What do you think?
Rate this book
Daydreamer #1
Daydreamer
As a scruffy, disorganised daydreamer, Lucy Mayweather is like a fish out of water at the high-powered offices of her brother’s billionaire best friend. When she agreed to work for Felix, she had no idea quite how cut-throat his world – or he – would be. She just wanted to escape her reclusive life and be close to her childhood crush, hoping he might notice her.
But Lucy’s lonelier in London than she’s even been in her tiny village back home. The boy she grew up with has been replaced by a powerful, ruthless, extremely attractive man who doesn’t tolerate incompetence and who no longer seems to find Lucy’s quirks cute. Instead, he lectures her almost daily on her general crapness, and seems blind to the bullying she endures from his colleagues.
For Felix, agreeing to employ Lucy was a mistake. This shy bookworm with her head in the clouds, who wears tattered jumpers, carries multiple pens in her hair and has an obvious crush on him must be by far the worst assistant in London. But he’s always had a soft spot for the quirky little girl who lived in her own world and told the best stories. Well, now that little girl is all grown up… and he can’t stop thinking about her.
After Felix gives in to his bone-deep longing for his best friend’s little sister, he starts to feel more than he has in years. But Lucy has secrets, and Felix has trust issues. When his inability to trust her leads to a terrible betrayal and places Lucy in danger, Felix is faced with losing her forever. Because the new, hardened, traumatised Lucy is nothing like the daydreaming pushover she once was…
This is a full length, brother's best friend, grumpy billionaire boss romance.
Trigger warning for workplace harassment and assault.
Warning – there is swearing throughout this book.
Praise for
"As a reader who loves a betrayal and subsequent grovel this story was 'chef's kiss'."
"10 out of 10! Everything you could ever want or need in a romance book."
"This author grabs you by the heart, gives it a good shake and slowly but beautifully puts it back together again with some heart-breaking and heart-lifting scenes."
"Vibe of a secret crush/she falls first/ he falls harder tale and Is laced with mistaken angst and wonderful scenes of grovel."
"Excellent, 5 stars all the way."
"This book was so great that I read it all the way through in one day."
"This was a heartfelt, angsty and emotional story told in the wonderful, dulcet tones of Susie's brace of creativity and stellar story-telling finesse."
"Yet another winner by Susie Tate."
"Fantastic book."
But Lucy’s lonelier in London than she’s even been in her tiny village back home. The boy she grew up with has been replaced by a powerful, ruthless, extremely attractive man who doesn’t tolerate incompetence and who no longer seems to find Lucy’s quirks cute. Instead, he lectures her almost daily on her general crapness, and seems blind to the bullying she endures from his colleagues.
For Felix, agreeing to employ Lucy was a mistake. This shy bookworm with her head in the clouds, who wears tattered jumpers, carries multiple pens in her hair and has an obvious crush on him must be by far the worst assistant in London. But he’s always had a soft spot for the quirky little girl who lived in her own world and told the best stories. Well, now that little girl is all grown up… and he can’t stop thinking about her.
After Felix gives in to his bone-deep longing for his best friend’s little sister, he starts to feel more than he has in years. But Lucy has secrets, and Felix has trust issues. When his inability to trust her leads to a terrible betrayal and places Lucy in danger, Felix is faced with losing her forever. Because the new, hardened, traumatised Lucy is nothing like the daydreaming pushover she once was…
This is a full length, brother's best friend, grumpy billionaire boss romance.
Trigger warning for workplace harassment and assault.
Warning – there is swearing throughout this book.
Praise for
"As a reader who loves a betrayal and subsequent grovel this story was 'chef's kiss'."
"10 out of 10! Everything you could ever want or need in a romance book."
"This author grabs you by the heart, gives it a good shake and slowly but beautifully puts it back together again with some heart-breaking and heart-lifting scenes."
"Vibe of a secret crush/she falls first/ he falls harder tale and Is laced with mistaken angst and wonderful scenes of grovel."
"Excellent, 5 stars all the way."
"This book was so great that I read it all the way through in one day."
"This was a heartfelt, angsty and emotional story told in the wonderful, dulcet tones of Susie's brace of creativity and stellar story-telling finesse."
"Yet another winner by Susie Tate."
"Fantastic book."
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2024
9005 people are currently reading
18979 people want to read
About the author
Susie Tate
26 books2,015 followersSusie is a top 2 Amazon bestselling author who writes addictive, feel-good contemporary romance with heroes who may make you a little ragey, but who always redeem themselves in the end! She’s been a doctor in the NHS for over twenty years and lives in beautiful Dorset with her wonderful husband, three gorgeous boys and an even more wonderful dog.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,904 reviews
Read
August 8, 2024there's being a daydreamer and then there's being completely inept
this girl... i really couldn't do it lol. the writing was also a little clunky with too many character introductions up front with characters that probably would not be relevant to the storyline anyway.
this girl... i really couldn't do it lol. the writing was also a little clunky with too many character introductions up front with characters that probably would not be relevant to the storyline anyway.
June 29, 2024
Whew. The second half of this book deserved a much better first half.
My rating is a very tentative 3 🌟 Had the resolution not delivered so well, it wouldn't chart above 2.
This book did not become worth it for me until the third act breakup occurred. I actually wrestled with whether or not to DNF. However, once the breakup occurs, it became a much better book.
Honestly, it was refreshing to see an FMC realize not only how the MMC did her wrong, but to also see how her own overwhelming feelings for him enabled it - then actually attempt fix it. Lucy is firm with Felix about there being no way to salvage what their relationship was. It was obviously one-sided and unhealthy, so it's over.
The issues then become that substantial character growth is needed on Felix's part to create a new relationship, but his previous characterization causes it to feel almost inauthentic. I never felt the "it was always you" love that Felix claimed to have for Lucy at the end of the book. She didn't exist for him for years and years, until she began working for him, and even then it was a favor to her family.
We never (outside of a reveal about the office temperature later) see him *in love* with Lucy in the first half of the book. Hell, based on his horrendous behavior toward her as a boss and general disregard of her as a fellow human (especially one he is supposed to be family friends with), I'm not even sure he actually LIKED her in the first half. Sure, he thinks she is gorgeous and he remembers fond memories of her story-telling as kids, but that's about it. He simply doesn't seem to see her as a person, almost at all. He wants her only when there is finally competition, he berates her constantly, never asks her anything about herself, and doesn't ever actually listen to her, generally cutting her off. His lack of consideration to her is abhorrent; even lasting up to a police officer informing him that Lucy, the woman he believes he loves, was harmed at least twice by another male in the office. Uponing hearing that, Felix's instinct is to insist that the guy wouldn't have done that and it must be a mistake. But somehow he doesn't doubt at all, until shown proof that she doesn't need his money, that Lucy committing corporate espionage. But... he loves her? Right, okay.
So yeah, Felix becomes my biggest problem with this book. How can I believe that Felix is actually in love with Lucy, when that has never been demonstrated? Yeah, the "grovel" is great -in fact, one of the better ones I've read- but I just kept asking myself why does he suddenly love her now? He went all that time without Lucy, then having her and not really caring beyond sex... so what changed? Losing her isn't enough when we know he was perfectly fine without her for literal years. Again, it just didn't connect.
Note: This is even worse when you add in the stuff about his ex (exes?) that it is clear Felix might've still been with if they hadn't betrayed him or ended things. He wasn't out of those relationships because he didn't love them, we have no idea whether he did or not. But this is, again, up against Lucy who has always been in love with Felix. It just felt weird.
From reading other reviews, I have gathered that some people are more upset with Lucy's characterization - specifically, her crippling social anxiety and her inability to speak up for herself. I don't share those thoughts. Most of Lucy's actions are incredibly understandable if you are someone that experiences those things, including her willingness be a doormat throughout the first half of this book to be closer to the only guy she has apparently ever loved. Her characterization makes sense, she is terrible at being a personal assistant because she has social anxiety. It is why she can't do tasks other see as simple (the interactions are too much) and retreats to her mind. In fact, Lucy is really only entertaining the job because it gets her within Felix's sphere, she is that far gone for him. It is also why, as pointed out later, she doesn't push back or demand more from Felix - which was unhealthy. Especially combined with the lack of emotion shown on his part.
Best part of the book though? Hands down, Mike Mayweather. Hurt his sister? He'll punch you in the mouth without hesitation and deliver an office-wide dressing down to those responsible. He realizes that you're the only one that can pull his sister out of her head? He'll put aside his pride and anger to get you on board with bringing her back. Mike is the real hero of this book, and it makes me very intrigued for how his straightforward but emotional nature will deal with Vicky in the future.
My rating is a very tentative 3 🌟 Had the resolution not delivered so well, it wouldn't chart above 2.
This book did not become worth it for me until the third act breakup occurred. I actually wrestled with whether or not to DNF. However, once the breakup occurs, it became a much better book.
