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The Santillian Triplets #2

Boss in the Bedsheets

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Despite the fact I'm currently living out of your guest room and sleeping with you most nights, I am writing to announce my resignation effective two weeks from today. In other words, I'll locate someone who is both obscenely overqualified and willing to devote their days to the handful of tasks you are able to wrench from your perfectionist, micromanaging grip. It may be difficult to find a Nobel laureate genius looking for basic filing work on such short notice, but I'll do my best. Don't worry about your sister's wedding this weekend. I still plan to attend as your date, assuming you've finished hating me by then. Thank you in advance for your understanding. Zelda Ms. Besh, Resignation not accepted. I'll see you at home. Ash

404 pages, Paperback

First published June 24, 2020

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About the author

Kate Canterbary

44 books4,695 followers
USA Today Bestseller Kate Canterbary writes smart, steamy contemporary romances loaded with heat, heart, and happy ever afters. Kate lives on the New England coast with her husband and daughter.

To get in touch with Kate, please email kate@katecanterbary.com

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 852 reviews
Profile Image for Dilek VT.
1,545 reviews1,486 followers
May 11, 2021
If she left, then I'd lose my fucking mind because—because I would and there didn't need to be a reason.

If she left, then she might never come back and I'd never know why this woman mattered and that was unfuckingacceptable.

If she left, then I'd find her. Then I'd bring her back, which made fine sense to me even if it did sound like an abduction plan.

If I brought her back, then I'd never let her out of my sight again and that also made fine sense while sounding rather criminal.

If she stayed at my apartment, then I'd want to touch her because she was a living, breathing magnet.

If I wanted to touch her, then she'd let me because she needed it as much as I did.

If she let me touch her, then I couldn't have her work for me because there was a limit to the number of complications I could supervise at any time.

If she couldn't work for me, then I'd lose my fucking mind. And I still didn't need a damn reason.

That'd pissed me off to no end, right up to the point when she'd stood in my entryway, looking like she didn't know where she belonged.

Right here, I wanted to say. You belong right here.


This book was such a nice surprise for me. Initially, its title made me think that it is a cheap dirty book and it wouldn’t be my cuppa but now I am so happy that I have given this book a chance. I loved it so much!

description

The book is so much more than its title. It has depth, it has quality and it has adorable characters.

It is a sweet, emotional book that made me smile most of the time. There have been so many times the hero made me say, “Awwww, you are such a darling…” He appears to be moody but he is a marsh mellow, indeed. The heroine is adorable, too. She is a feisty smartass. I really cannot decide which one I loved more, the hero or the heroine, and feeling like this is very rare for me. They have both won my heart equally.



There are books where I tend to skip a few sentences or paragraphs because I am bored or there are books I cannot stand reading any more after a while. In this book, I reread so many sentences and so many paragraphs, let alone skimming anything. It is a long book with 390 pages and I didn’t want it to end. I highlighted so many parts and reread them just to feel it again and again.

*********************************************

I loved so many things about the book: Their banter, the heroine’s quick wit and feistiness, the hero’s inner monologues about the heroine and how she makes him feel, the way they craved for each other, the way they cuddled and snuggled, the way she always put him in his place and how he let her do it, the possessive obsessive need of the hero for the heroine, the vulnerable affection-starving heroine’s sad childhood story and how the hero makes her feel valuable, which happens for the first time in her life, the awesome funny family of the hero… and many many more things.

I loved that their first kiss comes after a few nights during which they only cuddled and nothing more happened. I loved their first kiss very much because it was the explosion of two dynamites after those nights they found peace and sleep in each other’s arms but never went further although they craved for more. Their first kiss or never-ending first kisses were heart-stopping!



In short, I loved everything about the book EXCEPT for the sex scenes. Only they were not my cuppa. Not horrible, not disgusting - just not my cuppa, and not the way I expected them to be. Normally, when they are not the way I love, I usually deduct 1 or more points but because I loved everything else about the book SO MUCH, I cannot let myself give this book anything but 5 stars, so 4,5 stars rounded up to 5 it is!

I think the title makes itself justified during the sex scenes. Yes, he is bossy and she likes it in this way as she needs to let go and give control to someone who will take care of her. Still, I would have preferred it in another way. The reasons don’t make me like it.

Sex is only a little part of this book. The whole book is an emotional love story and this awful title still RUINS the quality of the book. As a reader who was going to avoid this book just because of its title but gave it 5 stars when I read it, I strongly advise this title to be changed to something else in the following editions, preferable with a couple photo on the cover rather than that unattractive guy because Zelda is a shining star in this novel and she should also appear on the cover.



Nothing much happens in the book. They meet on a plane while he is reading about the job application letters for an assistant and in such an adorable way, she makes herself his assistant (yeah, she does, and you will see how when you read it) 😊 Oh, do not forget to get yourself a calculator and do the math when she talks about the statistics about the passengers on the plane because when the hero looked at her shocked, asking how she did it, I wondered if it was indeed correct and yes, I did the math and she was correct. Do it.

When they land, she takes him to a doctor as he is injured (yeah, there is another story to it), and the doctor puts his shoulder back in its place while he is holding her hand tight 😊 Then he takes her home home and never lets go of her again…



So, the book is about the story of Zelda and Ash, telling us how they manage to be boss/assistant and girlfriend/boyfriend at the same time.

It is about the story of Zelda, who has run away to find herself and what she wants in life as she was never allowed to do it and she realized she let it happen. She says enough is enough one day, packs a bag and gets on a plane. This is also her story of finding love, affection and respect for the first time in her life. This is her story where a man values her wishes, preferences and demands and tries to make her dreams real. She finds herself and her love of life at the same time.



