allysunsun's review
4.0
A quick a cute read. Aggie and Max read as opposites but the more we learn about them the more we find out that they are just playing roles. It was cute to watch the lead up to their relationship and quite funny at times. I wish both of the characters had been a bit flushed out and more pestering Grandma moments would've been enjoyable. Overall a good read and I look forward to reading what Lisa Wells writes next.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!
ljrinaldi's review
3.0
First, if you want hot sex, and very hot thoughts about sex, this book has it all in spades.
I'm a little bit of a romance virgin, in that I read those YA romances where characters think about kissing and stuff, and not the size of the guys sexual organ, or the woman's breast.
There is lust in these pages from the first page onward.
Oddly, that is not what bothers me. What bothers me more is the chip on Aggie's shoulder about being from a poor neighborhood. She carries that around with her everywhere, which gets old really fast.
In the meantime, they think of all the things they would do to each other if they weren't working together.
So, if you can get past Aggie thinking bad things about herself, and stay for all the thoughts of lust, and if that is the sort of romance you want, then this is the one for you. Me, I like a much slower burn, where they aren't trying to keep their hands of each other from the moment they meet.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
I'm a little bit of a romance virgin, in that I read those YA romances where characters think about kissing and stuff, and not the size of the guys sexual organ, or the woman's breast.
There is lust in these pages from the first page onward.
Oddly, that is not what bothers me. What bothers me more is the chip on Aggie's shoulder about being from a poor neighborhood. She carries that around with her everywhere, which gets old really fast.
In the meantime, they think of all the things they would do to each other if they weren't working together.
So, if you can get past Aggie thinking bad things about herself, and stay for all the thoughts of lust, and if that is the sort of romance you want, then this is the one for you. Me, I like a much slower burn, where they aren't trying to keep their hands of each other from the moment they meet.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
vilma19's review
2.0
Thanks to Entangled Publishing for providing this ARC via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This story fell flat for me, unfortunately. The premise sounded good and I excepted a funny and flirty office romance with a bit of traditional not friends-but getting there-to lovers (so this is not rivals- or enemies to lovers) but in the end it all just felt bland and nothing too special really.
Aggie and Max are supposed to hate each other after that their grandmothers have schemed to have them work together, but it's more insta-lust than anything remotely like hate or dislike. However, they are well-written and Aggie is definitely not boring. She is the comic-relief of the book, sometimes a bit too much though, and I found myself smiling several times throughout the story.
The book was not my cup of tea, at least not now, because it had too many misunderstandings and miscommunication was the key to the disaster (and not just a few times and I absolutely hate the use of that to make things "interesting"). Add everything up and I didn't really feel any interest in the characters or the story as I had hoped.
This story fell flat for me, unfortunately. The premise sounded good and I excepted a funny and flirty office romance with a bit of traditional not friends-but getting there-to lovers (so this is not rivals- or enemies to lovers) but in the end it all just felt bland and nothing too special really.
Aggie and Max are supposed to hate each other after that their grandmothers have schemed to have them work together, but it's more insta-lust than anything remotely like hate or dislike. However, they are well-written and Aggie is definitely not boring. She is the comic-relief of the book, sometimes a bit too much though, and I found myself smiling several times throughout the story.
The book was not my cup of tea, at least not now, because it had too many misunderstandings and miscommunication was the key to the disaster (and not just a few times and I absolutely hate the use of that to make things "interesting"). Add everything up and I didn't really feel any interest in the characters or the story as I had hoped.
storieswithsoul's review
5.0
This is exactly my kind of story; fun characters who annoy each other, romance, tragic families, and a lot of drama. I loved it. It's a cute romcom and I think every fan of the genre would enjoy this book.
Aggie can't hold a job. Max is in need of an instant. Their grandmothers decide to intervene and now the two must work together for the time being. But can they tolerate each other long enough to be able to work? Things are definitely going to get interesting. They have completely different personalities and backgrounds. The only common thing is the attraction they feel for each other.
It's a well-written story that made me smile, laugh, cry, and sometimes feel embarrassed for the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would recommend it to my fellow reader. If you are someone who loves romance then this books is for you.
P.S. I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley.
Aggie can't hold a job. Max is in need of an instant. Their grandmothers decide to intervene and now the two must work together for the time being. But can they tolerate each other long enough to be able to work? Things are definitely going to get interesting. They have completely different personalities and backgrounds. The only common thing is the attraction they feel for each other.
It's a well-written story that made me smile, laugh, cry, and sometimes feel embarrassed for the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would recommend it to my fellow reader. If you are someone who loves romance then this books is for you.
P.S. I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley.
saschadarlington's review
3.0
This review first appeared here: https://saschadarlington.me/2021/06/29/review-aggie-the-horrible-vs-max-the-pompous/
Aggie the Horrible vs. Max the Pompous, a rom-com by Lisa Wells, is, for the most part flirty and fun.