Honestly, it was refreshing to see an FMC realize not only how the MMC did her wrong, but to also see how her own overwhelming feelings for him enabled it - then actually attempt fix it. Lucy is firm with Felix about there being no way to salvage what their relationship was. It was obviously one-sided and unhealthy, so it's over.
The issues then become that substantial character growth is needed on Felix's part to create a new relationship, but his previous characterization causes it to feel almost inauthentic. I never felt the "it was always you" love that Felix claimed to have for Lucy at the end of the book. She didn't exist for him for years and years, until she began working for him, and even then it was a favor to her family.
We never (outside of a reveal about the office temperature later) see him *in love* with Lucy in the first half of the book. Hell, based on his horrendous behavior toward her as a boss and general disregard of her as a fellow human (especially one he is supposed to be family friends with), I'm not even sure he actually LIKED her in the first half. Sure, he thinks she is gorgeous and he remembers fond memories of her story-telling as kids, but that's about it. He simply doesn't seem to see her as a person, almost at all. He wants her only when there is finally competition, he berates her constantly, never asks her anything about herself, and doesn't ever actually listen to her, generally cutting her off. His lack of consideration to her is abhorrent; even lasting up to a police officer informing him that Lucy, the woman he believes he loves, was harmed at least twice by another male in the office. Uponing hearing that, Felix's instinct is to insist that the guy wouldn't have done that and it must be a mistake. But somehow he doesn't doubt at all, until shown proof that she doesn't need his money, that Lucy committing corporate espionage. But... he loves her? Right, okay.
So yeah, Felix becomes my biggest problem with this book. How can I believe that Felix is actually in love with Lucy, when that has never been demonstrated? Yeah, the "grovel" is great -in fact, one of the better ones I've read- but I just kept asking myself why does he suddenly love her now? He went all that time without Lucy, then having her and not really caring beyond sex... so what changed? Losing her isn't enough when we know he was perfectly fine without her for literal years. Again, it just didn't connect.
Note: This is even worse when you add in the stuff about his ex (exes?) that it is clear Felix might've still been with if they hadn't betrayed him or ended things. He wasn't out of those relationships because he didn't love them, we have no idea whether he did or not. But this is, again, up against Lucy who has always been in love with Felix. It just felt weird.
From reading other reviews, I have gathered that some people are more upset with Lucy's characterization - specifically, her crippling social anxiety and her inability to speak up for herself. I don't share those thoughts. Most of Lucy's actions are incredibly understandable if you are someone that experiences those things, including her willingness be a doormat throughout the first half of this book to be closer to the only guy she has apparently ever loved. Her characterization makes sense, she is terrible at being a personal assistant because she has social anxiety. It is why she can't do tasks other see as simple (the interactions are too much) and retreats to her mind. In fact, Lucy is really only entertaining the job because it gets her within Felix's sphere, she is that far gone for him. It is also why, as pointed out later, she doesn't push back or demand more from Felix - which was unhealthy. Especially combined with the lack of emotion shown on his part.
Best part of the book though? Hands down, Mike Mayweather. Hurt his sister? He'll punch you in the mouth without hesitation and deliver an office-wide dressing down to those responsible. He realizes that you're the only one that can pull his sister out of her head? He'll put aside his pride and anger to get you on board with bringing her back. Mike is the real hero of this book, and it makes me very intrigued for how his straightforward but emotional nature will deal with Vicky in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2024
I always enjoy books by Susie Tate, but I don’t like characters that can’t survive in the world. There is a helplessness to this character, even as her achievements would suggest otherwise, that makes her pathetic to me. I guess it was the early description where she was walking around her corporate workplace with her hair in a bun full of pencils and pens. I just thought to myself, “ Who does this?”
I might go back and reread this one because it’s possible that I am being too harsh on her and this was just an initial reaction.
ETA that I just saw the description of the next book in the series and the heroine is described as “awkward. “ I am managing my expectations accordingly.
I might go back and reread this one because it’s possible that I am being too harsh on her and this was just an initial reaction.
ETA that I just saw the description of the next book in the series and the heroine is described as “awkward. “ I am managing my expectations accordingly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2024
Sometimes you read a book and wish you’d just DNF’ed it when you first got the urge. This is one of those books. It got 2 stars because I at least got to the halfway mark before I realised it wasn’t getting any better. It was only 314 pages and it felt like 800. It just went on FOREVER.
I HATED these characters. They were so painfully 2D. She was a spineless pushover (and I didn’t buy that she suddenly wasn’t towards the end, the way she let him control her said it all). He was a controlling dickhead under the guise of being caring. I didn’t buy the turnarounds and I didn’t buy the chemistry.
Why is her entire personality that she’s cold? We barely learned anything about her writing career and then suddenly it’s like “oh she’s basically JK Rowling”, let’s not brush over the literal stalking that she did. Who the hell takes a job they don’t need just to breathe the same air as a guy they fancied as a child. SO CREEPY.
I guess in that respect they’re made for each other because he was also creepy AF. I’m not here for any man who tells women what to wear, who will ignore a woman in distress (in favour of a man who is clearly a predator) and who is generally just a dick to everyone. It felt a bit 50-shades which is a huge ICK.
Then we have the autistic “representation” which I’m pissed about, like we all need someone there to explain what is happening around us socially. Stop it. It was so patronising to the autistic community, and let’s be honest the fact that she was somehow at the top of the company completely ignores the many MANY barriers that autistic people face in the workplace and was never discussed.
I just hated it, I skimmed the last 20% and I couldn’t even stomach the sex scenes because of all the red flags. No thanks.
I HATED these characters. They were so painfully 2D. She was a spineless pushover (and I didn’t buy that she suddenly wasn’t towards the end, the way she let him control her said it all). He was a controlling dickhead under the guise of being caring. I didn’t buy the turnarounds and I didn’t buy the chemistry.
Why is her entire personality that she’s cold? We barely learned anything about her writing career and then suddenly it’s like “oh she’s basically JK Rowling”, let’s not brush over the literal stalking that she did. Who the hell takes a job they don’t need just to breathe the same air as a guy they fancied as a child. SO CREEPY.
I guess in that respect they’re made for each other because he was also creepy AF. I’m not here for any man who tells women what to wear, who will ignore a woman in distress (in favour of a man who is clearly a predator) and who is generally just a dick to everyone. It felt a bit 50-shades which is a huge ICK.
Then we have the autistic “representation” which I’m pissed about, like we all need someone there to explain what is happening around us socially. Stop it. It was so patronising to the autistic community, and let’s be honest the fact that she was somehow at the top of the company completely ignores the many MANY barriers that autistic people face in the workplace and was never discussed.
I just hated it, I skimmed the last 20% and I couldn’t even stomach the sex scenes because of all the red flags. No thanks.
June 12, 2025
Gravity is Irrelevant to Human Mind
Now and then, my brain begs for a lil rest and this book couldn’t be more suitable for such purpose. It tells the story of Lucy Daydreamer and Felix Gorgeous Tycoon. Of course these aren’t their real surnames but a simple way I’m using to describe them.
Lucy and Felix grew up together: She as an eccentric girl who was always imagining stories and He as the boy who named her Lucy Shakespeare. Right now, they are assistant and boss and she’s dealing with a hard crush on him…
With all her weird eccentricities, Lucy could perfectly be a cartoon character. Nevertheless, some of us will probably recognize a bit of ourselves in her: whilst our feet are walking on solid ground, our minds are frequently wandering on clouds, blissfully unaware of the gravity law 😜
…………….
Não é Fácil ser Lucy
Lucy faz um café com sabor a cu de babuíno, usa camisolas esburacadas e prende material de escritório no cabelo. Por exemplo, é vulgar aparecer no escritório com uma caneta de 4 cores espetada num coque muito mal amanhado. E… caso calhe abanar a cabeça é provável que salte de lá mais qualquer coisa — marcadores, esferográficas, canetas de tinta permanente … são objetos que coexistem com frequência nos confins da sua densa cabeleira. E isto por uma razão muito simples: caso necessite duma caneta sabe exatamente onde procurá-la…
Lucy divide o seu tempo entre dois mundos: um mundo de fantasia povoado pelas histórias que desabrocham na sua fértil imaginação e um mundo real onde é assistente de Félix, seu amigo de infância e atual patrão, por quem nutre um fraco muito forte…
Apesar de Lucy ser quase uma personagem de cartoon, reconhecemos nela um pouco de nós. É certo que, a mando da força da gravidade, caminhamos todos com os pés na Terra. Porém, tal como Lucy, passeamos assiduamente a cabeça pelas nuvens ;)
Now and then, my brain begs for a lil rest and this book couldn’t be more suitable for such purpose. It tells the story of Lucy Daydreamer and Felix Gorgeous Tycoon. Of course these aren’t their real surnames but a simple way I’m using to describe them.