And this is also the story of Ash, who never let himself enjoy life but always worked hard and harder to receive the acceptance and respect of his father but they never saw things the same way and he always felt lacking. Although there is love in his family, he never found it in his life with a partner. It was usually with women who cared about his position and money. Ergo, this is also the story of Ash, who finds love when he wasn’t looking for it. And when he finds it with Zelda, it hits him in the face so hard that he is shocked he is feeling this way. He tries to avoid feeling so possessive and obsessive but fails to do it and he soon accepts that Zelda is a person he wants in his life forever. Ash is so sweet when he is even jealous of his own mother who hugs Zelda and doesn’t let go. I loved his mother so much, as well. She gives Zelda the love she never received from her own family.

As you see, this is the story of Zelda and Ash, who find love in an unexpected time and place but who soon accept it willingly and enjoy the way it feels.

The book is mostly positive and happy. There is no separation even if they fight on a matter. There is no OW/OM drama. It is safe. It is uneventful most of the time but never boring because it is fun to be in their minds and it is heart-warming to witness their interactions. For a hopeless romantic like me, this book was a gem.

Here are some QUOTES from the book.



I must've hit my head when I fell in the airport. Knocked something loose. Traumatic brain injury was the only explanation for my newfound desire to—to fucking consume this woman.

*

Watching him struggle against the things he believed he wanted and the things he actually wanted was becoming one of my favorite pastimes.

*

It took me a full minute to realize what I'd done. Zelda made one move and I checkmated the shit out of it, regardless of the arguments I'd patchworked together.




What the hell was it about this woman? She had some blue hair and a lot of earrings. Her work history was insane. She was going somewhere but she was also stopped, suddenly rooted in my world. None of it made sense. She didn't make sense and when I was close to her, neither did I.

*

Finding Ash's sore spots was almost as fascinating as finding the sweet spots. He was sensitive in the most delightful and unexpected—and telling—ways. He didn't like being wrong and he hated losing control but more than that, he didn't want to be found lacking. Somewhere along the way, someone told Ash he wasn't good enough and he'd never been able to shake that.




Whatever that was, whatever the fuck was happening with us, I was here for it. Even when a sizable portion of my brain drew up lists and decision trees and indexed arguments as to why this was not a good idea, not at all, I was here for it.

*

I wanted to pull over, stop right here on the shoulder of the highway and drag her into my arms. Zelda was all try and care and give and, according to this disclosure, no one tried or cared or gave for her. I wanted to drag her into my arms and I also wanted to hop on the next flight to Utah or wherever the hell her family lived now and tear into them for a solid hour. More than any of that, I wanted to keep her. Carve out a space beside me and keep her right here, a world away from anything that could cause her pain.

*

One thing we weren't was simple. No, Zelda and I were as complex as any two people with a shot glass full of history could be. Maybe we were past complex and there was no sense trying to force us into a simpler state of being. But I knew I couldn't kiss her right now. It was the one line I'd drawn, the one intended to keep complex from slipping into chaos. Because if I kissed her, I'd want to kiss her back at my place too—also known as the land of beds. And if we fell into bed together, I didn't trust us to ever leave.

*

And that was the thing about being around Zelda—she made me irresponsible. She made me forget every obligation I'd ever accepted. She helped me ignore the lines between airplane seatmates, between boss and employee, between roommates, between temporary saviors. She pushed me to chase the things I wanted rather than the things expected of me. She granted me permission to touch her and be close to her and be vulnerable with her, and I—I didn't know the right way to handle that. I didn't want to do it wrong. I couldn't.

*

Despite the teasing in her tone, her message to me was clear. You can tell me what to do but I'm always in charge. You have my body and more importantly, you have my trust. You get to have me because I chose you. It was exactly what I needed to hear.

*

I'd meant what I'd said earlier: I didn't share—and I didn't care if I sounded like a pouty child because my mother was busy hugging the life out of Zelda.

As if my mother could hear my thoughts, she clucked at me over Zelda's shoulder. "Stop it, Ash. You can spare Zelda for a minute. I promise I'll give her back."

*

Beside me, Ash stood and held out his hand for me. When I joined him, Diana tackled me in a fierce hug. I gave her a polite pat on the back but she didn't let go and soon I realized this wasn't an ordinary hug. It was the kind that transfused affection from every point of contact and the longer it lasted, the more I felt my parched and fractured places filling with kindness and love. My own stores of affection seemed fuller now, as if I could now give more because I'd received this.

"Please give her back," Ash said. "She's mine."




Everything fell away as I melted into Zelda. My hands roamed over her body, cataloging her with more than a little entitlement while her tongue wiped out everything I'd ever known of kisses and affection and desire, replacing it with a screeching kettle of instructive lust. She was delicious comfort, one that lulled me into a sense of buoyant peace—before biting my lip and laughing as I blinked down at her in delirious awe.

*

"Be honest. It was the pancake sandwich that sold you."
I shook my head. It wasn't the pancake sandwich. Just as wars weren't launched in response to a single incident but a progressive mounting of tension and shows of aggression, neither was love.

*

Then his hand was on the back of my neck and my body was flat against his and I could taste the way he wanted me. It was a smoky heat, almost bitter, like he'd burned for me all this time and could only now show me the charred truth.

I liked that. Probably too much. And I liked the way he'd reached for me like I was his to take as aggressively, as imperiously, as unapologetically as he wanted. There was a violence to it, one I felt in a desperate, sacrificial sense. I wanted to be taken. Stolen away from the polite domesticity of phone charging and shoe removal, and stripped down to our most basic, elemental pieces—the ones that seemed to fit together without us knowing how or why.




Her lips found my chest, my neck, my jaw, my arms—every bit of skin I had to give her—and she covered it all in kisses, licks, timid bites. She was like a baby vampire, unsure of precisely how she planned to kill me, but the truth was she'd already done it. I'd been hers from the start.

*

That was how we operated best—snuggly then rough then awkward then love.
Profile Image for Isabella. R.
925 reviews1,731 followers
June 28, 2020
4 me-ishness Stars ⭐

There is a valuable lesson in this book. The one where you shouldn't judge or make assumptions when you know absolutely nothing about that person. Because it's more than likely you'll be left looking like a dick. Ironically this is how Ash and Zelda come to find themselves unintentionally in coupledom.