In the past year Aggie Johanssen (disregard the name in the blurb as it’s not the same as in the book) has been through more jobs than can be imagined, which makes her Meemaw worry about her. Her Meemaw arranges for her to get an interview with Max Treadwell, who buys and flips properties. Max recognizes that his own grandmother and Aggie’s are up to something, but he agrees to give Aggie an interview to be his temporary assistant until his permanent one returns from maternity leave. He just doesn’t promise to his grandmother that the interview alone won’t make Aggie go screaming out of the building.
Aggie the Horrible vs. Max the Pompous has a lot of promise and manages to come through on a lot of it. Aggie and Max are both fun characters, although Aggie’s obsession with the fact that she comes from the wrong side of the tracks gets old really quickly merely from the fact that it’s mentioned so very often. Her lack of self-esteem, which is sometimes at odds with her confident sauciness, makes her question things that should be self-evident if she thought about them. And, actually that’s one of the bothersome things here because Aggie is smart. A person is not going to offer you a job if they’re just intent on getting rid of you. That doesn’t make sense.
Regardless, I let those things go (evidently mostly) because Aggie the Horrible vs. Max the Pompous did prove to be fun escapist fare. And I let it the little things that didn’t make sense go until the end. I expected a grand gesture but the end fizzled out like a dud firework. But even worse than the fizzling was that sex was pretty much being used as the apology, which is wrong on so many levels after they parted the way they did. Wrong. Just wrong. I thought it demeaning that anyone would think that insulting words and bad behavior could be dismissed by sex–even in a long term relationship that might be pushing it.
Up until the ending, this was a pretty solid, above-average read. The question is: how much emphasis do we put on the end in a rom-com? At the very least, we should come away feeling happy and even the epilogue didn’t get me there. For that reason, that ending dropped a solid point from this rating. Maybe others won’t mind the ending as much as I did.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Aggie the Horrible vs. Max the Pompous, a rom-com by Lisa Wells, is, for the most part flirty and fun.
In the past year Aggie Johanssen (disregard the name in the blurb as it’s not the same as in the book) has been through more jobs than can be imagined, which makes her Meemaw worry about her. Her Meemaw arranges for her to get an interview with Max Treadwell, who buys and flips properties. Max recognizes that his own grandmother and Aggie’s are up to something, but he agrees to give Aggie an interview to be his temporary assistant until his permanent one returns from maternity leave. He just doesn’t promise to his grandmother that the interview alone won’t make Aggie go screaming out of the building.
Aggie the Horrible vs. Max the Pompous has a lot of promise and manages to come through on a lot of it. Aggie and Max are both fun characters, although Aggie’s obsession with the fact that she comes from the wrong side of the tracks gets old really quickly merely from the fact that it’s mentioned so very often. Her lack of self-esteem, which is sometimes at odds with her confident sauciness, makes her question things that should be self-evident if she thought about them. And, actually that’s one of the bothersome things here because Aggie is smart. A person is not going to offer you a job if they’re just intent on getting rid of you. That doesn’t make sense.
Regardless, I let those things go (evidently mostly) because Aggie the Horrible vs. Max the Pompous did prove to be fun escapist fare. And I let it the little things that didn’t make sense go until the end. I expected a grand gesture but the end fizzled out like a dud firework. But even worse than the fizzling was that sex was pretty much being used as the apology, which is wrong on so many levels after they parted the way they did. Wrong. Just wrong. I thought it demeaning that anyone would think that insulting words and bad behavior could be dismissed by sex–even in a long term relationship that might be pushing it.
Up until the ending, this was a pretty solid, above-average read. The question is: how much emphasis do we put on the end in a rom-com? At the very least, we should come away feeling happy and even the epilogue didn’t get me there. For that reason, that ending dropped a solid point from this rating. Maybe others won’t mind the ending as much as I did.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
ksteigert's review
5.0
Aggie comes from the wrong side of the tracks, has had a hard time staying at a job for any length of time, and is a free spirit. Max is a perfectionist, has his own business, and comes from money. They are as opposite as can be.
Their grandmothers, however, are two peas in a pod, and when the two of them decide that Aggie would be the perfect job candidate for Max’s personal assistant, everything goes a little haywire.
Aggie doesn’t want to disappoint her Meemaw, so she goes to her interview dressed inappropriately, and acts even more inappropriately. Max can’t get out of the favor he has promised his Grandmother, so he tried to make Aggie turn down the job by making her fill out a ridiculously lengthy personality quiz in an overheated room, and tried to make the job duties incredibly outlandish.
A witty enemies to lovers romance with incredible banter, lovable supporting characters in their respective grandmothers, and many lessons about judging others from different walks of life!
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I reviewed this book on the 3 Book Girls podcast. You can check it out here: www.3bookgirls.com (episode 253)
Their grandmothers, however, are two peas in a pod, and when the two of them decide that Aggie would be the perfect job candidate for Max’s personal assistant, everything goes a little haywire.
