable, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I managed to finish this one in about a week, although I could've definitely finished it faster, the book was well paced enough that I didn't fly through it, but also didn't feel as if there was any time wasted. If you're looking for a cute rom-com I would definitely recommend it to my girlies looking for a feel good read!

This book had me hooked from the beginning. It is full of fun banter, amazing characters and an excellent story / plot.

This was a fun workplace romance, with the enemies to lovers trope and a fake engagement thrown in. Finn is a movie producer and Sierra is a costume designer, who clash from the moment they meet.

Finn is obsessed with perfectionism and has to get to grips with the fact life doesn't always work that way.

Light spice and good chemistry.

Giving 3.5 stars, because I didn't think that she should forgive him at the end after the way he behaved!

Soooo good. My heart has been broken and put back together so many times. I even thought I would lose it for good. But what can I say. A good book makes us sob, makes us laugh and makes us forget our own reality, so yeah I give it 5⭐️.

This is a charming workplace romance that blends humor, warmth, and just the right amount of slow-burn tension. Sierra, a costume designer with big dreams, never expects her life to be turned upside down by Finn, the seemingly grumpy CEO of a Hollywood studio. After a less-than-ideal first meeting, Sierra finds herself interviewing for him the very next day—and unexpectedly, landing the job.

What follows is a delightful journey of discovering that first impressions aren’t always the full story. Sierra’s determination, creativity, and kindness make her instantly endearing, while Finn, beneath his rough exterior, proves to be far more supportive and caring than she could have imagined. When gossip and a misplaced cufflink throw them into a fake engagement, the ruse only highlights the genuine affection growing between them.
The chemistry between Sierra and Finn is sweet, heartfelt, and uplifting, with a payoff that feels both tender and satisfying. Overall , it is a lovely, feel-good romance that will leave readers smiling.

A seamstress and her new boss with banter from the start. I love the dynamic and the character building that is seen throughout the book. How the male lead remembers small things that are brought back in as little foreshadowing and jokes throughout the book as well. Overall, really cute and really well written.

I read the first book in this trilogy, and I loved it. I received the second one as well and This was as good as the first one. I love the Lockhart brothers because they are tall, dark, handsome and rich and they are all very grumpy. This was no exception. Finn is the epitome of hot and grumpy and obsessed with his work. He has so much going on being the CEO. Sierra is the sunshine in the story and she is the costumer designer.
The fire and banter and spice in this book is off the charts!! This book had so much passion and Finn had so much going on and was living a lot in the past and couldn't move on until he dealt with his demons.
I loved everything about this book and I can't wait for the final book.

Oh wow, this one is such a fun ride! The Boss I Can’t Stand by Leslie North is like a rom-com cocktail, but with Hollywood glitz and costume drama. When a dropped box of cufflinks turns a costume designer’s life upside down, she ends up “engaged” to Finn Lockhart, the brooding, impossible-to-ignore star of her latest film. Fake engagement? Check. Real feelings? Double check.

This book is packed with enemies-to-lovers chaos, office (well, movie set) tension, and the hilarity of pretending to be in love while paparazzi photos go viral. Leslie North plays with the trope of “fake news/fake relationship” brilliantly, letting the story explore attraction, misunderstandings, and the thrill of living under one roof with someone you can’t stand… until you can. Finn’s broody charm versus the heroine’s witty, relatable voice makes for constant sparks and laugh-out-loud moments. North writes with a breezy, sarcastic, and super relatable tone that makes you feel like you’re right on set with the characters. The dialogue snaps, the humor lands perfectly, and the pacing keeps you flipping pages because you have to know when pretend feelings turn real. It’s fun, flirty, and totally bingeable.

The chemistry between the leads is off the charts, and the Hollywood setting adds glam and humor without being over the top. The fake engagement trope is classic but feels fresh thanks to the witty narration and unique workplace angle. If you’re looking for a super deep, introspective read, this isn’t it—it’s pure entertainment—but that’s exactly why it works.

The Boss I Can’t Stand is perfect for anyone who loves enemies-to-lovers, fake relationship rom-coms, and a dash of Hollywood drama. It’s sexy, hilarious, and addictive—basically, the perfect read when you just want to escape into a fun, flirty world.