Lucy and Felix grew up together: She as an eccentric girl who was always imagining stories and He as the boy who named her Lucy Shakespeare. Right now, they are assistant and boss and she’s dealing with a hard crush on him…
With all her weird eccentricities, Lucy could perfectly be a cartoon character. Nevertheless, some of us will probably recognize a bit of ourselves in her: whilst our feet are walking on solid ground, our minds are frequently wandering on clouds, blissfully unaware of the gravity law 😜
…………….
Não é Fácil ser Lucy
Lucy faz um café com sabor a cu de babuíno, usa camisolas esburacadas e prende material de escritório no cabelo. Por exemplo, é vulgar aparecer no escritório com uma caneta de 4 cores espetada num coque muito mal amanhado. E… caso calhe abanar a cabeça é provável que salte de lá mais qualquer coisa — marcadores, esferográficas, canetas de tinta permanente … são objetos que coexistem com frequência nos confins da sua densa cabeleira. E isto por uma razão muito simples: caso necessite duma caneta sabe exatamente onde procurá-la…
Lucy divide o seu tempo entre dois mundos: um mundo de fantasia povoado pelas histórias que desabrocham na sua fértil imaginação e um mundo real onde é assistente de Félix, seu amigo de infância e atual patrão, por quem nutre um fraco muito forte…
Apesar de Lucy ser quase uma personagem de cartoon, reconhecemos nela um pouco de nós. É certo que, a mando da força da gravidade, caminhamos todos com os pés na Terra. Porém, tal como Lucy, passeamos assiduamente a cabeça pelas nuvens ;)
July 1, 2024
Dear Lord, the male character was irritating as fuck!
I just couldn't and in the end didn't give a fuck about his grovelling...
I wouldn't waste my time with him...
the whole scenario was a tad bit on the "over-reacting" side of the action spectre...
Again, I simply couldn't stand the guy... #sorryNOTsorry
I just couldn't and in the end didn't give a fuck about his grovelling...
I wouldn't waste my time with him...
the whole scenario was a tad bit on the "over-reacting" side of the action spectre...
Again, I simply couldn't stand the guy... #sorryNOTsorry
July 18, 2024
What is the fascination with saying “eep”
September 1, 2024
DNF 15%
Is the FMC 15 years old? Otherwise I can't understand how she's so annoying. She's was given a good job by a childhood friend and she makes no efforts, she's unprofessional as fuck and knows it. But it's not her fault, she's just not like other girls, she has 5 pens in her hair, she dresses like she's at home, it's not her place 🤪
that's it, i'm too old for this kind of shit
Is the FMC 15 years old? Otherwise I can't understand how she's so annoying. She's was given a good job by a childhood friend and she makes no efforts, she's unprofessional as fuck and knows it. But it's not her fault, she's just not like other girls, she has 5 pens in her hair, she dresses like she's at home, it's not her place 🤪
Read
December 19, 2024DNF at 55%
I don’t write long reviews but this hero pissed me off so much I have to talk about it
Here’s a list of SOME of the things he did :
1. made her change her whole style
2. Made her go to a party when she was so UNCOMFORTABLE with going .
3. Always talking down on her I mean ALWAYS.
“Well, I’m talking to Lucy. Interesting girl.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “I bet. “Yes,” Piers said slowly. “Yes, she is. She was explaining to me about how she works. It’s fascinating really.” My eyebrows went up. “Fascinating? Lucy’s work?” Like?????
( even when he said something nice he immediately followed it by something worse) “Shit,” he snapped, letting me drop down to the floor so suddenly I was lucky I didn’t end up in a crumpled heap, and then stepped back rapidly. I shivered in the sudden absence of his heat as I pulled my skirt back down over my fleece-lined tights. “Look, just get back to work, Lucy,” he clipped, smoothing down his tie and tucking his shirt back into his trousers. “I can’t afford all this distraction the whole time. And do your bloody job” mind you he said this immediately after he kissed her .
4. Resented her for taking “so much of his time“ .
“Just try a little harder, Luce. Be a bit more on the ball. I can’t have people thinking I’m letting you off the hook because you’re my girlfriend. Or that I’m letting myself get distracted. I’ve already taken too much time off recently. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Time off? Felix was home late every night and still worked on weekends. And I could hear the resentment in his tone “
And I’m not going to talk about when he accused her of betraying him🥴
Look I like those type of books , where the hero fucks up and tries to win the h back , but this man can give the heroine the moon and the stars and I still won’t be able to forgive him.
I don’t write long reviews but this hero pissed me off so much I have to talk about it
Here’s a list of SOME of the things he did :
1. made her change her whole style
2. Made her go to a party when she was so UNCOMFORTABLE with going .
3. Always talking down on her I mean ALWAYS.
“Well, I’m talking to Lucy. Interesting girl.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “I bet. “Yes,” Piers said slowly. “Yes, she is. She was explaining to me about how she works. It’s fascinating really.” My eyebrows went up. “Fascinating? Lucy’s work?” Like?????
( even when he said something nice he immediately followed it by something worse) “Shit,” he snapped, letting me drop down to the floor so suddenly I was lucky I didn’t end up in a crumpled heap, and then stepped back rapidly. I shivered in the sudden absence of his heat as I pulled my skirt back down over my fleece-lined tights. “Look, just get back to work, Lucy,” he clipped, smoothing down his tie and tucking his shirt back into his trousers. “I can’t afford all this distraction the whole time. And do your bloody job” mind you he said this immediately after he kissed her .
4. Resented her for taking “so much of his time“ .
“Just try a little harder, Luce. Be a bit more on the ball. I can’t have people thinking I’m letting you off the hook because you’re my girlfriend. Or that I’m letting myself get distracted. I’ve already taken too much time off recently. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Time off? Felix was home late every night and still worked on weekends. And I could hear the resentment in his tone “
And I’m not going to talk about when he accused her of betraying him🥴
Look I like those type of books , where the hero fucks up and tries to win the h back , but this man can give the heroine the moon and the stars and I still won’t be able to forgive him.
July 4, 2024
Sigh.......
I was so excited to see this drop because I enjoy Susie Tate books......Anything but easy by her was easily a five star for me and you know I usually hate all books and give one star reviews with no remorse or worries😂😂
But this book......I dnfed because it was sooooooooo boooooooringgggggg!!!!!! Talking about going to make coffee and answering the phones *snoooooorrrrrreeeee*. Then people said it was so good and I made myself finish.
This was VERY reminiscent of Judith mcnaught Double standards. VERY REMINISCENT. Down to the H thinking she was colluding with the enemy and selling secrets to her being kicked out into the cold without her coat or stuff. Uh huh......like........the same 😬😬😬🤔😳😳👀👀 very similar......😐😐😐😐
Honestly, I didn't understand where his attraction to her came from. He thought she was a horrible assistant that he got her a job at his company because her mom was his nanny. And shes already rich but she took the office assistant job to be closer to him 😬😬😬😬
And he never redeems hisself.......he just acts like a dick til he finds out how wrong he is and thinks she's the shit on the bottom of his shoe 🤷🤷 towards the end, I honestly didn't want her to be with him and wanted better for her. She had no reason to forgive him and he didn't do nuffin to really redeem himself to me.
Anyway, I'm heavily disappointed and.....yeah......
I was so excited to see this drop because I enjoy Susie Tate books......Anything but easy by her was easily a five star for me and you know I usually hate all books and give one star reviews with no remorse or worries😂😂
But this book......I dnfed because it was sooooooooo boooooooringgggggg!!!!!! Talking about going to make coffee and answering the phones *snoooooorrrrrreeeee*. Then people said it was so good and I made myself finish.
This was VERY reminiscent of Judith mcnaught Double standards. VERY REMINISCENT. Down to the H thinking she was colluding with the enemy and selling secrets to her being kicked out into the cold without her coat or stuff. Uh huh......like........the same 😬😬😬🤔😳😳👀👀 very similar......😐😐😐😐
Honestly, I didn't understand where his attraction to her came from. He thought she was a horrible assistant that he got her a job at his company because her mom was his nanny. And shes already rich but she took the office assistant job to be closer to him 😬😬😬😬
And he never redeems hisself.......he just acts like a dick til he finds out how wrong he is and thinks she's the shit on the bottom of his shoe 🤷🤷 towards the end, I honestly didn't want her to be with him and wanted better for her. She had no reason to forgive him and he didn't do nuffin to really redeem himself to me.
Anyway, I'm heavily disappointed and.....yeah......
June 29, 2024
I was so excited about a new Susie Tate and am so disappointed that I just liked this rather than loved it. She's still one of my top tier favorite authors.
Heroine is a head in the clouds.. a daydreamer just like the title says. She's come to London to open her horizons and hopefully catch the eye of the guy she's always loved, now an uptight, driven businessman a lot more like his father than he knows.
The problem is the story just did not feel complete. As usual, Tate's heroes do/say something inexcusable to the heroine, but the follow up is just was not there, nor was the defining relationship with his horrible father. Just too much up in the air.