Before Ash could blink he was on a flight bound to Boston after somehow miraculously getting through the morning and finds himself hiring an assistant with no qualifications mid flight.

"I am wonderful when it comes to handling egomaniac micromanagers. I have lots of experience in that arena and I don't notice the toxic air quality of being treated like I'm incompetent anymore. I adapt to shit situations shockingly well."

Zelda is shit out of luck. Moving to Boston is supposed to be the beginning of a new life away from nothingness and couch surfing. Zelda may always land on her feet but it's no longer enough, and she now wants somewhere to belong. However that requires a job, and she's not above wrangling one.

"This is what you do, I heard in my head, a voice all too familiar and disparaging. You leap and then you look, and that's why your whole life goes to shit. You're a series of mistakes."

From a job interview on a plane to a trip to emergency services, these two automatically bond over their idiosyncrasies (and seriously there's too many to mention).

These two characters were messy but not messed up. They each required that special person to see past their quirks and insecurities. Where Ash was rigid and organised, borderline tyrant, there was a whirlwind inside of him just wanting to take flight. As for Zelda, she was filled with a lifetime of neglect making her believe she was less than deserving. These two oddballs fit. Now if they could get over their conflicting emotions they could finally get it what they needed.

"He was salty as fuck and secretly adorable and he didn't look at me like I was a shopping cart with a wonky wheel. He looked at me like I was magic."
Profile Image for Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾.
2,115 reviews13.1k followers
Read
August 18, 2020
DNF @65%

Sometimes a book just isn't for you. This was that case for me. I couldn't connect with the characters or their romance and unfortunately I wasn't engaged with the story and was struggling to get through it. It was lackluster for me sadly and I found myself growing more and more bored. This is just one reader's experience and could have very well been my mood. Who knows. Sadly it didn't work for me but it could work for you.

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Profile Image for Monique.
405 reviews
April 29, 2021
I really wish this hadn't been insta love. I need tension and some build up, heck even 1 date at least.

These two were carrying on like they'd been together for years instead of actual days (the book spans 1 week).

At one stage the h thinks "he kissed me like he always did" and I'm here like 🙄 lady, it's been 2 days, I dunno if you can establish that sort of benchmark just yet in your relationship.

Look, this actually wasn't a bad book. It was well written if you like insta love and I did like both characters. They were both mature and willing to work out differences like adults which I appreciate because I hate unnecessary drama.

If it had started with him grudgingly giving her a job on the plane and then them building some UST while working together which then lead to the hot sex (this book does get points for that, sex was 🔥🔥) I would have loved this book but they literally move in together straight away and act like a couple from day 1.

If you want a no angst, steamy, insta love romance though, then I absolutely recommend this book.
Profile Image for Jeeves Reads Romance.
1,505 reviews602 followers
June 24, 2020
I knew within the first few pages that I was going to LOVE this one, with its slightly ridiculous, playful feel and a storyline that kept me guessing. It's my first from the author but I will definitely be going back for more, because this was so entertaining from start to finish. The storyline is nothing like I expected it to be - this is an office romance in only the vaguest sense - but there is a boss (who gets a little demanding in the bedroom) and his new assistant (who keeps him on his toes). The meet cute is utterly original, the hero's vulnerable side is refreshingly unexpected, and the small moments make this an outstanding read.

The story follows Ash, a workaholic whose business and personal life are both suffering because he has trouble relinquishing control. While sifting through resumes on an airplane, Ash meets Zelda, a whirlwind of a woman who changes his life from the moment they cross paths. Zelda's got what some might consider an overwhelming personality, but something about her draws Ash in right away. They have a crazy first day together, during which Zelda somehow inserts herself into every aspect of Ash's life - and he's 100% okay with that. She's nothing Ash ever expected but everything he's needed, and these two opposites attract in a big way.

My favorite part of the book? All those little stolen moments and touches. Canterbary does a great job showing how starved for affection both Ash and Zelda are; they see something in the other that calls to them and there is an immediate ease there. There's lots of "emotionally needing cuddling" that contrasts so well with the dirty steam later on. You may need to suspend reality a few times - the story is downright zaney at the beginning - but I was completely invested the whole way through. It's light and funny with heartfelt moments and some steamy scenes that prove the title correct. Ash is both tender and alpha in all the right ways, and while he got a little bossier than I like my heroes a few times, there was nothing that hindered my enjoyment of the story. I loved his grumpiness, his growls, and everything else that makes him a great hero. I'll definitely be checking out more from the author in the future, because this was a very fun, sexy read. I received an ARC (then purchased it for my collection), and am voluntarily leaving a review of this steamy romance.
Profile Image for Carol.
1,346 reviews248 followers
February 12, 2021
4.5 stars.
My first read by Kate Canterbary and I really...really enjoyed it....so cute and quirky...both the characters and storyline.
The way Zelda and Ash interacted with each other from their very first meeting on a plane until the conclusion of this book...had me glued to my kindle...it was a really sweet and emotional read...and I can see how the author might have derived the title for this.... from Ash's bossiness between the sheets...but I thought it along with the book cover was somewhat misleading...as it is so much more of a love story...and not so much the smut-fest you might suppose!!!!

This book gave me a ton of "happy" vibes and I also thought it was such a romantic story sprinkled with plenty of delicious and wicked banter plus some intelligent and seriously good writing.

I will absolutely be reading more by this author!!!

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Profile Image for Inna.
1,527 reviews295 followers
November 27, 2023
Reread #2 11/27/2023: Still 5 stars, and the best book I’ve read by this author. Why is this *so* good? Why are none of the other books I’ve read by KC quite this good?


