I’ve been in such a reading slump lately, so I decided to randomly choose an Advanced Reader copy in my much-too-large stack. I am so happy I did, because I found another 5 star read!

Goodreads Summary: Brinkley Saunders has a secret. To everyone in the academic world she left behind, she lost it all when she dropped out of grad school. Once a rising star following in her mother’s footsteps, she’s now an administrative assistant at an insurance agency—or so they think. In reality, Brinkley works at Heartbreak for Hire, a secret service that specializes in revenge for jilted lovers, frenemies, and long-suffering coworkers with a little cash to spare and a man who needs to be taken down a notch. It might not be as prestigious as academia, but it helps Brinkley save for her dream of opening an art gallery and lets her exorcise a few demons, all while helping to empower women. But when her boss announces she’s hiring male heartbreakers for the first time, Brinkley’s no longer so sure she’s doing the right thing—especially when her new coworker turns out to be a target she was paid to take down. Though Mark spends his days struggling up the academic ladder, he seems to be the opposite of a backstabbing adjunct: a nerd at heart in criminally sexy sweater vests who’s attentive both in and out of the bedroom. But as Brinkley finds it increasingly more difficult to focus on anything but Mark, she soon realizes that like herself, people aren’t always who they appear to be.

This book is an enemies-to-lovers trope with laughs, intrigue, and a little bit of “spice.” I absolutely loved everything about this book. The relationship between Brinkley and Mark made me so happy I am married, or else my jealousy would be off the charts. From meeting when she was a heartbreaker, to their banter when seeing each other again had me turning the pages more and more.

Add to that the side story of what secrets Brinkley’s mother was keeping, the relationships Brinkley had with ex-friends from her college days, the dynamics of her heartbreaking workplace changing (hello women avenging the wrongs men foist upon us!), and Brinkley trying to find her path to her future, and this book became one of my favorites.

Heartbreak For Hire is out July 27, 2021! You can preorder your copy now. Meanwhile, I will be looking up Sonia Hartl’s backlist of books to read!

Will you be giving this book a shot? What is your favorite rom-com trope? Let me know in the comments below!