Two things I noticed: one is a change in the sex/love scenes. They've always been steamy, but there was more explicit action that I felt was forced and a change from Susie Tates previous books, almost as if an editor or someone told her to spice it up. I like a good love scene as much as anyone, but the allure of Susie Tate's books is her quirky character, dialogue and banter. The second thing I noticed is she has taken some of the British sayings out. Some of her books have been set in Wales, and I loved having to look up the very entertaining slurs and phrases.
Still a fun read.
Heroine is a head in the clouds.. a daydreamer just like the title says. She's come to London to open her horizons and hopefully catch the eye of the guy she's always loved, now an uptight, driven businessman a lot more like his father than he knows.
The problem is the story just did not feel complete. As usual, Tate's heroes do/say something inexcusable to the heroine, but the follow up is just was not there, nor was the defining relationship with his horrible father. Just too much up in the air.
Two things I noticed: one is a change in the sex/love scenes. They've always been steamy, but there was more explicit action that I felt was forced and a change from Susie Tates previous books, almost as if an editor or someone told her to spice it up. I like a good love scene as much as anyone, but the allure of Susie Tate's books is her quirky character, dialogue and banter. The second thing I noticed is she has taken some of the British sayings out. Some of her books have been set in Wales, and I loved having to look up the very entertaining slurs and phrases.
Still a fun read.
July 5, 2024
No offence, but girl was desperate af
June 28, 2024
Grovel = H continuously disparaged the h about her abilities to do her job in his company. H had made ZERO attempts to really know the grown up h and yet fell into a FWB situation. H then believed a rotten OM that the h committed corporate espionage. H has known the h since she was born effectively as the h's mother was the H's nanny. Yet H believed the OM instantly. (OM has also assaulted the h twice. After the second assault, h ran straight to H to let him know and get comfort. H (without allowing the h to speak) has the h hauled out and thrown on the street without letting her get her coat, her purse, her phone or her wallet. h has a condition that makes her extremely cold intolerant. h was thrown out into winter conditions and eventually has to reach out to her brother (H's best friend) for help as she was about to collapse. h ended up with "frostnip" on her fingers which prevented her from being able to use her hands for a while.
Unbeknownst to the H, h was a highly acclaimed and very successful writer. h was doing well financially and in talks for more lucrative deals. h only ever took the job with the H for two reasons: 1. h was trying to break out of her shell and be comfortable around people as she needed to be able to promote her books but has not due to severe social anxiety; 2. h wanted to be near the H again as she has had unrequited love for the H for years.
H learned how awful he was to h and proceeded to grovel by word and deed. h was not a doormat despite being an individual who suffered from many anxiety issues and often being unable to stand up for herself due to her issues. h did find her voice to explain in painful detail to the H how the H had damaged her with his words and actions. It takes several months before the h even allowed the H near her.
Eventually, the H perseveres (he has changed his entire workplace environment around, changed his work ethic, changed how he treats women in general) and the h forgave him.
No real OW/OM drama other than the one OM who went after the h (OM was h's direct supervisor and a sexual harassment perpetrator). No cheating.
Unbeknownst to the H, h was a highly acclaimed and very successful writer. h was doing well financially and in talks for more lucrative deals. h only ever took the job with the H for two reasons: 1. h was trying to break out of her shell and be comfortable around people as she needed to be able to promote her books but has not due to severe social anxiety; 2. h wanted to be near the H again as she has had unrequited love for the H for years.
H learned how awful he was to h and proceeded to grovel by word and deed. h was not a doormat despite being an individual who suffered from many anxiety issues and often being unable to stand up for herself due to her issues. h did find her voice to explain in painful detail to the H how the H had damaged her with his words and actions. It takes several months before the h even allowed the H near her.
Eventually, the H perseveres (he has changed his entire workplace environment around, changed his work ethic, changed how he treats women in general) and the h forgave him.
No real OW/OM drama other than the one OM who went after the h (OM was h's direct supervisor and a sexual harassment perpetrator). No cheating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2024
Don’t have the energy to waste on reviewing this book the way I usually do. Typical manwhore/virgin trope. Oh SOrRy, bAsIcAlLy a virgin 🙄 They are about to have sex and he asks her if she’s a virgin (cuz that’s totally the right moment to ask someone that 🙄)and she says basically a virgin cuz the only guy she was with wasn’t big….thats not how it works you idiot. the FMC was so fking annoying I couldn’t stand her. Always ‘eeping’ when someone would talk to her and just overall letting everyone walk all over her. Her daydreaming instead of working was annoying AF as well. Act like an adult, not a 10 year old please. Only saving Grace was her mom and her brother. But of course the next book will be about another manwhore cuz authors are so damn lazy anymore and can’t write anything creative enough for an actual personality so they just label them a manwhore and call it a day. Will not be reading
He’s awful to her, always degrading and yelling at her, even AFTER they get together. I will say she made him work after he messes up but honestly didn’t feel the chemistry AT ALL. He just acted like he didn’t even like her most of time unless he was balls deep.
She’s been in love with him almost all her life and gets to watch him with all these OW. No we don’t see it on page and there’s no OW drama, but we are told over and over how he’s been with a ton of supermodels and other famous beautiful women. And judging by the way he treats her when they meet again, you can’t honestly convince me he’s been in love with her since he was 13, esp with the amount of OW he’s been with and how he ‘forgot’ about her. What really pissed me off was when he got all mad that she wasn’t a virgin, that it should have been HIM that got to have it 😂🤮
He’s awful to her, always degrading and yelling at her, even AFTER they get together. I will say she made him work after he messes up but honestly didn’t feel the chemistry AT ALL. He just acted like he didn’t even like her most of time unless he was balls deep.
She’s been in love with him almost all her life and gets to watch him with all these OW. No we don’t see it on page and there’s no OW drama, but we are told over and over how he’s been with a ton of supermodels and other famous beautiful women. And judging by the way he treats her when they meet again, you can’t honestly convince me he’s been in love with her since he was 13, esp with the amount of OW he’s been with and how he ‘forgot’ about her. What really pissed me off was when he got all mad that she wasn’t a virgin, that it should have been HIM that got to have it 😂🤮
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2024
A daydreaming girl and a cold-hearted (but deep in heart softie) businessman, the first living her dream the other trying to cultivate until disaster comes. I quite liked the grovel in the end.
February 6, 2025
This one was cute and I’m a sucker for any book set in London. Lucy is the sweetest heroine, at the beginning she is such a pushover but she goes through a ton of character growth by the end and it was so nice to see her blossom. Felix was bossy and overprotective with her, but knowing it came from a place of deep caring made it tolerable. It also didn’t hurt that Shane East does the best growly and grumpy narration, he’s damn good! This was narrated in duet style, I need every romance book to be this way pls and thank you and Zara Hampton-Brown played the role of Lucy to perfection as well! Overall just a sweet and spicy listen I really liked
July 4, 2024
4.5⭐️ So cute 🥹 amazing grovel, friends to lovers, best friends little sister, kind of hidden identity. I loved Lucy so much.
I NEED Vicky and Mikey’s story now. 🙏🙇♀️
I NEED Vicky and Mikey’s story now. 🙏🙇♀️
October 24, 2024
3 🌟 🌟 🌟
=========
I read it in July and DNF, but I picked it up to reread it and ended up enjoying the reading and anticipation for the Gold Digger book.
=========
I read it in July and DNF, but I picked it up to reread it and ended up enjoying the reading and anticipation for the Gold Digger book.
March 2, 2025
Susie Tate’s idea of romance is not for me. She seems to love a long-suffering heroine who often pays the price of the hero’s redemption.
TL;DR:
-Pathologically helpless spineless heroine with basement-level self-respect who accepts crumbs from the hero.
-Undeserving asshole hero who doesn’t so much as earn redemption as he undergoes a character transplant.
-No romantic development. Why are these two together?
-Poor handling of social anxiety disorder, autism, and abusive workplace culture.
Felix is a through-and-through asshole, but maybe worst of all, he’s a boring asshole. His personality is CEO. Felix has no characterization beyond being bad-tempered and emotionally immature.
(He’s also a terrible CEO: he’s personally responsible for creating a workplace culture so egregiously toxic and unsafe, his right-hand-woman installed a nanny-cam behind his back.)
I could not buy the romance. Where is the romantic development? Felix’s brand of caretaking is of the condescending and controlling variety. He calls Lucy flighty and incompetent. He shouts at her all the time. He mandates she get a makeover and wear heels (really). He forcibly lays his hands on her (but it’s all for her own good, of course). It’s clear the author wants us to buy this as swoony grumpy-hero behaviour, but this veered into disturbing coercive-control territory.
Worst of all, Felix truly sees Lucy as being beneath him. He maintains a disdain for her the entire time she’s working for him, a genuine derision and dismissiveness of her. He continues to look down on her even after they begin dating — and I’m supposed to believe his sudden realization he loves her?
