Counting on Love

by R.L. Burgess

A rising star in the corporate world of finance, Zoe Cavendish is nursing a secret flame for her boss. She knows it’s stupid and her friends keep telling her she should move on, but somehow she can’t quite extinguish the hope.
The last thing on Reyna Azoulay’s mind is love. Not only is she busy with her demanding role as CEO of a high-flying financial advisory firm, but she’s also just recently taken in her sister’s child.
When Zoe is selected to present alongside Reyna at a prestigious international conference, they are thrown together and reality comes knocking—as does the suave keynote speaker who seems determined to whisk Zoe away into the desert sunset.
Will Zoe and Reyna realize what’s right in front of them before it’s too late?

Genre: Romance
Editor: Ann Roberts
Cover Designer: Judith Fellows

Genres: Workplace Romance, Romance, Lesbian, Slow Burn

238 pages, Paperback

Published August 15, 2019

About the author

At the age of 22, RL’s friend shouted her to a visit with Rainbow Psychic. Rainbow held RL’s hand across a worn Formica table and told her she would be a writer, describing the life she would have, sitting on her porch with a fat Labrador and a swing seat. A musician at the time, RL felt vaguely disappointed, shrugging off Rainbow’s vision to pursue her dreams of touring the world in a band. Fourteen years later, her world touring accomplished, RL found herself pacing her house in the evenings while her beloved five year old son slept, wondering what to do with herself. Her partner suggested she write. And the rest is history.

NB: Whilst they do not yet have a Labrador or a swing seat, they all live happily in Melbourne, Australia with a perfectly functioning porch and two happy cats.

Reviews

[Lex Kent]

3.5 Stars. This was a solid book by Burgess. I have never read her before but have wanted to read her book Match Point for a while now so I was excited to try her work. While I have to admit I wasn’t wowed here, I found the book to be comfortable and I enjoyed it.

I have to admit I thought this book was about an accountant (I can’t think of a more boring job. My father is one and he agrees with my assessment) I was happy to find out it was really about financial advisers. I know that doesn’t seem like a big step-up in the boredom department, but trust me it is and I found the subject to be nice and readable. Really this is a good book to recommend for boss/employee relationship fans.

This is a very slow burn romance, but I’m not really complaining. I do think I could have used a tad more chemistry between the mains. We are told plenty about what they are thinking about each other but I wanted to see a little more. There is one only slightly explicit sex scene, which seemed to fit the whole of the book.

Since this is a slow burn romance, I have to say I was worried as the pages and time kept ticking away. I was wondering how Burgess was going to end this book. It’s not a short book, I would say about average for lesfic romance, but I found myself wishing for more time. I have to say I was really happy Burgess didn’t overhype the ending. So many authors feel like they have to add in marriage, kids, and the kitchen sink in the last few pages. I hate that rushing for the happiest of happily ever after, it makes the book feel unrealistic. I thought Burgess ended this perfectly and it also leaves room for her to write a sequel if she really wanted.

If you are looking for a solid boss/employee romance, this is a good choice. There are also some good parts about Australia that would make this a good summer beach read too. I would not hesitate to read Burgess again.

An ARC was given to me for a honest review.

[Corporate Slave]

So this was a smooth read :) I really like boss/employee relationships and I think this one delivered quite well on this front.
Both MCs were very well developed and likable which is a big plus in my opinion especially that lately I’ve been exposed with very frustrating and non likable characters, so for a change, I really appreciated both MCs.
Even though I felt the chemistry between the MCs, I still would’ve liked to see a bit more dialogue between them. I also felt that it took so much time for the romance to kick in, but once it did I really enjoyed it!
I would definitely recommend this book, but I wouldn’t have very high expectations. As I said earlier, this is a smooth and light read that I would suggest you grab it if you’re on a vacation and chilling on the pool with a very nice cocktail :)
My rating is a 3.25.
“I received this ARC for an honest review.”

