Blue Collar Love

by S.A. Bierly

Autumn Harris is figuring her way through her first job as an engineer fresh out of college with her master's degree. She's excited to help build a brand-new building at her alma mater, for the very engineering program she graduated from.
But when she shows up to work on her first day, and she's late, her plans are all wrong, and she has a run-in with the lead equipment operator, Autumn wonders if she's truly cut out for the job.
Brett Stewart thinks this young woman is in over her head. He knows how to operate on job sites like this, and mistakes will cost you.
After pointing out that her plans won't work, the two are forced to work together to fix them.
As Brett works with Autumn, he develops reason to believe that someone is keeping important information from her, risking her safety and place on the job.
Will the two be able to look past their differences and come together to complete the build?
Can his determination to solve all of her problems win her over in the end?

286 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication March 10, 2026

Reviews

[Alexis Clary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Author


Loved this cute little book! Love when a man knows what he wants and he goes for it no matter what! Small town romance, blue collar, enemies to lovers! Such a cute quick read!

[Lynda Malone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blue Colar Love

This is a sweet, low spice love story. Autumn & Brett just work. The plot is perfectly paced, giving us, the readers, time to get to know the characters as they get to know each other. Throw in some initial animosity, a little bit of mysterious behaviour, some ansty moments along with a couple of fun side characters and you find yourself fully immersed in this world.

It is a quick read and it's just the right length to allow you to settle in for a few hours of escapism. I can already see some more books in this world and I'm looking forward to reading about those characters as well.

A fun 3.5 stars for this one.

[Samantha Hauenstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to say thank you for choosing me to be an ARC reader for this book! As a blue collar wife, I was so excited to see a book like this, and let me tell you it did not disappoint! The story and plot was intriguing and honestly the closer I got to finishing the book, I got sadder I got. I wanted to keep reading Brett and Autumn's story. I think the end could have been expanded upon...the book was descriptive and thorough up until the end- it felt rushed. Overall I definitely recommend reading this book, especially if you know the blue collar lifestyle 😉

[Amber Hoemig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from author.

Blue Collar Love was such a solid small-town romance with the kind of grumpy, hardworking hero that’s hard not to root for. The blue collar job-site setting felt different from a lot of romances I’ve read lately, and I really liked seeing a heroine trying to prove herself in a space that didn’t make it easy for her.

The dynamic between the main characters had some great tension, especially with the workplace element and forced proximity. The hero definitely gave protective, “acts tough but cares a lot” energy, and those quieter moments between them were some of my favorites.

The story also touches on things like sabotage and workplace pressure, which added a little extra drama to the plot and kept things moving. While a few parts felt a bit predictable for the genre, the characters and setting made it an enjoyable read overall.

The only things that kept this from being a full five stars for me were that the shift in the relationship felt a little quick at one point.. I would have loved a bit more time spent building that transition and some of the dialogue occasionally felt a little unnatural and awkward compared to how people might actually talk in those moments.

Overall, if you like small-town romance, blue collar heroes, workplace tension, and a protective love interest who shows he cares in small ways, this one is worth picking up and trying for a quick read!

[Dianna F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blue Collar Love is a grounded, heartfelt romance that shines because of its authenticity. S.A. Bierly gives us a heroine who feels real—tough, tired, capable, and constantly navigating the pressure of being a woman in a male‑dominated field. Her struggles aren’t dramatized; they’re lived‑in, and that makes her incredibly easy to connect with, especially if you’ve walked that same path.

The romance itself is warm and steady, built on respect rather than rescue. The MMC doesn’t try to fix her world—he simply shows up, listens, and treats her strength as something to admire, not something to compete with. Their connection grows in a way that feels earned and deeply satisfying.

Bierly’s blue‑collar setting adds texture and heart, grounding the love story in real work, real exhaustion, and real tenderness. It’s a story about resilience, about carving out space where you’re not always welcomed, and about finding someone who sees you fully.

A quietly powerful, emotionally honest read that lingers long after the last page.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brett and Autumn

I know it’s going to be a tough read when I dislike the MMC from the first interaction. And this one was a doozy…
Misogynistic, chauvinistic, an a-z, and horrible to the MFC, he had zero redeemable characteristics.
Even as the story progressed, there was a lot of telling about how he ‘helped’ her, but I didn’t really see it.
The MFC was likable, but a little dim. It was easy to see that she was being pushed aside and discriminated against, but she just took it… over and over…

The sabotage… pretty predictable. I did wonder if someone else was involved, but overall, I expected what I got.