He doesn’t really know her, he’s not interested in her needs, and doesn’t listen to her. He’s not curious about her as a person. He literally describes her as “useless” and “dead weight” — and this is after he’s fallen in love. Why does he like her??
Oh, and after he learns Lucy isn’t the loser he assumes she is, it’s like we’re supposed to give him bonus points for falling in love with her when he still thought she was loser.
“Unfortunately, when it came to Felix, my self-respect was sadly lacking.”
Lucy is another one of Susie Tate’s long-suffering heroines. Lucy is a doormat. Her timidity and passivity became exasperating to read. She never learns to take care of herself, and instead allows Felix and her family watch over her and see to her needs — like a CHILD. It’s as though the author tried to make her helplessness a personality quirk. Her inability to care for herself isn’t cute or endearing, it’s bloody exhausting.
She just lies down and takes all of Felix’s cutting remarks, shouting, and controlling behaviour. She readily acknowledges he’s a condescending jerk to her. Why does she like him?? She hasn’t heard from Felix in years, but takes a shitty job at his company — a job SHE DOESN’T NEED — to…what? Somehow convince him to fall in love with her? Why does she hold a one-sided “fierce, almost painful attraction” to a guy she hasn’t seen in years, a man she doesn’t really know at all?
Her feelings only grow as he treats her with cruel contempt. And after they begin sleeping together, she says she’s willing to be his fuck buddy if that’s all he wants — not because it’s at all what she wants, but because “‘Every hour I’m with you is more than I could have ever hoped for.’” Lucy comes across as deeply stunted and child-like, living in her little fantasy worlds and delusions. I think the author is going for a story where the innocent heroine reconnects the cynical hero to the magic and imagination of their childhood. The execution makes this not only pathetic, but gross.
(The story’s open-door sex scenes feel forced and artificial. I literally cringed when Lucy says to Felix, “Fuck me.” This is the same Lucy who repeatedly uses the word “numpty”. The author must have received advice to turn up the spice.)
Lucy also timidly accepts the harassment and derision of her coworkers. Mind you, this is a job SHE DOESN’T NEED. Lucy gives the lamest, most nonsensical excuses for not quitting the job, but really it’s because the author needs her in the office for plot reasons.
Also, Lucy’s social anxiety is poorly sketched; it read as though the author tossed in Lucy’s social anxiety as the reason for her lack of self-respect, and conflated social anxiety with spinelessness. This is all part of the story’s weak characterization. Like Felix, Lucy is not a fully-fleshed character. Her most enduring character traits are that she’s always cold and she’s obsessed with Felix. We’re somehow meant to believe she’s a mega-successful fantasy author, despite barely any mention of her writing career. I came away from this book knowing more about her affinity for Uggs and jumpers. Even more unbelievably, despite Lucy being a pitiable doormat for most of the book, she develops a backbone overnight.
After Felix fucks up, he makes a sudden turnaround into a human capable of compassion and patience. Overnight, he transforms from a man who literally blames Lucy for his inability to keep his hands off her at the office, into a man who vomits when he learns she’s been assaulted by one of his employees. I didn’t buy this sudden development of a conscience. Felix is a massive dick because of his Bad Dad, and oh the irony, he’s become the person he hates the most. Felix doesn’t engage in meaningful introspection, nor is there genuine growth or change. He simply flips a switch and he’s endowed with new programming.
We’re meant to believe he’s always been a good guy, deep down inside. How lucky for him that he rediscovers his humanity—and that it’s only made possible through Lucy paying the price with her suffering and trauma.
The last third of the book is devoted to Felix’s redemption and the romantic reconciliation, and all of it was painfully tedious. None of it rang true; it held the same emotional authenticity as a lame movie montage where the asshole hero “listens and learns.” He dismantles the toxic sexist workplace HE CREATED with a simple “boys’ club — begone!” decree and by implementing Taco Tuesday. Why include a serious issue if it’s not going to be meaningfully handled? It read as a plot device in service of the hero’s redemption arc.
And Lucy doesn’t actually develop a backbone or self-respect. She realizes that Felix isn’t healthy for her — NOT because he’s a self-centered scumbag, but because (1) she developed an unhealthy fixation on him, and (2) she’s “not his equal”. So Felix isn’t the problem, Lucy is. Felix steamrolls his way into her life because she is incapable of taking care of herself.
(Also, FUCK Lucy’s mother and brother for reinforcing this “Felix really is a good boy” poppycock and for encouraging Felix and Lucy’s reconciliation.)
I am exhausted by this book, but I need to mention Susie Tate’s handling of secondary character Vicky. While not explicitly stated, it’s clear she is supposed to be on the spectrum. I won’t go into all the ways Vicky’s portrayal is deeply problematic; the depiction is insulting and condescending, and reads like it was written by someone who watched “Rain Man” and extrapolated from there.
TL;DR:
-Pathologically helpless spineless heroine with basement-level self-respect who accepts crumbs from the hero.
-Undeserving asshole hero who doesn’t so much as earn redemption as he undergoes a character transplant.
-No romantic development. Why are these two together?
-Poor handling of social anxiety disorder, autism, and abusive workplace culture.
Felix is a through-and-through asshole, but maybe worst of all, he’s a boring asshole. His personality is CEO. Felix has no characterization beyond being bad-tempered and emotionally immature.
(He’s also a terrible CEO: he’s personally responsible for creating a workplace culture so egregiously toxic and unsafe, his right-hand-woman installed a nanny-cam behind his back.)
I could not buy the romance. Where is the romantic development? Felix’s brand of caretaking is of the condescending and controlling variety. He calls Lucy flighty and incompetent. He shouts at her all the time. He mandates she get a makeover and wear heels (really). He forcibly lays his hands on her (but it’s all for her own good, of course). It’s clear the author wants us to buy this as swoony grumpy-hero behaviour, but this veered into disturbing coercive-control territory.
Worst of all, Felix truly sees Lucy as being beneath him. He maintains a disdain for her the entire time she’s working for him, a genuine derision and dismissiveness of her. He continues to look down on her even after they begin dating — and I’m supposed to believe his sudden realization he loves her?
He doesn’t really know her, he’s not interested in her needs, and doesn’t listen to her. He’s not curious about her as a person. He literally describes her as “useless” and “dead weight” — and this is after he’s fallen in love. Why does he like her??
Oh, and after he learns Lucy isn’t the loser he assumes she is, it’s like we’re supposed to give him bonus points for falling in love with her when he still thought she was loser.
“Unfortunately, when it came to Felix, my self-respect was sadly lacking.”
Lucy is another one of Susie Tate’s long-suffering heroines. Lucy is a doormat. Her timidity and passivity became exasperating to read. She never learns to take care of herself, and instead allows Felix and her family watch over her and see to her needs — like a CHILD. It’s as though the author tried to make her helplessness a personality quirk. Her inability to care for herself isn’t cute or endearing, it’s bloody exhausting.
She just lies down and takes all of Felix’s cutting remarks, shouting, and controlling behaviour. She readily acknowledges he’s a condescending jerk to her. Why does she like him?? She hasn’t heard from Felix in years, but takes a shitty job at his company — a job SHE DOESN’T NEED — to…what? Somehow convince him to fall in love with her? Why does she hold a one-sided “fierce, almost painful attraction” to a guy she hasn’t seen in years, a man she doesn’t really know at all?
Her feelings only grow as he treats her with cruel contempt. And after they begin sleeping together, she says she’s willing to be his fuck buddy if that’s all he wants — not because it’s at all what she wants, but because “‘Every hour I’m with you is more than I could have ever hoped for.’” Lucy comes across as deeply stunted and child-like, living in her little fantasy worlds and delusions. I think the author is going for a story where the innocent heroine reconnects the cynical hero to the magic and imagination of their childhood. The execution makes this not only pathetic, but gross.
(The story’s open-door sex scenes feel forced and artificial. I literally cringed when Lucy says to Felix, “Fuck me.” This is the same Lucy who repeatedly uses the word “numpty”. The author must have received advice to turn up the spice.)
Lucy also timidly accepts the harassment and derision of her coworkers. Mind you, this is a job SHE DOESN’T NEED. Lucy gives the lamest, most nonsensical excuses for not quitting the job, but really it’s because the author needs her in the office for plot reasons.
Also, Lucy’s social anxiety is poorly sketched; it read as though the author tossed in Lucy’s social anxiety as the reason for her lack of self-respect, and conflated social anxiety with spinelessness. This is all part of the story’s weak characterization. Like Felix, Lucy is not a fully-fleshed character. Her most enduring character traits are that she’s always cold and she’s obsessed with Felix. We’re somehow meant to believe she’s a mega-successful fantasy author, despite barely any mention of her writing career. I came away from this book knowing more about her affinity for Uggs and jumpers. Even more unbelievably, despite Lucy being a pitiable doormat for most of the book, she develops a backbone overnight.