[Jude Silberfeld-Grimaud]

4.5*

I won’t lie: accounting and anything to do with finances sounds like the most boring job ever to me. Yet when Zoe Cavendish reflects on her job, I have to admit it’s kinda exciting. She’s a financial adviser who clearly loves her job: « Sometimes she felt like a detective, deciphering clues, unearthing missing numbers, and then solving difficult financial problems ». When you put it that way… She also has the biggest crush on her boss, Reyna Azoulay. Reyna, whose life changed completely a few months ago when she had to take in her young nephew, after his parents died in a car crash. Reyna, who is married to her work and swears by this all-important rule: Never Sleep With The Staff.

I was rooting for Zoe from the start, the author made her feel like a genuinely nice person and I wanted her to be happy. It was a nice change reading about characters who already know each other, but are not already friends either. I liked how the author built up the relationship, it never felt artificial or forced. And while Reyna’s hot and cold attitude could have been irritating, her circumstances made it understandable. It helped that she was willing to listen to her friends’ advice and make changes in her life, even though at first it seemed impossible. And it didn’t hurt that part of the story happened in Alice Springs, it made me want to go back (not that it will happen, I live in the wrong hemisphere for that).

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Pin]

Counting on Love is a contemporary romance set in Melbourne, Australia. The protagonists are CEO of a financial advisory firm Reyna Azoulay (38) and her employee Zoe Cavendish (33). The writing is solid with good dialogue and a nice dose of diversity (I always appreciate that in my romances), but the ending is rushed and the conflicts between protagonists could be better. Reyna's reasoning -- to many obligations to be in a committed relationship -- is unconvincing and she can be quite frustrating. Regardless of that, the story held my attention and mostly met my expectations as an easy enjoyable read. It is not a bad way to spend a couple of hours, so three stars for that.

3 stars
August 4, 2019
*A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.*

[Carrie]

Zoe is a great employee and has a big crush on the CEO, Reyna. Zoe's friends and psychiatrist think she is sabotaging herself from real connection by focusing on the unattainable.

Despite this book being very formulaic and not offering any particular new settings or situations, I still really enjoyed it.

I liked the main characters as well as the supporting ones. Zoe and Reyna both had backstories that impacted their thoughts and actions. I thought they were both likable and I was rooting for their happiness.

There was a nice depth to the story that made me feel invested in how things turned out. It made me cry. Like...a lip quivering cry. So it definitely hit at the heart during a few angsty moments.

There was a sex scene in this. It was very quick, appropriate, and not extremely explicit. Just the way I like them.

I recommend this to people who enjoy reading about romance, friendships, the corporate world, unexpected parenting, coping with loss, Alice Springs, and financial improvement.

I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest review.

[Elle]

Counting on Love by RL Burgess is a nice, office romance that really took me by surprise.

Zoe Cavendish is a star-employee at Azoulay House, a corporate finance advisory company. She likes her job, loves the new community program she’s developed and she might have a little crush on her boss, Reyna Azoulay. Reyna, CEO of Azoulay House, has a lot on her plate. She's single-handedly running a nationwide company. She’s recently lost her sister and is now her 8 years-old nephew's legal guardian. She definitely doesn't have time for romance in her life. Noticing Zoe’s good work and passion for the industry, Reyna invites her to FinCo, a week-long financial conference, where both Zoe and Reyna are to give a talk. Their time away from their respective life seem to put some things in perspective. During their time away, lines are blurred, opportunities are offered and Reyna might have to reconsider her life choices.

I honestly never thought I would enjoy a novel about corporate accounting. I suck at math, and budgeting is far from my idea of fun, but the two MCs are so passionate about their job, it made it interesting.

I appreciate that this wasn’t an insta-love romance. In fact, it’s quite a slowburn. It takes a while before anything happens between the two MCs. We get to know Zoe and Reyna as independent, well-developed characters with backstories and their own set of friends. They’re both likable and there’s nice chemistry between them. Burgess’ prose is quite smooth and engaging, and the story progresses at a nice, realistic pace.

I would definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for an office romance that isn’t actually set in an office :p

Based on my enjoyment of this novel, I will very likely read another book by this author.