A good storyline, and the potential was there, but the speech patterns felt a little clunky, and a lot of telling, instead of showing. No romance that I truly noticed, just a few semi-steamy scenes that were very descriptive anatomy-wise, but I didn’t really feel any chemistry.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new job after graduation has Autumn Harris flustered. She can’t seem to get the details right and her boss seems to favor her male counterpart. A run in with the lead operator Brett Stewart on her first day has her questioning if she can perform the job but they work together to fix the plans. As they work together Brett has suspicions that someone is sabotaging Autumn’s progress on the project and withholding information. Can he help her or will his interference get her fired for good?

Love a good small town slow-burn romance! I loved all the characters although a bit more background on the bad guy would’ve been good as it was touched on but not expanded. Everyone needs a Brett in their lives! I laughed and cried and loved this book completely! Great spice that wasn’t overwhelming too.

[Michelle White · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just received my ARC of Blue Collar Love and I already know this is going to be my kind of romance.

She’s a junior engineer trying to survive a male-dominated job site. He’s the lead operator who tells her the hard truth and then refuses to let her fail. The tension. The competence. The loyalty. I’m ready.

Tropes I’m diving into
🏗️ Workplace romance
🔧 Blue collar romance
🌾 Small town romance
☀️ Sunshine x Grumpy
💘 He falls first
⚙️ Workplace sabotage

Thank you @authorsabierly and @literaryinspired for letting me be part of this ARC team.

#LiteraryInspiredARCs #ContemporaryRomance #RomanceReaders #GrumpyHero #ARCReads #BookstagramRomance

This was a really cute story. I loved the way he encouraged her to be confident and how he brought her coffee every morning. She really opened his eyes about how not everyone female is like his ex. I can't wait for book 2.

[Laura Black Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Opposites-attract workplace romance between newbie engineer Autumn, and Brett who is a blue collar worker on the site of the new building that Autumn has designed. Autumn has a hard enough time on her very first building without all the harassment and sabotage that is going on, and while she and Brett get off to a shaky start, they have a thing happening pretty quickly and it's steamy and intense. I was a bit surprised at what she would do with him, especially on the work site, locked door or not.

Brett stepped up and supported and helped Autumn out and there is some comeuppance for the villain which was lovely to read.

Thank you S.A. Bierly and Literary Inspired for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

[Cam_meli · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. However, it was challenging to get through. I didn’t feel like the characters were well fleshed out, and I didn’t connect with any of them.

It was a bit cheesy and unrealistic. For example, when Brett said, “If we decide to start going on some dates, does that mean that maybe you want to be my girlfriend?” They’re adults, and I don’t know why, but that part really bothered me 😂

It also lacked the basic back-and-forth flow of a conversation. This annoyed me because it didn’t feel natural. Was it absolutely terrible? No… but I didn’t really enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all… YES. We were definitely in need of some representation for the blue collar men in our lives and I can’t wait for the other books! I love the ups and downs and the conflicts throughout. I think it could have been a little longer and had a few more stepping stones before they fell for each other, but that could also just be me being greedy 😬🤣 also this is a great example of balance between plot and spice! It didn’t overwhelm the story at all but complimented alongside what was happening with the arch they took together. Overall, great read!

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC copy.
Autumn Harris walks onto her first engineering job determined to prove she belongs, only to be publicly challenged by the gruff lead operator who thinks she is in over her head. Brett Stewart knows the job site inside and out, and mistakes are not something he takes lightly. What starts as friction turns into partnership, loyalty, and something neither of them planned.

Very cute and fun.

[Cassie Moran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of arc

Book was good and cute with some spice but nothing super crazy. Brett knew what he wanted and he went for it which was good and kind of refreshing. However I feel like they sometimes acted younger than they were and sometimes felt a little childish. Book was good by the end and I would recommend it to others.

[Shaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars 1 Pepper
-Slow Burn
-Workplace Romance
-Dislike to Love
Sweet Romance with virgin FMC and a take care of things MMC. The story was good, maybe a little predictable. The characters didn't really show much growth and unfortunately the FMC was a bit immature for her age to me. There is a miscommunication trope, which is not my favorite.
Thank you to SA Bierly for the ARC.

[Maddison Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy received from author

I found this to be a cute light read. The overarching story was acute and I love a woman in STEM but I felt that the characters fell a little flat. There was some pretty clunky dialogue or was just repetitive at spots. The ending also felt pretty rushed. Overall not my fav but still cute.

[Kendra Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could not put it down! A quick read but filled with some of my favorites- enemies to lovers, blue collar men & small town romance.

[Shelby Butts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blue collar love was my FAVORITE. Book of the year truly 10/5 I wish I could read it for the first time a million times