Reread 11/22/2022: 5 stars


5 stars. I seriously loved this book. It's extremely well written, it's funny, smart, sweet, romantic, slightly angsty, and hot AF. Like burning, smoldering hot. 🔥 🥵 I don't think I ever once felt like I was disappointed while reading. I started reading and absolutely couldn't stop until I was finished.

This book is instant attraction mixed with some slow burn that really built some serious tension. There's no bullshit thrown at the reader for "drama". There are no unnecessarily angsty separations, or big, gaping communication issues. This is just a story of two people who happen to be thrown together who feel an instant connection and intense attraction with one another. They do go through some rough patches, but work together and get a lovely HEA ending. Did I already mention that I absolutely loved this book? 🥰😍🥰😍

TBH, with that cover and that title, I expected a mediocre story at best. But this is not mediocre. And while this book desperately needs some re-branding - it doesn't need any changes to the writing. I felt all the feelings while reading this, and I know I'll be going back for a re-read some day. Thank you to my Goodreads friends who recommended this book.

Totally safe; no virgins, both very recently out of relationships, no sexual disparity (which is always nice to see in a romance book since it's SO rare), no cheating, no OW drama, mild OM drama, no scenes with OM/OW.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Michelle Rodriguez.
889 reviews28 followers
June 29, 2020
Boss in the the Bedsheets is a book that we all needed right at this minute. If you're reading this review 10 years from now, we are in a pandemic and where the world is pretty scary now, my way to escape is via books. This one right here, was a great escape. From the beginning to the end, I laughed out loud so much. If you love banter like I do, well there is so much banter. Ms. Canterbary is my one-click author, hands down. When she sits down to write a book, she has the reader in mind, with lots of information you thought you didn't need, but glad you have them.

If you have been following the snippets of BITB (formerly known as The Ash Affair) on Book + Main, well you now have a full length novel and the author tidies all those tidbits together. I did not read this on B+M because I wanted to savor everything all at once and I am glad I did that with this book.

What can I say about Ash? He's wound up tight, loves to micromanage but also is a growly, shirt grabbing, forehead kissing, sex monster! Zelda is your quirky, yet super smart heroine he meets on his flight from Denver back to Boston and their meet cute is one for the books. On paper, you would think these two don't make sense, but you would be so wrong. They get each other. Their chemistry, wow just wow! And although Ash may come off as a "tyrant", he's a big mush. You're gonna love the Santillan clan for sure and if you read Magnolia Chronicles, of course, Gigi makes an appearance! Mama Diane is the best of the best!

Look I could go on and on and on an on. Do yourself a favor and pre-order this book. When you start reading, you will lose yourself in all the goodness this book has to offer.

I am still waiting for my reading buddies to finish and I will probably be back to add to this review. Just go, right now, pre-order.


Character development, with each and every single book, the author's character development of her heroine/hero is just amazing.
Profile Image for Syndi.
3,109 reviews907 followers
October 9, 2020
It has been a while since I picked up Miss Canterbarry's book. I like Miss Canterbarry's heroes. They are quirky, protective, slightly OCD and a bit stalker. I think these heroes quality is what making me come back for Miss Canterbarry.

Ash is moody and brooding. He has this brooding quirky about him. His obsession with Zelda is off the chart. I love him. Now about the heroine, Zelda... I try to like her even a bit. Through out the book I found her more to be annoying and frustrating character. At the end of the book, I feel she is high on the bubble gum and have major PMS problem. She is jumpy, needy, drama queen and OTT selfish. Her attitude of knows it all, is just annoying. Even she is smart as PA, Ash is still her boss. Ash deserves a respect without her going on his back.

Because of my resentment of Zelda, I can not really enjoy the banter between Ash and Zelda. Mostly I want to slap Zelda when she is acting like drama queen. Too dramatic. And her attitude ruining this book for me.

Overall I give this book 3 stars because I like Ash. I feel sorry for him because he deserves a better heroine than Zelda.

3 stars
Profile Image for Pinky.
528 reviews519 followers
June 5, 2022
Trigger Warnings:

This was a buddy read with my lovely friend My Comfort Bakes. I wanted something cute with cuddling and a touch-starved hero and this book definitely delivered on that part. It’s a cute book, reminds me of Managed by Kristen Callihan. GABRIEL SCOTT FOR LIFE. I definitely liked Managed more. This book had a cute MMC as well but no one beats Christian Allistar and Gabriel Scott for me, sorry not sorry.


This book starts off on a plane, Zelda meets a grump named Ash who was in the process of rejecting her resume. She decides that she will use the whole plane ride to convince him of why he is wrong and what he is missing out on. Ash is not prepared to face the potential employee that he was gonna reject. Once he sees her, he realizes he was wrong about her. He believed she was underqualified but after talking to her, she seems overqualified


Despite this book having a cute start, it was a really slow and boring book. It had cuddling, soft touches, and a touch-starved hero. But it has too much inner monologue of things I don’t care about. The relationship was insta-love and developed way too quickly and again, it was adorable but then I’m like woah woah woah slow down. I liked how patient and sweet Ash was but Zelda kinda annoyed me at points? She wasn’t terrible but sometimes she didn’t wanna admit that she was wrong and Ash would feel bad and apologize. There’s also codependency to the point where it isn’t healthy, it’s cute until it’s too much. Regardless, it was cute and I am glad I read it, despite it being super uneventful. The other two books follow the other two siblings, this can be read as a standalone, I didn’t read the first book and was fine, but yea if you wanna learn about the others, check their books out.


