A post – it romance…

Synopsis

Same desk, different days.

A post-it note is just the beginning…

Alice loves her job and wants to keep it – whatever the price. But then she’s told the company is switching to flexible working and hot desking…Alice’s desk might look a mess, but she knows exactly where everything is. Or she did. Until she found out she’s going to share it with the most annoying guy in the office.

Jamie can work from anywhere. He’s quite happy to sweep his work life into a box at the end of the working day. But can sharing a desk with Alice be as much fun as teasing her in person?

With no option but to try it and see, will their relationship turn into open warfare or will it ever progress beyond a post-it note?

My review

Alice is looking forward of working in the office again, after COVID. Working at home wasn’t easy for her, as her co – inhabitants found it hard to grasp that even if she is at home, she is actually working.
But her enthusiasm of being at her own desk quickly evaporates when it’s communicated that the company is switching to flexible working and hot desking.
Now she has to clean up her desk, full of things that inspire her during her work.
Not only now she will not see her friends at the office anymore because of different schedules, but she also has to share her desk with Jamie…
Jamie who is the total opposite of Alice, and doesn’t struggle at all with the sharing a desk with her.
And most important, he doesn’t remember that Alice and he have had a close encounter not so long ago.
What initially starts as marking their own territory, shifts into communication over post – its and not all is that work – related.
Will their relationship ever shift from post – its to something more? Or are there secrets of the past that will change the whole course?

Those who know me, know how much I can enjoy a story written by Zara Stonely!
So I stared this book with a huge smile on my face!

When we first meet Alice, she is that one happy person anxiously happy to go back working in the office after Covid.
Being a homeworker myself for more than a year now, I could understand a little bit her happiness, but I thought she was a bit TOO happy. Because of course it’s nice to see all your colleagues again, but working from home also has its advantages!
However, when her home circumstances are made clear, I understood her need for having her own place at the office, without risking to being disturbed for nothing really important.

It takes a while in the story when there is finally some romance going on, but that’s because the author wants to give us the opportunity to truly understand the character of Alice. And that is necessary, because I thought initially that Alice should grow a backbone, as it’s obvious that people are taking advantage of her, in one way or another.
And when the reason for her wanting to avoid any real confrontation made my heart ache… it made a lot more clear of how Alice reasons and thinks.

I ABSOLUTELY loved the idea of sharing the desk with Jamie. And the notes they leave each other. It all starts very innocent, mostly related to the sharing the desk and making some ground rules. But then it shifts into more banter and that made me not only smile but also laugh out loud!

However… this is not only a sweet, feel good story to read… Because not only there is their previous encounter still laying in the dark, but also Jamie has other demons to face.
And let me tell you, when I read what he was going through, my heart melted. Because despite the big surprise the secret he is keeping is, the lengths he will go for it, shows us how truly amazing Jamie is.

I don’t want to add spoilers here, because I want you to devour this lovely book and I want you to be left flabbergasted just like me! But I loved how our lovely main characters showed the required maturity in these circumstances. They both know what the priority is at that moment, and even if it’s a difficult decision, all the rest will have to wait.

I found this a story not only about the blooming romance (or not…) between Alice and Jamie, but I found the focus and importance was the growth Alice is making.
Alice finally finds the courage to stand up for herself and stand her ground. And being very alike like Alice myself, I know how hard it can be to just say ‘no’ when someone just think he/she can walk all over you.

This was again a wonderful story by the mind of Zara Stoneley. It’s rather up to date and refreshing, ‘using’ the whole COVID pandemic as the start of a romantic story instead of it putting our whole lives on hold.
It was entertaining, funny, and can be just what you need to make you feel all happy and good again!