After Felix fucks up, he makes a sudden turnaround into a human capable of compassion and patience. Overnight, he transforms from a man who literally blames Lucy for his inability to keep his hands off her at the office, into a man who vomits when he learns she’s been assaulted by one of his employees. I didn’t buy this sudden development of a conscience. Felix is a massive dick because of his Bad Dad, and oh the irony, he’s become the person he hates the most. Felix doesn’t engage in meaningful introspection, nor is there genuine growth or change. He simply flips a switch and he’s endowed with new programming.
We’re meant to believe he’s always been a good guy, deep down inside. How lucky for him that he rediscovers his humanity—and that it’s only made possible through Lucy paying the price with her suffering and trauma.
The last third of the book is devoted to Felix’s redemption and the romantic reconciliation, and all of it was painfully tedious. None of it rang true; it held the same emotional authenticity as a lame movie montage where the asshole hero “listens and learns.” He dismantles the toxic sexist workplace HE CREATED with a simple “boys’ club — begone!” decree and by implementing Taco Tuesday. Why include a serious issue if it’s not going to be meaningfully handled? It read as a plot device in service of the hero’s redemption arc.
And Lucy doesn’t actually develop a backbone or self-respect. She realizes that Felix isn’t healthy for her — NOT because he’s a self-centered scumbag, but because (1) she developed an unhealthy fixation on him, and (2) she’s “not his equal”. So Felix isn’t the problem, Lucy is. Felix steamrolls his way into her life because she is incapable of taking care of herself.
(Also, FUCK Lucy’s mother and brother for reinforcing this “Felix really is a good boy” poppycock and for encouraging Felix and Lucy’s reconciliation.)
I am exhausted by this book, but I need to mention Susie Tate’s handling of secondary character Vicky. While not explicitly stated, it’s clear she is supposed to be on the spectrum. I won’t go into all the ways Vicky’s portrayal is deeply problematic; the depiction is insulting and condescending, and reads like it was written by someone who watched “Rain Man” and extrapolated from there.
July 6, 2024
This was enjoyable. I like that it was based in England, despite a few instances of confusion over slang. Lucy was an endearing heroine. She took too much crap and needed to stand up for herself more, but I also get that she’s just not the type. It also gave movements for Felix to become overprotective of her which is a characteristic I like in a hero. You get to see real character growth with him and most is due to Lucy’s influence. I’m completely intrigued by several of the side characters and I’m glad it looks like they will be geting their own books. Overall, a great read!
October 15, 2024
The only reason I kept reading this was because I genuinely thought the author was going to give us a new MMC or have the man (Felix) go through something crazy to make him totally change who he was. From the very first page he gaslit, criticized, embarrassed, and ridiculed Lucy. He also took the side of the man who verbally & physically abused her (and had sexually harassed other women).
What caused him to change was realizing he didn’t want to lose Lucy, but that was also at the same time he discovered she was a wealthy, best-selling author… so it felt like he began respecting her purely because she was successful.
Also, the author made it seem like Lucy had all these issues… but they really weren’t major at all. It felt like the audience was being gaslit about her to make the man’s actions more understandable 😑
What caused him to change was realizing he didn’t want to lose Lucy, but that was also at the same time he discovered she was a wealthy, best-selling author… so it felt like he began respecting her purely because she was successful.
Also, the author made it seem like Lucy had all these issues… but they really weren’t major at all. It felt like the audience was being gaslit about her to make the man’s actions more understandable 😑
November 26, 2024
1⭐️
I felt like this book was rushed into the romance with no chemistry between the characters. Like it just happened out of nowhere with very little build up. I was able to get though the whole book, but I was quite bored and ready for it to be over. Not a favorite!
Also- too much repetition on Lucy's condition and Vicky's autism.
I felt like this book was rushed into the romance with no chemistry between the characters. Like it just happened out of nowhere with very little build up. I was able to get though the whole book, but I was quite bored and ready for it to be over. Not a favorite!
Also- too much repetition on Lucy's condition and Vicky's autism.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2024
Trigger Warnings:
Another rec from Mel🌜 and boy did I love it. The beginning was hard to get into because I am not a huge fan of inner monologue, but I loved this once I got used to the writing style. This book has one of my fav things in books, grovel. Half of this book was grovel and I found it to be satisfying. Felix, the MMC, really fucked up, but Lucy, the FMC, grew a backbone and stood up for herself. I loved Lucy’s family and friends. I am so excited to read Ollie and Lottie’s story and Mike and Vicky's. Lucy is so cute, I found her so relatable especially her struggles with social events. The characters are self-aware, there were things I was thinking about and all of it was addressed, which I found refreshing.
Felix is Lucy’s brother’s best friend and the CEO of a finance company. As a favour to Lucy’s mom, he gave Lucy a job in hopes of helping her move forward in life. Lucy is a daydreamer who has a hard time fitting in. Felix is under the impression Lucy is there to get herself out there and while she is there to do that, she is there for an entirely different reason.
Now for spoilers
Stay safe folks!
Another rec from Mel🌜 and boy did I love it. The beginning was hard to get into because I am not a huge fan of inner monologue, but I loved this once I got used to the writing style. This book has one of my fav things in books, grovel. Half of this book was grovel and I found it to be satisfying. Felix, the MMC, really fucked up, but Lucy, the FMC, grew a backbone and stood up for herself. I loved Lucy’s family and friends. I am so excited to read Ollie and Lottie’s story and Mike and Vicky's. Lucy is so cute, I found her so relatable especially her struggles with social events. The characters are self-aware, there were things I was thinking about and all of it was addressed, which I found refreshing.
Felix is Lucy’s brother’s best friend and the CEO of a finance company. As a favour to Lucy’s mom, he gave Lucy a job in hopes of helping her move forward in life. Lucy is a daydreamer who has a hard time fitting in. Felix is under the impression Lucy is there to get herself out there and while she is there to do that, she is there for an entirely different reason.
Now for spoilers
Stay safe folks!
July 3, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Daydreamer was such a pleasant surprise, and I have to start by saying how much I absolutely adored Lucy. She is the ultimate dreamer. Her imagination, her creativity, and the way she escapes into stories made her such a relatable and refreshing FMC. But what made her truly stand out was how Susie Tate also portrayed the flip side of that: her anxiety, her difficulty being around others, and the way she processes the world differently. It felt incredibly real and thoughtfully written.
Felix, on the other hand, is her complete opposite. He is grounded, straightforward, and confident. Watching the two of them go from strangers to friends to something so much more was a beautiful journey. Their dynamic brought out the best in each other, and the way Felix showed up for Lucy was especially heartwarming.
That said, parts of this story were difficult to read. The workplace harassment and assault Lucy experiences were heavy and unsettling, but they were handled with care and brought necessary attention to issues that are all too common and too often ignored.
My heart broke for Lucy in several moments. It is hard to be “different” in a world that does not always make space for that. But what I loved most was seeing Felix take responsibility for his actions and work to be better. His care and support for Lucy felt so genuine, and it made their romance even more meaningful.
I am really looking forward to reading the rest of the series. This one definitely left an impact.
Daydreamer was such a pleasant surprise, and I have to start by saying how much I absolutely adored Lucy. She is the ultimate dreamer. Her imagination, her creativity, and the way she escapes into stories made her such a relatable and refreshing FMC. But what made her truly stand out was how Susie Tate also portrayed the flip side of that: her anxiety, her difficulty being around others, and the way she processes the world differently. It felt incredibly real and thoughtfully written.
Felix, on the other hand, is her complete opposite. He is grounded, straightforward, and confident. Watching the two of them go from strangers to friends to something so much more was a beautiful journey. Their dynamic brought out the best in each other, and the way Felix showed up for Lucy was especially heartwarming.
That said, parts of this story were difficult to read. The workplace harassment and assault Lucy experiences were heavy and unsettling, but they were handled with care and brought necessary attention to issues that are all too common and too often ignored.
My heart broke for Lucy in several moments. It is hard to be “different” in a world that does not always make space for that. But what I loved most was seeing Felix take responsibility for his actions and work to be better. His care and support for Lucy felt so genuine, and it made their romance even more meaningful.
I am really looking forward to reading the rest of the series. This one definitely left an impact.
August 18, 2025
Esta história fez-me "aceitar" o facto de por vezes ter a cabeça na nuvens, e quase que literalmente parecer que não estou presente quando na realidade estou.
É uma história para os sonhadores, para aqueles que gostam de sonhar acordados e andam sempre com a cabeça nas nuvens.
A Lucy parece simples, a sua história parece cliché, contudo (apesar de ter os seus momentos clichés), a verdade é que a sua história é bem mais que isso - é sobre superação, sobre empoderamento e sobre o amor.
Adorei o romance da Lucy e do Felix, amei a evolução da relação deles e o modo como cresceram juntos. Fez sentido tudo ser do modo que foi, mesmo o conflito final (que eu pessoalmente adorei a resolução).