Now for spoilers



That is all, stay safe folks!
Profile Image for Rachael*Caribbean*girl*bibliophile.
1,750 reviews392 followers
December 10, 2023
Reread
Too much internal monologue but almost perfection tbh




Spoilers ahead, 3.5*


I look back at my earlier detailed reviews and I wonder where I found the time lol so quickly


I'd really like to hope that every H this author ever delivers is patterned after this one..... Yes that's how much I adored him
The h was a quirky mess in the beginning and I loved her transition as she learns to live with her me-ishness
The romance was glorious(though with a couple of hijinks) they felt the connection instantly and to see the H jealous of his own family wanting time with her melted me man....there were some cute lines in here that had me sighing.....you know the big gusty sigh you do when a scene plays out perfectly and you can FEEL the emotions???yeah that sigh.....
I won't say this was perfect,it felt a bit wordy sometimes and I struggled a bit to understand why she was the way she was. We get some ideas but I just didn't QUITE get it, but it was a pretty good read
Awesome chemistry
The H had some hesitancy in the beginning but that was quickly overcome
All in all a really cute, solid read from this author. I'm off to check for the sister's book and already want to preorder the brother's



**** Did I read shaft and folds in this book or am I confusing it with my current read? If such words were used dear author I BEG you NO MORE! ewwwwwww



No cheating
Both very recently out of relationships
Non manwhore H
Slight ex drama for her(teeny tiny)
Profile Image for Ⓐlleskelle - That ranting lady ッ.
1,010 reviews896 followers
August 9, 2020
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Control freak-growly hero meets sunny-eccentric heroine.
I love a good opposites attract trope, a meet cute on a plane even more so, Kate Canterbary had me well and truly hooked from the very beginning to the very end of this crazy, steamy and fast-paced romance.
I stayed for the snarky banter between Zelda and Ash (the dialogues full of wit and innuendos were possibly my favorite thing), the spreadsheets love and the almost slow burn (instant attraction/lust and potent chemistry + delayed gratification : YESSS).
One last thing: the hero's dirty mouth was a definite perk to a very satisfying all-nighter.
Who knew accountants could be so sexy!?

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Profile Image for Paula.
636 reviews16 followers
February 18, 2024
I liked this one a lot and I have Inna to thank for reminding me to read it as I had shelved it years ago and never got to it until today! 🤦

What I loved:

I loved these 2 goofy MCs individually and together they were an AMAZING couple who just clicked from the first moment they laid eyes on one another! The way they met was so funny. More on that later....

I loved that finally we got a Hero who is not a Manho or Millionaire/Billionaire and his awesome thoughts about sleeping around & lust in general (until heroine walked into his life, he said sex was not that important to him, though he did have an on again/off again ex OW who broke up him at the start of the story but he never loved her and didn't obsess about her. In fact, he forgot all about her as soon as heroine walked into his life).

I loved that there was no angst and how completely in love his family fell for her (especially his Mom) 😁

I loved how well they each supported one another and how well they meshed for two different personalities.

There is a lot to love so let me start with the plot:

Hero works for his family's accounting firm. He has some issues with his Dad who wants to control how he runs the company and is a workaholic. He is also a triplet. He has a brother & sister and 2 hippy parents who are goofy (his Mom mostly).

Heroine in turn has not had it easy of the home front. Her "sister" is actually her Bio Mom and her Grandparents raised her to believe they were her parents. All three of them while not physically abusive, were mentally abusing her and she was always alone growing up.

When MCs meet, they were both on the same flight from Denver to Boston. Hero having had a bad day & gotten his shoulder hurt, had a couple of drinks and on the flight decided to review resumes for an assistant. Heroine in turn was sitting on the back of the plane and exchanged her seat to sit next to Hero and found him turning down her resume with a rude "Hard Pass."

Well, she sees & hears this and decides turning the No to a Yes and that's what she does. So from the moment they meet, Hero especially is besotted by her and can't seem to say no to her. They go with him hiring her as his assistant (even though she had no experience in accounting) to his nursemaid, living together/roommates, his sleeping pillow buddy to eventually a couple and HEA.

I should mention though that the 2nd half was a bit boring for me. Once they hit the sheets, it seemed as if they lost that spark and humor that I enjoyed in the first half....🤷‍♀️

Safety:

No Cheating
No OW. OM in the form of her ex comes into the picture towards the end to get her to come back but she is not having it. She feels nothing for the OM.
No virgins
No intimate scenes with OP
Annoying part? His constant calling her "love". What the heck? He wasn't British for Pete's sake!

"Hard pass, huh?"
This was going to be fast and violent.
"Tell me, friend," I started, gesturing toward his screen, "what's the problem here?"
"No, really," I continued. "What's the problem? Why is it a—what did you call it? A hard pass?" I forced a snicker.
"It sounds like you're dealing with a kidney stone, not scanning a résumé."
He bobbed his head, his gaze locked on the stripe of blue hair tucked behind my ear. The stripe I'd been told was childish. "Okay."
"No, no, friend. I asked you a question." I tipped my head toward his screen, the one with Zelda Besh screaming across the top line. "What's the disqualifier here?"
"I'm sorry but," he started, his infuriatingly beautiful hazel eyes crinkling as he spoke, "what are we talking about?"
I leaned back, crossed my legs, folded my arms over my chest. Stared at him for a beat. "That's my résumé."
"That's not possible." He laughed, but it sounded like a sticky grocery cart wheel. He glowered between me and his screen. "That's…that's just not possible."
"I'm not sure why you're saying that," I replied. "I know what my résumé looks like. I know I sent gobs and gobs of them last night and this morning. When you think about the odds, it's not so impossible."

"What's the real reason I'm a hard pass? Because it doesn't matter whether I find a pen and show my work all over the back of an arm-long CVS receipt right now. It doesn't matter whether I can remember where my stats come from. It only matters that you passed before I logic'd through the odds of us sitting next to each other on this flight."
"While that was—uh—bizarre, I'm looking for a specific skill set."
Zelda's brows creased as a flash of understanding crossed her eyes. "Yeah, about that. Which job did I apply for?"
"Auditing assistant."
"All right, well, you tell me what the job involves and I'll tell you why I'm perfect."
----
"You're wackier than a bag of hammers."
"That doesn't sound like something you'd say."
His brows furrowed a bit. "And why not?"
"Zelda," he prompted. "Was your brain deprived of oxygen too long?"
"Nope. I'm all right here. All good," I replied. "It just doesn't sound like you. The wacky hammers. You're not a metaphor guy. You're finite, specific, tangible."
He shrugged. "My mom says it a lot. I think I picked it up from her."
----
"Why don't you want me to meet your family? That is, the portion that didn't invite themselves into your bedroom the other day."