Thanks to Bella Books for providing me with a free copy of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Linda]

3.5 ⭐️

[MEC]

Counting on Love is a workplace romance story set in an Australian financial firm.

Both characters are well developed beyond the bounds of the workplace. Zoe is pretty well established and comfortable with the life that she has built – she has a group of rowdy friends, is a sports enthusiast (the muddier the better) and her own background has given her a more altruistic view of finance as she develops a series of financial planning workshops for the general public. She’s upbeat and likable as well as being particularly good at her job. Reyna, as the owner of a national financial firm, has the pressures of a growing company with 300 employees. At first I though she was going to fit the ice queen trope, but she’s more business focused than cold or aloof. She also is also struggling to deal with the recent death of her sister and brother in law and now is raising her 8 year old nephew. She has a strong support system with friends and her parents, but you can see her struggles with how to cope with the increasing levels of responsibility.

From a romance standpoint, Zoe has been harbouring a crush on Reyna for some time and Reyna is also attracted to Zoe – but they don’t seem to have a lot of interactions that build on that attraction or the romantic tension. There is a push and pull between the two once they are at the conference in Alice Springs, where Reyna seems to struggle with her attraction to Zoe and the fact that Zoe is an employee. Add to this a slightly predatory (and gorgeous) financial consultant that seems to be intent on hooking up with Zoe. Ah .. that my financial adviser looked that good in a bikini. Unfortunately, there seems to be more build up of the characters than the romance between the two so that once things start rolling, it heats up fast, hits the skids even faster and then ends up with a pretty quick HEA resolution.

Overall, a nice romance that I had hoped would have had more of a build up but is still a good read. The writing and dialogue is well done and the descriptions of sunrise make me want to book a ticket.

[Best Lesfic Reviews]

When a book makes accounting an interesting profession, you can be assured that it is very well written indeed.

Read the full review @ https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...

[MJSam]

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first book by this author, and I found it to be just ok, there’s nothing terribly wrong with it, but there’s nothing great about it either.

Here we have MC Reyna who runs a finance company and is raising her nephew after the death of her sister, (she’s also a POC, so points for that). The other MC is Zoe, who works for Reyna and has been crushing on her for a couple of years, she also has some family trauma type issues.

Reyna’s side of the story includes her nephew Holden and her friends (brief mentions of her parents, but they don’t really feature) and Zoe’s side includes a large group of meddling friends (one of whom also works for Reyna) and a brother who also barley features.

This is the very definition of a slow burn. For the first 50% of this story the leads don’t interact in any kind of romantic way (unless you count Zoe’s pining, which I didn’t), although they are mutually attracted. There’s also a lot of introspection by both characters about their lives and circumstances, and that got repetitive after awhile.

Around the 50% mark they head off to a conference together, and spend some personal time together, which involves a lot of ‘we shouldn’t’ (even though we know they will!), Zoe sort of seeing someone else and then the drama of the fallout from them acting on their feelings and Reyna pulling back. I was glad Zoe had enough backbone to not just sit there and pine some more after this, and that the end involved Reyna making things right, but seriously, at least 25% of the first part of the book could have been condensed to actually give us something of their actual relationship, the end was ridiculously rushed.

So, I’d give this 2.5 stars, but have rounded up. I doubt I’d be tempted to read it again.

[Colleen Corgel]

I'm giving this three and a half stars but rounding it up to four, because I thought it was a decent read. There's a bit of everything going on here, and I do believe Burgess was kind of checking off some boxes, but it was put together very well. Both leads are dealing with some stuff but are far enough away from it to not feel like that's what is driving their stories.

Reyna has become the parent to her nephew after her sister and brother in-law died in a car accident, but it feels like it's more her nephew's pain than her own. I liked that little twist to the story, because while Reyna is grieving for her sister, you can tell it is mostly in a healthy way. Holden, her nephew, still has a longer way to go, and that's hurting Reyna more. To mirror that, Zoe is still dealing with the loss of her mom, and may have been fixating on Reyna as a result. It's a nice touch that boosted the story for me.