2.5
I’m torn on this book. It started off fun and I was enjoying the characters but I started to get frustrated with the story and the characters. At times Finn was so sweet and would do these little things that showed he cared about Sierra but then right after it would be brought up in the characters thoughts. The author seemed to want to really point out hey look at all the small little things he does for her! It felt forced instead of just woven naturally into the story. Finn was fine most of the book the “The Face” never really went away. He blew up in sierras face, said some really awful things to her and then never made up for it, never apologized, and she came running back to him like she was on fire and he was the only person in the country with water to put her out. Separately they were great, together they made little sense. They barely start fake dating and then there are multiple time jumps of weeks or months just casually thrown in in the middle of a sentence and all of a sudden they are hooking up and have feeling for each other? That would have been nice to see on page rather than just being told oh it’s been months of living together and wow now I have feelings for him. I wanted to like this book so much but it really fell flat for me.

First time reading one of Leslie's books and honestly it was amazing. From the first time Sierra and Finn met I was already hooked. I loved the parts where we could get to know more about the world of movies sets. The romance between the two of them was amazing. even though it wasn´t always perfect. At the beginning it was really fun to see them always bickering with each other and see how their relationship got better.
Sierra was everything that Finn needed, because at heart he was just hurting which explains him being grumpy all the time. He definitely had development troughout the book.
I feel like all the side characters were really important for the story, especially for us to see the friendship between all of them together.
Honestly the only thing that made me sad was their fight,even after all. But the good news is that all worked out at the end,

If you like the fake engagement, forced proximity and dual pov tropes, this book is definitely for you.

This book has left me with mixed feelings. The part about what’s involved in making s movie; the screening, the costume designs, shooting it and everything that find with that - that was handled very well. I liked the discussion in the conference room between the CEO, screenwriter, PR manager and the director about who to hire as costume designer; weighing the pros and cons. It was very realistic and I like it when things are realistic. The author took her time painting a complete picture, it was very well done!
Regarding the romance I’m not a fan, and much of it was in my opinion trying too hard to sell the story. I found if often over the top and unrealistic, like Sierra’s rudeness to Finn and her refusing to accept a job offer from him but why then did she go to the job interview in the first place?
Also, I expected more grownup behavior from the characters. Finn handling his staff more as the powerful CEO and producer he is instead of letting his emotions getting the better of him and snapping at his subordinates all the time. He can’t seem to keep his mood in check, and I’d expect more from a CEO that had a lot of responsibility and power over the people working for him. Therefore Sierra having sex dreams about him after he’s been nothing but snappy and pretty unfriendly didn’t feel realistic to me. Sierra being so bad at lying that the movie crew had them rehearse a date? I’d think nobody was to know it was a fake engagement?! The famous director’s actions also were highly unprofessional and thus unrealistic when there’s so much at stake, and he was a renowned director!
And the amount of swearing put me off. It’s like they couldn’t speak or think without cursing a lot.
I really liked the blurb and the setup but I felt the author tried a little bit too hard to sell the plot, and it just didn’t work for me. Maybe other readers will like it but it just didn’t appeal to me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Very cute romance between a costume designer and movie producer. Tropes include fake dating, enemies to lovers, one bed, and trauma inducing mothers. Clearly part of a series, but you do not need to read the others to know anything about this one.

If you're a fan of sizzling, enemies-to-lovers, workplace rom-coms, then this book is for you! This book delivers a delightful mix of humour, heart and Hollywood drama and I throughly enjoyed it!

Sierra Banks, a talented costume designer, lands her dream job on a major film set, only to find herself at odds with the film's producer, Finn Lockhart. Their initial meeting is less than ideal, setting the stage for a tense and "enemies" relationship. However, when a paparazzi photo mistakenly captures them in a compromising position, the studio's PR team insists they fake an engagement to boost the film's publicity.

The grumpy-sunshine dynamic between Finn and Sierra is amazing! Finn with his brooding, grump demeanour and unrealistic high expectation contrasts beautifully with Sierra's witty, fiery nature. As the story progresses, both characters undergo significant growth, learning to navigate their personal and professional challenges while exploring their evolving feelings for each other.

Also massive shoutout to Merle the Mannequin!

4 ⭐️

I was pleasantly surprised! I enjoyed the overall plot and the relationship building during the fake not so fake engagement! Sienna softened Finn’s sharp edges and showed him that he could be who he really was without a careful facade being put in place. The third act breakup was painful and honestly..he said some stuff that I don’t know if I’d be able to come back from IRL so good thing this is fiction. If you enjoy a fake relationship, grumpyxsunshine, boss dynamic with a fun pet this is for you!

Thank you Leslie, Relay Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

Wow what a great book! I really enjoyed the premise of this book. The characters are great. I even enjoyed the secondary characters. The writing style was great and this really was an easy read. It had meek hooked from page one. I don't always have a hard time putting books down but this one had me..lol. I highly recommend this book if you are in a reading slump. This was a first for me by this author but will not be my last. I loved this romcom!!!