He tapped a finger against my belly. "For one, they'd want to keep you."

"What's so bad about that? Your mother and sister are amusing as hell, especially when they literally stared at us in bed and carried on a conversation where they took turns insisting I'm Not Millie. Given this, I'm sure everyone else is equally amusing. And I'm not against being kept. As you might've noticed, I'm not that difficult to collect."

---
"Is that what I think it is?"
"If you're thinking it's my mother's secret herb garden, it is."

That nice lady with the reupholstered dining room chair cushions was growing a field of marijuana. Who would've guessed? "Are you serious?"

"I told you, my parents are hippies at heart."

"And that's why your mother has a bumper crop of weed hiding behind her blackberry bushes?" I asked.

----
"Are you going to change your mind later?" she asked.

"What are you asking, love?"

"I want to know if you're going to want me when it's convenient and push me away when you remember you're the boss and I'm—"

"No, I'm not doing that again. I hate that I've done it more than once, hate that I've done it at all. I've tried pushing you away and in case it wasn't clear, I missed you too much every time I did it. It was a shoddy attempt at trying to keep all the out-of-control pieces of my life in order."

"If you shared some of those pieces maybe they wouldn't feel out of control anymore," she said.

"As you've noticed, I'm not great at that," I admitted. Zelda laughed, sudden and bright, and I walked her backward until she was wedged between me and the first available tree. "And maybe you've also noticed I'm obsessed with you, you adorable evil genius."

"You don't have to say that because we kissed. What I do I need is for you to stop throwing me away when your thoughts get the better of you."

"I said it because I meant it," I replied. "And just so you know, you're never inconvenient. The rest of the damn world is inconvenient and you…you are not that."

She tipped her chin up as her lips curled into a playful grin. "That's a funny way of saying you don't know what to think of me."
Profile Image for Clau.
860 reviews117 followers
August 5, 2020
Maybe 2.5 ⭐️
I guess it was ok. The plot was really unrealistic and weird , but I can't deny that something about both main characters kept me reading.
Profile Image for Sheila'S Book Corner.
1,032 reviews78 followers
June 25, 2020
Boss in the Bedsheets was AMAZING!! No unnecessary drama, yay! Just a great completely ‘unputdownable’ story from start to finish.
Kate Canterbary writes the absolute BEST grumpy, growly heroes and Ash is the best of the best! He is super grumpy, growly, bossy... but the SWEETEST grump ever!!

“... scowling and frowning, his growls, his moods, his unnecessary jabs. He was precious under all that grump and I lived for the prize of an ooey gooey center...”

And Zelda is awesome. She is thrown in with Ash by fate and running from something but she is a bright ‘moonbeam’ and absolutely no shrinking violet, doormat heroine.

"Why do I have the impression I've hired the Mary Poppins of tax and audit?"
Zelda hit me with a slight smirk. "Not sure if I'm practically perfect in every way but it's possible."

Oh and did I mention HOT? Scorching HOT, just take my word and one click.
If I could give this story a hundred stars I would!! The story is a standalone. You don’t have to know that Ash is Magnolia’s brother. Just dive in blind.
-All The Stars!-
-Diane-
Profile Image for Reflections of a Swede.
381 reviews26 followers
June 24, 2020
*** I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review ***

This is a romance, yes, but it’s not of the silly, chick-lit variety that the title may imply. Boss in the Bedsheets is deeply introspective. Both Zelda and Ash are portrayed mainly through their soul-searching inner monologues, each more insightful and raw than the one before. It’s all the emotions – all the time – which left me with a feeling of being exposed and vulnerable. Not an entirely pleasant feeling that.

Both Zelda and Ash are two very hot messes, on the opposite ends of the mess-spectrum. But they fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. I loved how their instant connection was depicted. I’m generally not a fan of insta-love (unless there’s some kind of credible explanation *cough-fated-mates-cough*), but that’s not what happens at all. Canterbary manages brilliantly to describe that sense of ease and comfort you feel when you just click with someone. Ash’s and Zelda’s dance around each other is simply beautifully written.

But I rushed through this read just so I’d finish before the release the 26th. And rush-reading this book is the worst possible way to enjoy it. Canterbary is a wordsmith of the very first order. Every analogy is scarily on point. Each paragraph deserves contemplation and pause. It’s not light fluff to race through to get to the happily ever after. The journey is very much the whole point in this case.

I’d say this book differs a fair amount from many of Canterbary’s earlier ones. The books about The Walshes and the Talbot’s Cove series are maybe not fluff, but there’s way more hilarious banter and less of the soul-searching. In Boss in the Bedsheets, the humor definitely takes a back-seat. Sure, it’s a love-story with hot, hot nooky, but it’s mostly a story about self-discovery and acceptance. It’s basically a coming-of-age story – but the adult version – disguised as a romance. And it’s so very, very worth your time.
https://reflectionsofaswedishgirl.blo...
Profile Image for Jackie Wright.
4,844 reviews106 followers
June 24, 2020
This is one of those books that you know from the get go that it’s going to be an entertaining read, I was drawn in and hooked from the first chapter and there was no putting down until I had read the final line. It’s a fun entertaining read that will leave you smiling like a Cheshire Cat and it’s the perfect read when the world is going through a pandemic.
Ash is a grumpy wound up boss who loves to micromanage people but underneath it all he is a man who kind, caring and someone who loves to kiss foreheads and what can I say about Zelda apart she is just the woman to draw the man out from behind the facade. Zelda is a quirky, fun, smart heroine who meets Ash by accident on a plane when there is a mix up with the seats, what happens next is a funny, laugh out loud, entertaining read with plenty of witty banter.this is a story about 2 people who shouldn’t get along but you know what they say opposites do attract......
I loved everything about this book, the characters, the banter and the story, it certainly ticked all my boxes and if you are looking for a book to escape with look no further than the Boss in the Bedsheets.
I highly recommend this delightful entertaining read and I urge you all to one click this gem.
Profile Image for Izzie d.
4,174 reviews315 followers
Read
June 27, 2020
This wasn't for me.
I just couldn't get into their snarky banter.
Hate the cover.
Hate the title but the blurb looked good.
No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
Hero briefly mentions an ex but no intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
Small ex drama for heroine.
Profile Image for b.andherbooks.
2,187 reviews1,153 followers
September 27, 2022
Upon a re-read via audio I'm rounding this up to a full five, growly, and possessive stars. THE PERIOD CARE?! My gawd, amazing moments in romance history. Now that I've accepted the insta-love Ash has for Zelda, I could fully frolic in the moment with these horny people. Loved every second of the ride, and the narration was very good as well.