What bothered me was that Reyna was almost irrationally hot and cold towards Zoe as they were still trying to figure each other out. There were parts where she was jealous over Zoe and another character seemingly hitting it off, even though Reyna hadn't really thought of Zoe in an romantic sense at all. For someone who is so good at communicating, she's terrible at it with Zoe. Then the ending was just so abrupt! I usually never say this, but I though another twenty or thirty pages would help out a lot.

Overall, this is an easy read, with just enough depth to it to keep me interested. I just wish some of the character stuff was cleaned up. That ending could be a little smoother too.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[JWG1973UK]

This is the first book by this author I have read and it won't be my last. I already have my next read by her lined up.

Zoe works in Finance as a Financial Advisor. She loves her job. Reyna is a CEO and owner of a Financial Advisory Company. She also, unexpectedly, takes on the role of looking after her nephew after his parents are killed in a car crash.

Zoe has a major crush on her boss who she knows in unobtainable but that doesn't stop her. Everyone keeps telling her to move on and find someone else but she wants someone she cannot have. Reyna is attracted to Zoe but is determined to stick to her one and only rule. No sleeping with the staff.

I enjoyed the story line. Both of the main characters are loveable. I would say Reyna was my favourite. The secondary characters were a great bunch. This is a slow burn (my favourite) but this was extra slow at times. Although, in saying that, it didn't take any enjoyment away from my read.

If I were being untra critical, it would have been nice to have more dialogue between the main characters and a little more chemistry.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and would definitely re-read this book again and again. I would definitely recommend reading this.

If you like boss/employee romances then this could be the book for you.

I received an ARC copy of the book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

[Betty]

This is a story that I truly enjoyed. Counting on Love by R.L. Burgess is a workplace romance that tells the story of Zoe Cavendish, a young financial advisor working at Azoulay House, an up-and-coming advisory firm, and its owner and CEO, Reyna Azoulay. Reyna loves her job as creator and owner of the firm, but she is overworked to the point of exhaustion, and now has to take on the role of parent to her eight year old nephew unexpectedly. She feels she doesn’t have time for anything or anyone else. Zoe has had a secret crush for Reyna since she came to work for her. She has been able to hide her feelings from Reyna so far, at least until they both end up together at a prestigious business conference in Alice Springs.
This is not only a workplace romance, but also a slow-burn romance. It is easy to see the attraction that Zoe has for Reyna. I had to read a good way into the book before I could see Reyna’s attraction to Zoe. Once I got there, though, the chemistry between the two was obvious.
Ms. Burgess has created a delightful story with likable characters, a gorgeous setting and a heartwarming romance. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I think you will too.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books for an honest review.

Rainbow Reflections:
https://rainbowreflections.home.blog/

[Jasmine]

This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it.

Zoe is attracted to her boss Rayna Azoulay but she's never expecting anything to come from it. She's happy and challenged in her current position at work. But when she's selected to present at a finance conference in at a resort in Alice Springs, she finds herself in close quarters with her boss, and the attraction comes bubbling to the surface. Rayna is busy running her company, and there are new developments in her personal life which doesn't make dating a top priority, but she can't fight her attraction to Zoe. Can the two women find a balance that suits both their lives, or will they have to deny their attraction to each other?


I loved both main characters, Zoe in particular was super cool. I was totally invested in the program she was developing, and I have no interest in finance whatsoever. The attraction between Zoe and Reyna was fantastic, and I really liked how their relationship developed. The tension, the hot and cold towards each other, was well balanced without being frustrating. It's a fine line to walk, and I think it worked for me here. The secondary characters were well developed and gave our leading ladies a kick in the pants when they needed it most. The setting of the conference in Alice Spring sounded so gorgeous, I loved the exploring they did so that the readers far away could go on a little armchair trip. It was a very romantic setting too. I loved the way the author kept surprising us with various characters, that there was so much more than meets the eyes sometimes depending on the point of view. It was really neat.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Karen]

Counting on Love was a pleasant read. Zoe has a crush works as a Financial adviser for Azoulay House and has a huge crush on the CEO Reyna Azoulay. Because of this crush, she hasn't put herself out there to date despite her friends pushing her to date more. Reyna on the other hand is busy with work and taking care of her nephew after her sister and bro-in-law died in a car accident. She has put off dating because of her schedule and had sworn to never date anyone employed by her.