Aggie doesn’t want to disappoint her Meemaw, so she goes to her interview dressed inappropriately, and acts even more inappropriately. Max can’t get out of the favor he has promised his Grandmother, so he tried to make Aggie turn down the job by making her fill out a ridiculously lengthy personality quiz in an overheated room, and tried to make the job duties incredibly outlandish.
A witty enemies to lovers romance with incredible banter, lovable supporting characters in their respective grandmothers, and many lessons about judging others from different walks of life!
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I reviewed this book on the 3 Book Girls podcast. You can check it out here: www.3bookgirls.com (episode 253)
purplelorikeet's review
3.0
In the last eighteen months, Aggie has had numerous jobs and hasn't stuck to even one of them. Meemaw, her grandmother, has raised her from a young age and she still lives with her. Max owns his own business and has a bet with his father, with whom he constantly butts heads, to win. It just happens his grandmother, his closest family ally, makes the acquaintance of Meemaw, and soon they hatch a plan to get their grandchildren together. Because they are sure Aggie and Max are perfect for each other. Their plan starts out with getting Max to hire Aggie to replace his assistant, who is on pregnancy leave. The plan doesn't exactly go off without a hitch but they are soon working together, if only because both are stubborn. And they definitely aren't falling for the meddlesome grandmas.
This is a take on the enemies to lovers trope and it's an enjoyable read for the most part. Both Aggie and Max have a bit of baggage from their pasts which gets in the way of them being happy with their lives. And both have some sort of chip on the shoulder, although I think it's far bigger in Aggie's case because she is so focused on the poverty of her life that she acts a bit foolish about some things. On the other hand, she does have some charming skills and they seem to be an asset to Max's business and life.
I found this quite funny at the beginning and then it kind of plateaued for most of the rest of the book with a few peaks towards the end. The lack of proper communication forms the basis of a temporary parting near the end of the book and I'd have liked that to have been a bit better. But then both of the main characters do have some issues to overcome.
Overall this was a fun read and I give it 3.5 stars. I'd like to thank Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for freely providing an advanced reader copy. I've submitted this review completely voluntarily.
This is a take on the enemies to lovers trope and it's an enjoyable read for the most part. Both Aggie and Max have a bit of baggage from their pasts which gets in the way of them being happy with their lives. And both have some sort of chip on the shoulder, although I think it's far bigger in Aggie's case because she is so focused on the poverty of her life that she acts a bit foolish about some things. On the other hand, she does have some charming skills and they seem to be an asset to Max's business and life.
I found this quite funny at the beginning and then it kind of plateaued for most of the rest of the book with a few peaks towards the end. The lack of proper communication forms the basis of a temporary parting near the end of the book and I'd have liked that to have been a bit better. But then both of the main characters do have some issues to overcome.
Overall this was a fun read and I give it 3.5 stars. I'd like to thank Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for freely providing an advanced reader copy. I've submitted this review completely voluntarily.
unapologetic_romantic's review
3.0
Aggie the Horrible vs. Max the Pompous Ass was a funny, sweet and sexy book. I really enjoyed Aggie’s character, she was feisty and bold and charming, such a peach! I liked how she and Max interacted, how someone so buttoned up as Max had to know deal with the adventurous and wild Aggie. The premise for the story was great, as where the meddling grandmothers, and the sexy times where quite steamy indeed. Overall a fun read that had happy, hilarious and sad moments all mixed together.
u311082's review
5.0
Thanks to the publishers, Netgalley and the author for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Aggie and Max are an explosive combination in this romantic comedy. Aggie and Max's scheming, match-making grandmothers try to set them up by getting Aggie to work as Max's assistant. Max is privileged and driven, Aggie seems flighty and indecisive but opposites attract in a huge way.
There's a lot more to these characters than meets the eye and it's so much fun seeing them peel back the payers and really get to know each other - in ever which way, people, they get to know each other really intimately. This book had so much steam it made my head swim!
A lot of fun and a lot of heart. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Aggie and Max are an explosive combination in this romantic comedy. Aggie and Max's scheming, match-making grandmothers try to set them up by getting Aggie to work as Max's assistant. Max is privileged and driven, Aggie seems flighty and indecisive but opposites attract in a huge way.
There's a lot more to these characters than meets the eye and it's so much fun seeing them peel back the payers and really get to know each other - in ever which way, people, they get to know each other really intimately. This book had so much steam it made my head swim!
A lot of fun and a lot of heart. I look forward to reading more from this author.
jamice's review
4.0
This was a cute read. Aggie and Max seem as opposite as they come but as the story continues you see that it’s all an act. I really liked the banter between them and laughed quite a few times. It was a slow burn and I think it would have gone faster if they knew how to communicate with each other. I also needed more Grandma moments, those two plotting women cracked me up.