What I love best about a Kate Canterbary romance is how tightly focused the story is on the love interests. There are only rare moments where they are not together on page (be it in person or via electronic communication) and oh the banter sparkles.

Boss in the Bedsheets is an exceptionally tightly focused tale loosely based on the Hades/Persephone myth. Ash and Zelda meet on a plane after a seat switch up and BANG goes their relationship from the start. Having Ash reading Zelda's resume as she sits next to him is highly amusing and seeing how quickly their relationship goes from oh sure I'll hire you to actually how about we give this dating thing the ol' college try is a whirlwind of fun.

Ash is buttoned up and tightly wound but completely turns into a dirty mouthed growly guy who just wants to take a bit out of Zelda's a** and give her all the orgasms. His family, we met his triplet sister Magnolia in The Magnolia Chronicles, is also super fun.

I felt really sad that Zelda had no other friends or family in her life she could count on, and I'm glad Ash turned out to be a great guy with a great family, because well, that could have been a whole other story.

All in all a delightfully dirty romp and a fun read.

*CW: emotional abuse (in the past), fat phobia (secondary character is lamenting have to crash diet to fit in her too small wedding dress, comments and jokes are made about her eating/diet, alcohol use, medical scene (Ash has a dislocated arm).

thank you to the author for the review copy!
Profile Image for Lisa.
564 reviews20 followers
June 24, 2021
This is an ARC review. All opinions are solely my own.

Kate Canterbary is a master at writing a quirky and sassy female lead with a growly leading man. Boss in the Bedsheets is no different.

Zelda and Ash could not be more different in every way. Their backgrounds and their lifestyles are polar opposite. The banter between these two is hilarious and hot. This book had me laughing out loud one scene and fanning myself from the steam the next.

Ash was briefly introduced in The Magnolia Chronicles. The aspect I love most about Kate Canterbary's books is they are all intertwined with strings from the Walsh family series. I love that she leaves little clues to possible future stories.
Profile Image for Kim May.
285 reviews9 followers
June 24, 2020
Have you ever had one of those books that you knew you'd like, but then you read it and it grabbed you, shook you, then wrapped you in a big hug and made you feel like you were not alone in your me-ishness? Or how about a book where you knew you'd like it but there was no way it would compare to (insert favorite hero/heroine/couple) but then you finished it and you just sat there because you think you just discovered your new favorite and your world is now all topsy turvy? Or how about a book that has you in such a book hangover that you can't pick up another book and/or you go back to keep rereading parts to soak in more of the goodness? Well….all of that is what this book did to me.

This book is so much more than I could have ever imagined. Let's start with Ash…he is the grumpiest, growliest, most stubborn hero that I think I've read (yes even more than Patrick). Zelda has a way of not only putting him in his place with his grumpy ways, but she's able to get to the ooey-gooey center. Friends, that ooey-gooey center is the best! You will want to drown yourself in it.

Zelda is a force in a way that you wouldn't expect. Her me-ishness and her story spoke to me on many levels. You will just want to wrap Zelda in a great big Mama Santillian hug, invite her to dinner or pedicures or anything really, and never let her leave. You want to be friends with her, not only for her to help fix your life but because you want to help fix hers.

This is very much a character driven book. You will be so wrapped up in both of them that you won't want to leave. The banter between these two is amazing. I wish I had other words to describe it, but nothing seems to describe the amazingness of it. This book is smart, it's clever, it's raw and real, it hits you will all the feels, and it's beautifully written. Like with any Kate Canterbary book, you will finish it feeling smarter, and feeling like you just found new friends that are now a part of your life.

This is a complete standalone. You do not need to have read any other book to thoroughly enjoy this one. Even if you haven't read any of the other KC books, you should. Wait…change that should to a MUST. She is one of the best authors in this genre. You'll thank me for it later.

If I haven't sold you yet on getting this book…just trust me…GET THIS BOOK! This is one of those books that just 5 stars doesn't do it justice. It deserves 5 million stars.
Profile Image for Colleen.
146 reviews1 follower
June 26, 2020
This book! It has everything. Snappy back and forths, a growly bossy man, hot sexy times and a woman who doesn't even know how strong she really is and is finding her way back.

I loved Boss in the Bedsheets so very much. Ash ~sigh~ is so very much and hasn't ever had the need to have someone there with him all the time until Zelda sit down beside him on a flight on a very bad morning and all of a sudden he never wants her to leave. He can't keep his hands off of her and wants her there always. Zelda is chasing her future, shrugging off a past that no longer fits and finding herself and her voice again.

These two need each other even if they don't seem to belong. They understand each other even when nothing is said.

This book is smart, funny, sexy, full of feels and most of all not to be missed. Do yourself a favor and read it now.
Profile Image for Leslie.
289 reviews2 followers
February 9, 2021
If this is your first Kate Canterbary book or your 15th --- you are going to love it.