Foi uma leitura extremamente leve, bonita e especial ❤️ a escrita da autora é muito envolvente e só dá vontade de ler mais. Foi a leitura perfeita para um dia de praia e só tenho pena de ainda não ter os restantes livros da saga traduzidos...porque sim, eu preciso urgentemente de ler a história da Lottie com o Oliver e a história da Vicky com o Mike 😍
É uma história para os sonhadores, para aqueles que gostam de sonhar acordados e andam sempre com a cabeça nas nuvens.
A Lucy parece simples, a sua história parece cliché, contudo (apesar de ter os seus momentos clichés), a verdade é que a sua história é bem mais que isso - é sobre superação, sobre empoderamento e sobre o amor.
Adorei o romance da Lucy e do Felix, amei a evolução da relação deles e o modo como cresceram juntos. Fez sentido tudo ser do modo que foi, mesmo o conflito final (que eu pessoalmente adorei a resolução).
Foi uma leitura extremamente leve, bonita e especial ❤️ a escrita da autora é muito envolvente e só dá vontade de ler mais. Foi a leitura perfeita para um dia de praia e só tenho pena de ainda não ter os restantes livros da saga traduzidos...porque sim, eu preciso urgentemente de ler a história da Lottie com o Oliver e a história da Vicky com o Mike 😍
June 29, 2024
They both were a tad overwrought and dramatic. I kept wanting to check their ages as they read like teens … young teens.
I liked the idea of Lucy’s stories and would have like to know more about that.
As a reader, I’m totally willing to stretch my imagination, of course. For instance, a CEO seeing an employee. However, I have to say that it bothers me when authors skirt certain realities. No CEO of a large company with an HR department would do what Felix did to Lucy, especially when we’d been led to believe he was a formidable stickler of a CEO. What Felix did was so over the top, that it ruined whatever I did like about the book. He could’ve just tossed her to the HR department and it would have been just as painful to Lucy and still required some groveling.
I liked the idea of Lucy’s stories and would have like to know more about that.
As a reader, I’m totally willing to stretch my imagination, of course. For instance, a CEO seeing an employee. However, I have to say that it bothers me when authors skirt certain realities. No CEO of a large company with an HR department would do what Felix did to Lucy, especially when we’d been led to believe he was a formidable stickler of a CEO. What Felix did was so over the top, that it ruined whatever I did like about the book. He could’ve just tossed her to the HR department and it would have been just as painful to Lucy and still required some groveling.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
dnf
April 28, 2025DNF at 40%.
this book could’ve ended at the 40% mark, which it should’ve. you’d received all you needed to know about the characters by that point so there was nothing redeeming about it. harsh, maybe, but i was bored.
lucy— we were getting off to a good start. i was overlooking the quirky, pens in hair, i’m so petite that i have to stand on my tippy-toes to see things! characteristics, but it got to a point where i could not deal with her yapping on about how not like other girls she is and how different she’s looks from all the other women the mmc has slept with. that is always an immediate no from me.
also the fact they’d almost kissed twice, had countless intimate moments, yet she still thought the attraction was one-sided. i could not deal with it. also, the way i completed understood why the other employees in the office were mad at her. not will, but the women who were taken away from their work to buy her proper clothes to wear, i would get annoyed too. i can’t even talk about the ‘i’m so cold all the time, i have to wear seven jumpers, four pairs of socks, and five pairs of leggings to keep warm. her entire personality was being cold. enough!!!!
felix—annoying. being terrible to your employees is not hot. and never will be. they started hooking up at the 40% mark, and suddenly he’s throwing every single pet name under the sun at her. i could tell the story was going nowhere interesting after that.
things i would change, this shouldn’t of been a dual POV. us believing the attraction was one-sided would’ve been better. i’m a slow-burn lover, so they shouldn’t of gotten together until the 60% mark because now they’re suddenly in love and wanting to go on dates?? i need miscommunication! but that’s just me
this book could’ve ended at the 40% mark, which it should’ve. you’d received all you needed to know about the characters by that point so there was nothing redeeming about it. harsh, maybe, but i was bored.
lucy— we were getting off to a good start. i was overlooking the quirky, pens in hair, i’m so petite that i have to stand on my tippy-toes to see things! characteristics, but it got to a point where i could not deal with her yapping on about how not like other girls she is and how different she’s looks from all the other women the mmc has slept with. that is always an immediate no from me.
also the fact they’d almost kissed twice, had countless intimate moments, yet she still thought the attraction was one-sided. i could not deal with it. also, the way i completed understood why the other employees in the office were mad at her. not will, but the women who were taken away from their work to buy her proper clothes to wear, i would get annoyed too. i can’t even talk about the ‘i’m so cold all the time, i have to wear seven jumpers, four pairs of socks, and five pairs of leggings to keep warm. her entire personality was being cold. enough!!!!
felix—annoying. being terrible to your employees is not hot. and never will be. they started hooking up at the 40% mark, and suddenly he’s throwing every single pet name under the sun at her. i could tell the story was going nowhere interesting after that.
things i would change, this shouldn’t of been a dual POV. us believing the attraction was one-sided would’ve been better. i’m a slow-burn lover, so they shouldn’t of gotten together until the 60% mark because now they’re suddenly in love and wanting to go on dates?? i need miscommunication! but that’s just me
June 30, 2024
He 100% does not deserve her.. but he does grovel
This book follows this author’s standard MO:
rich family = evil
poor family = loving
h with some form of mental/emotional struggle (in this case extreme social anxiety and awkwardness) and an H that is oblivious and awful to her.
This starts off with a bang, in the thick of Lucy’s dramatic flighty and seemingly irresponsible daydreaming behavior. We are sort of as clueless as Felix is about Lucy. There’s a lot of secondhand embarrassment for a bit, which I’m frankly not a fan of. But she definitely grew on me, so stick it out. She is the daughter of his childhood nanny and sister of his childhood friend, and he gives her an assistant job believing it’s a favor to his beloved former nanny. He believes Lucy needs help learning to get her head out of the clouds (she’s been a lifelong daydreamer and often loses time in her wanderings) and the guidance to learn how to adult. To be fair, he makes that assumption himself, even believing his former nanny is somehow supporting her still 🙄 At 27yo that is not the case- she’s actually an accomplished author, very wealthy, but she does suffer extreme anxiety that prevents her from attending any events with fans. She’s hoping leaving her small village for a bit will help her overcome her fears, and the added benefit of being near her lifelong crush was the cherry on top.
I waffled on 3 or 4 stars. Mixed feelings overall. If I’m judging based on the author’s ability to elicit emotional responses from me as a reader- all the stars. I definitely felt the full gamut of emotions. She’s extremely gifted in making me feel all the feels, and hitting all the depictions of mental health struggles so painfully accurately.
If I’m judging based on whether I liked the characters, or felt they actually belonged together, that’s where it falls apart. For the first 60+ % of the book, Felix literally knows nothing about Lucy. Frankly he treats her abysmally. Even when they start sleeping together and then dating, he only knows that he’s attracted to her and sleeping with her, the memories he had as he grew up with her family, and the misconceptions he’s let himself believe about her as an adult now. And the awful things he hears from her evil boss about her. He’s never taken the time to ask her one single thing about herself. In fact, he shoots her down when she tries to bring things up.
She has been “in love”‘with him all her life. Let’s be real- it’s not love. She was infatuated with him as a child and it continued into her adulthood. She didn’t know him as an adult, just stalked him online and relentlessly begged her brother for information, so she had this idea of him in her head- THAT’S what she loved. The idea of him she created. That’s why it was so easy to allow herself to be mistreated- because she had him on this pedestal so high, and she had such low thoughts of herself, that she never considered fighting for anything more. She was just happy for the scraps.
You don’t get to say “it was always you “ when you know literally nothing about her. When you never spent a moment’s thought on her after you moved away from your childhood home. You knew her as a child, but have made zero effort to know her as an adult. Even after their relationship started- he couldn’t tell you anything about her other than she’s always cold and she’s crap as an assistant. He didn’t even know she was an author for crying out loud!
“I’m only trying to help you, Luce. For your own good. It’s dog-eat-dog out there. You’ve got to sharpen up.”
What a condescending prick. She’s doing her bosses’ job, while he sexually harasses her and bullies her, even physically assaulting her, then he turns around and complains to Felix that she’s not doing her job. All while she’s still being a successful author in her own right. But Felix knows none of this because he has put exactly zero effort into getting to know her at all. But he does toss in many patronizing lectures about working harder and being more responsible 🙄
And that break up is BRUTAL. He is king D bag for what he does to her. He. Sent. Her. Out. Into. The. Cold. Like, I’m still not sure that she should have forgiven him.
“I’d totally misjudged him. I thought we had something real. I thought he felt the same. But, when I looked back on it, I realised that was never the case. It was like the scales had fallen from my eyes now. He was never really mine, was he? He never really knew me at all.”