I do tend to like Boss/Employer romances. So I can say for the most part this fit the bill in that aspect. After reading this, I felt there was some sort of chemistry between the two MC's. In some cases it felt like Zoe was way more attracted to Reyna than the other way around. The two MCs really didn't have a ton of interaction which I feel is important in a romance. Despite that, the read was still easy and the writing was good. One thing I didn't really care for is that the ending seemed rushed and not sure if I felt that the decisions that Reyna made could be directly tied to wanting to be in a relationship with Zoe.

I rate this one 3.25 stars.

This ARC was provided by Netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.

[Katrina]

I received this book as an Arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book that I have read by RL Burgess, and I am not sure if I liked the book very much, I requested this because the premise seemed promising, but as I started to read it I knew immediately that I did not like either of the main characters. Zoe was whiny and Reyna just seemed cold. I did not get far into this book before I decided to give up. It was boring, the plot was uninspired, and I felt like there wasn't any really chemistry between the characters. I just did not like this books. I will try and read other books by this author, but this one was just not my cup of tea.

[isa Simonet]

An amazing workplace and slow-burn romance. This is the first book of this author that I read, and I look forward to the next. I enjoyed the story line. Both the main characters are loveable. And their attraction is obvious. An amazing read!

[Rosi]

This is a boss-employee type romance, with some age gap, not much, seven years between both women.

Reyna is the owner and CEO of a financial advisory, she is of Israeli and Arab origin, has created her company from scratch and now the lost of her sister has left her in charge of her 8-year-old nephew. She is overwhelmed by this new responsibility in addition to all the work of her company, with four offices around Australia up and growing.

Zoe, an employee of the company, is attracted to Reyna, her position and her person, but does not believe that this attraction can ever be reciprocal.

A congress that takes place in a paradise resort, makes the two women coincide and then their relationship changes radically. Due to her position, Reyna is distant and sometimes does not seem to empathize with her employees, but it is only because of her high level of work and because she is a bit controlling and not very willing to delegate. Zoe, is an outgoing woman and wants to improve the world as much as she can, so she does not want to miss the opportunity that congress can give her.

Romance is quite typical in the tug of war between heart and reason, especially as far as Reyna is concerned. Zoe is a bit dizzy from Reyna's changes in acting. But the parts of the story that happen in the paradisiacal landscapes of Australia to which the two women travel are very beautiful to read.
In short, for me this has been a pretty good romance that I do not hesitate to recommend.

An advanced reading copy has been sent to me by the publisher Bella Books through Netgalley for my honest review

[Carly]

Okay, so my only reason for 4 stars is that I could have happily read 5 more chapters. I loved both these characters and really wanted to see more of their HEA. The end did feel a little rushed but otherwise an enjoyable read.

[Aleana]

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

It was a nice read a slow building romance.

Reyna is CEO of her financial advisory firm and had just taken in her nephew Holden when her sister and brother in-law died in a car crash as she overwhelm with work and rasing her nephew she doesn't have time for love but her best friends Samira and her husband John thinks she can have love in her life so they try to set her up.

Zoe works for Reyna and she becoming a rising star in the company her best friend Mel and their others friends believe it's time that Zoe get over her feelings for Reyna and starts dating but it's not that simple for her because as her friends set her up she can't seem to shake her feelings for Reyna.

When Reyna and Zoe go away for business and they get close Zoe can't stop herself and kiss Reyna and when Reyna tells her nothing can happen between them because Reyna vow to never get involve with a employee and because she doesn't have time for relationship Zoe accept this but when Zoe is befriend by Reyna friend Jessica while they at the international conference Reyna gets jealous and things heats up between Zoe and Reyna.