You know that gif of Marie Kondo saying "I love mess"? That's how I feel about this book and these characters.

Zelda and Ash are complete messes in their own ways. And that's what I love about Kate's books -- her characters are real. The women are mouthy and "not nice". They don't have perfect bodies by Hollywood standards -- they have perfect bodies for them. Yes, yes Ash is a sex god but he's a mess too. Always the serious one of the triplets --- someone had to keep Lin and Magnolia in line, he doesn't know how to let go on control (and not in a creepy Christian Gray way).

Zelda and Ash come together in the greatest of awkward meet-cutes. Diving head first into...something...

This book was hot and dirty and wonderful. It's a great intro to Kate's books for those looking for a new book AND a great continuation of her universe for established fans.

Can be read as a standalone.

Profile Image for Kelly.
1,183 reviews14 followers
June 26, 2020
I LOVED reading Boss in the Bedsheets. It was funny, sweet, and very sexy with just the right amount of drama. I love a good opposites attract story, and Ash and Zelda are like chalk and cheese, with Ash being the grumpy and very growly micromanaging accountant, and Zelda the more free spirited, go with the flow archaeologist who is going to change Ash's perfectly ordered life.

There was so much I loved about Ash, how grumpy and growly he was but he showed his sweet side very quickly with Zelda. Whenever he called Zelda 'love', so sweet! AND he's a bossy growly man in the bedroom. Meeting Ash was completely unexpected for Zelda. Prepared to start her life over in a new location, she was not prepared at all for Ash and the intense attraction that flared between them.

Some of my favourites scenes in this story involved Ash's just a little bit crazy family. They added plenty of humour to the storyline, with their determination to 'keep' Zelda, and also to involve her in Magnolia's wedding. My favourite family member would have to be Diana - Ash's mum was a real nut, but she made me smile so many times throughout this story. Great read, loved it.
Profile Image for Diane (Books and Tequila Blog).
1,423 reviews65 followers
June 26, 2020
Boss in the Bedsheets was AMAZING!! No unnecessary drama, yay! Just a great completely ‘unputdownable’ story from start to finish.
Kate Canterbary writes the absolute BEST grumpy, growly heroes and Ash is the best of the best! He is super grumpy, growly, bossy... but the SWEETEST grump ever!!
“Another one of those growls sounded in my throat. "I don't play squash."
"Well, you're doing something to maintain"—she zigzagged a finger at me—"all of this. I'm sure you'll want to be able to kick the golf ball and swing for the field goal and long jump to home plate."
*All The Stars!*
My full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Profile Image for Gabby.
126 reviews60 followers
November 11, 2021
3-3.5 stars

I’m glad I didn’t let my judgement win and gave this a go.
I mean JUST LOOK AT THAT CRINGE WORTHY TITLE and the cover 😂😂😂

Anyway, I really like this couple. Their chemistry and the romance was on point.
I like the positive happy vibes this book giving.
Unfortunately nothing much happens so if you’re looking for an epic love story, this isn’t it.




Safety :
This should be safe to safety-gang readers.
No scenes with OP. No OP post meeting.
Mild OM drama (h’s ex).
Some would say this is a HFN (they're engaged) but I do believe in their love so for me, I consider this a HEA.
Profile Image for Ivy Deluca.
2,234 reviews300 followers
June 26, 2020
description

What a fun book! First of all, I did a buddy read with my girls @Michelle_the_bibliophile and @rachelann785, which is always a good time. Add to it the incredibly good chemistry, UST that had me screaming JUST BANG ALREADY, and the banter I’ve come to expect from Ms. Canterbary and that’s all I can ask of a good read. In the interest of keeping things spoiler-free, the only quibble I have is that there is precious little workplace in this workplace romance. Also, while it probably wouldn’t hurt to have read The Magnolia Chronicles, it is not essential. But all the other elements are working, so I just sat back and enjoyed the dirty, dominant ride. This is a very couple-focused type of romance, and the main characters are well drawn, so if that sounds like your jam, I’d give it a shot. I know I’m glad I did.

**ARC provided by author for review**

For more reviews, visit


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Profile Image for Dawn Strickland.
382 reviews16 followers
June 26, 2020
Improbable Probability

This book is exactly what my spirit needed. It made me smile, laugh, and tingle in the best ways!  Ash Santillian is a bit of a perfectionist that likes things his way (aka the only way). He is grumbly and growly and so sexy. He is a sex monster/beast in the bedroom with a ooey gooey center (squeee).

Zelda is his moonbeam and magic. You can't convince him or me otherwise. She is on her own journey of self discovery and is learning how to be kind to herself. In doing so, she establishes boundaries that foster respect and self worth.

Zelda and Ash have the most fascinating conversations about nothing and everything at the same time. Their souls are like magnets, inexplicably pulled towards one another. The constant touches and banter are enrapturing.

Love is a noun and a verb and that is evident throughout the story.  It is in every selfless, thoughtful action taken by both Ash and Zelda. They value their own needs, but also each other’s needs. The universe brought them together, but love nourishes and sustains them.
Profile Image for aarya.
1,423 reviews
August 22, 2022
Reread on June 4, 2022: Okay, I don’t know why I was so grouchy during my first read, but I was wrong. This is extremely my shit, LOL. Or maybe instalove is just more enjoyable on a reread. Upping my rating to 4 stars. Read via audio (narrated by Jason Clarke and Emma Wilder).

***

First read on May 7, 2021:

2021 Spring Bingo (#SpringIntoLoveBingo🌷): Growl

I liked the voice, but some of the boss-employment dynamics did not work for me. [Original rating was 3 stars]
Profile Image for Jenica.
1,241 reviews43 followers
November 26, 2023
I have read this book once a month for the last three months... No regrets.

I originally rated this a four, but upon re-read, I'm sorry, but this book is perfect for me.
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