After the break up, that’s where I think things got better. The end of the book had a different feel for me than the rest. He never deserved to say he loved her before that point - but after that point he at least put in effort to be worthy. To get to actually know her. To think better of her than that she is some pathetic incompetent person who needs everyone else to take care of her and teach her how to adult. He actually thought that of her for most of the book 🙄 Does he deserve her? I still say no. I still think she deserves better. But for whatever reason she thinks she loves him. So it is what it is. In the last 10% he has an epiphany of sorts and realized that even in his groveling he was bulldozing and basically being the same guy, and that he had to change. That’s when I felt ok about them together. That last 10%, I’d believe their declaration of feeling love for each other. Prior to that, again- not based on anything based in truth and actually KNOWING each other. I didn’t even like the grovel up to that point because it was literally him and her family bulldozing and treating her like she couldn’t make decisions for herself. Buuuut… I did like their HEA. And their epilogue was fun.
I’m a little sad that the next book seems to follow the same formula for this author- rich arrogant H, poor struggling h, he thinks she betrayed him when she didn’t…. Will I still read it? Yes. I do enjoy the emotional devastation this author wreaks on me for some reason, so I keep coming back. But I’m crossing all my appendages for something a little more than I got this time. I really like Lottie, so I’ve got my fingers crossed for her.
This book follows this author’s standard MO:
rich family = evil
poor family = loving
h with some form of mental/emotional struggle (in this case extreme social anxiety and awkwardness) and an H that is oblivious and awful to her.
This starts off with a bang, in the thick of Lucy’s dramatic flighty and seemingly irresponsible daydreaming behavior. We are sort of as clueless as Felix is about Lucy. There’s a lot of secondhand embarrassment for a bit, which I’m frankly not a fan of. But she definitely grew on me, so stick it out. She is the daughter of his childhood nanny and sister of his childhood friend, and he gives her an assistant job believing it’s a favor to his beloved former nanny. He believes Lucy needs help learning to get her head out of the clouds (she’s been a lifelong daydreamer and often loses time in her wanderings) and the guidance to learn how to adult. To be fair, he makes that assumption himself, even believing his former nanny is somehow supporting her still 🙄 At 27yo that is not the case- she’s actually an accomplished author, very wealthy, but she does suffer extreme anxiety that prevents her from attending any events with fans. She’s hoping leaving her small village for a bit will help her overcome her fears, and the added benefit of being near her lifelong crush was the cherry on top.
I waffled on 3 or 4 stars. Mixed feelings overall. If I’m judging based on the author’s ability to elicit emotional responses from me as a reader- all the stars. I definitely felt the full gamut of emotions. She’s extremely gifted in making me feel all the feels, and hitting all the depictions of mental health struggles so painfully accurately.
If I’m judging based on whether I liked the characters, or felt they actually belonged together, that’s where it falls apart. For the first 60+ % of the book, Felix literally knows nothing about Lucy. Frankly he treats her abysmally. Even when they start sleeping together and then dating, he only knows that he’s attracted to her and sleeping with her, the memories he had as he grew up with her family, and the misconceptions he’s let himself believe about her as an adult now. And the awful things he hears from her evil boss about her. He’s never taken the time to ask her one single thing about herself. In fact, he shoots her down when she tries to bring things up.
She has been “in love”‘with him all her life. Let’s be real- it’s not love. She was infatuated with him as a child and it continued into her adulthood. She didn’t know him as an adult, just stalked him online and relentlessly begged her brother for information, so she had this idea of him in her head- THAT’S what she loved. The idea of him she created. That’s why it was so easy to allow herself to be mistreated- because she had him on this pedestal so high, and she had such low thoughts of herself, that she never considered fighting for anything more. She was just happy for the scraps.
You don’t get to say “it was always you “ when you know literally nothing about her. When you never spent a moment’s thought on her after you moved away from your childhood home. You knew her as a child, but have made zero effort to know her as an adult. Even after their relationship started- he couldn’t tell you anything about her other than she’s always cold and she’s crap as an assistant. He didn’t even know she was an author for crying out loud!
“I’m only trying to help you, Luce. For your own good. It’s dog-eat-dog out there. You’ve got to sharpen up.”
What a condescending prick. She’s doing her bosses’ job, while he sexually harasses her and bullies her, even physically assaulting her, then he turns around and complains to Felix that she’s not doing her job. All while she’s still being a successful author in her own right. But Felix knows none of this because he has put exactly zero effort into getting to know her at all. But he does toss in many patronizing lectures about working harder and being more responsible 🙄
And that break up is BRUTAL. He is king D bag for what he does to her. He. Sent. Her. Out. Into. The. Cold. Like, I’m still not sure that she should have forgiven him.
“I’d totally misjudged him. I thought we had something real. I thought he felt the same. But, when I looked back on it, I realised that was never the case. It was like the scales had fallen from my eyes now. He was never really mine, was he? He never really knew me at all.”
After the break up, that’s where I think things got better. The end of the book had a different feel for me than the rest. He never deserved to say he loved her before that point - but after that point he at least put in effort to be worthy. To get to actually know her. To think better of her than that she is some pathetic incompetent person who needs everyone else to take care of her and teach her how to adult. He actually thought that of her for most of the book 🙄 Does he deserve her? I still say no. I still think she deserves better. But for whatever reason she thinks she loves him. So it is what it is. In the last 10% he has an epiphany of sorts and realized that even in his groveling he was bulldozing and basically being the same guy, and that he had to change. That’s when I felt ok about them together. That last 10%, I’d believe their declaration of feeling love for each other. Prior to that, again- not based on anything based in truth and actually KNOWING each other. I didn’t even like the grovel up to that point because it was literally him and her family bulldozing and treating her like she couldn’t make decisions for herself. Buuuut… I did like their HEA. And their epilogue was fun.
I’m a little sad that the next book seems to follow the same formula for this author- rich arrogant H, poor struggling h, he thinks she betrayed him when she didn’t…. Will I still read it? Yes. I do enjoy the emotional devastation this author wreaks on me for some reason, so I keep coming back. But I’m crossing all my appendages for something a little more than I got this time. I really like Lottie, so I’ve got my fingers crossed for her.
October 29, 2024
Susie Tate is an author I always love because her books feature dark layers to the characters and even though this series was a bit far-fetched, I couldn’t help but enjoy the synergy between Felix and Lucy. Lucy is this sweet, quirky dreamer, lost in her own world, observing others with keen insight but always slightly invisible to them. Felix, her childhood crush, offers her a job in London, assuming she needs it. In reality, Lucy just wants to see if there's still a spark with the boy she once knew.
Lucy’s a little carefree, while Felix is hardened, and they are totally opposites. The boy she remembers is now a cutthroat billionaire she barely recognizes. But as Felix starts to see past her scatter-brained exterior, he discovers there’s so much more to her than anyone realizes. I loved watching Felix finally see her true strengths, though it takes a heart-wrenching turn to get there.
What really made this book for me was Lucy’s sweetness and determination. At first, she seems a bit clueless, but soon enough, she’s revealed to be a force of her own. Felix is so sure of himself, yet completely wrong about her—and seeing him come to terms with that is deeply satisfying. It’s a cute, fictional escape with real moments of heart.
It’s been a while since I read Susie Tate, and this reminded me why I want to pick up more of her books!
Lucy’s a little carefree, while Felix is hardened, and they are totally opposites. The boy she remembers is now a cutthroat billionaire she barely recognizes. But as Felix starts to see past her scatter-brained exterior, he discovers there’s so much more to her than anyone realizes. I loved watching Felix finally see her true strengths, though it takes a heart-wrenching turn to get there.
What really made this book for me was Lucy’s sweetness and determination. At first, she seems a bit clueless, but soon enough, she’s revealed to be a force of her own. Felix is so sure of himself, yet completely wrong about her—and seeing him come to terms with that is deeply satisfying. It’s a cute, fictional escape with real moments of heart.
It’s been a while since I read Susie Tate, and this reminded me why I want to pick up more of her books!
September 3, 2025
dnf@17%
what is wrong with FMC ? how come you even come up with such an annoying character in the first place. she has offered a job by her childhood friend and instead of showing efforts she's acting a child, who keeps 5 pens in his hair, dressing like she's at home, and daydreaming, really daydreaming?? in work hours ?? that's way too annoying behaviour.
why?? because she thinks she's not like others girls oh c'mon with an attitude like that you can never leave a child stage.
I'm not wasting my hours reading into more of this crap, this is just not for me.
what is wrong with FMC ? how come you even come up with such an annoying character in the first place. she has offered a job by her childhood friend and instead of showing efforts she's acting a child, who keeps 5 pens in his hair, dressing like she's at home, and daydreaming, really daydreaming?? in work hours ?? that's way too annoying behaviour.
why?? because she thinks she's not like others girls oh c'mon with an attitude like that you can never leave a child stage.
I'm not wasting my hours reading into more of this crap, this is just not for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,904 reviews