Reyna tells Zoe it was a mistake what happen between them and it can never happen again Zoe is hurt when Zoe get a job offer after someone likes her presentation she decide to take because it's a chance of lifetime and also a chance not to see Reyna everyday. Reyna realize she made a mistake and decide to make changes in her life and get Zoe back.

[Danni Mladenovic]

Zoe is a rising star in a new financial company, whose CEO is not only young and very capable, but also very hot Reyna Azoulay. Zoe knows she shouldn't feel that way because nothing is coming from Reyna that should encourage her, but somehow, all the tries with other women fail because of her crush. Reyna is quite persistent to stay distant, because on top of her company, she has to find time for her nephew, that is now living with her, but the business trip is coming, and they are going together...
This was a very nice read. I loved Zoe's character a lot, I think she's well written and quite likable. The only thing I was bothered in this book is their chemistry. Somehow, there's nothing going on between those two up until 70% of the book or something... I almost gave up hoping, thinking "This will be one of the book where the author saves the last two pages to make them announce their love statements to each other and that will be it". It wasn't like that here, but I'm sure some kind of spark or a moment between them could've been put in before.

[Michele]

For her sophomore literary contribution, RL Burgess delivered an engaging and well written story. I enjoyed the characters, their chemistry, the humor, and the heartbreak. The setting of the financial conference in Alice Springs was a special place for Zoe and Reyna to disconnect a bit and focus on something other than work. I would have liked a little more romance in the book, but that's my main suggestion.

I received an ARC from Bella Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[H M]

I LOVED THIS. I can't say How much I enjoyed reading their story. I loved it so much i was disappointed that there was no Ep at the end. I needed to know the progress. I admit there was time where I felt frustrated they seem to let go too fast of each other. I wanted Zoe to tease her more and make her jealous but that's me loving the drama. it's well written book..

I was giving free copy in exchange of honest opinion

[KarenC]

I always enjoy workplace romances, so I was excited to read this. It's a nice solid story with likeable main characters and a low angst level. It felt a little long to me, but it was an enjoyable way to spend a weekend.

[Cindy Stein]

Zoe loves her job as a financial analyst in a firm run by Reyna, who is Zoe's long-time crush. Zoe's friends tell her to forget someone who's unattainable and begin dating. Reyna has recently taken custody of her young nephew after her sister and brother-in-law were killed in a car crash. With that responsibility and her CEO job, she has no time for dating, yet she finds herself attracted to Zoe, but won't break her rule of getting involved with a subordinate.

When the two attend an out-of-town conference and the keynote speaker tries to pursue Zoe, the stakes are raised and Zoe and Reyna end up in bed. But the issues that kept Reyna from pursuing anything are still there, so it's not clear much more can happen.

This was a solid romance with two interesting and well drawn characters. I recommend it as a well written workplace romance. My rating of 4 instead of 5 is about the rather abrupt ending that could have used an epilogue.

[Kirsty]

It’s ok is all I can say about this book. Very lengthy and wordy I think the editor could have cut a few paragraphs for sure without dismantling the entire story. The premise of which was good. I found parts repetitive with the inner dialogue of the characters and to be honest I didn’t feel any emotional connection to the characters. Now this may have been because I came to this book after reading an emotionally charged book so was left a little bereft by that. The book starts to get into a better read after chapter 6. I did however feel the ending was rushed and totally out of character for the two women.

[Melissa]

This was a great book. I really like the power dynamics with boss/employee storylines. Add in longing crushes and kids and I'm a sucker. I will say I like a little more insta-love than this book offers. It's more of a slow burn but I also know that's not a popular opinion. It was nice having different scenes, obviously their work environment, but the conference setting sounded lovely. A change of pace like that is a welcome addition. The characters were a pleasure to read about. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Helen West]

There was a LOT of slow burn in this one, so if that's not your vibe, I wouldn't recommend this one. Kinda felt like it was all set up really nicely and then BAM within 2 chapters everything happened. Which, I know, is how it goes sometimes :) I like the idea of an attraction so all-encompassing that as soon as you give in, everything goes a mile a minute (I may have written something along that vein too lol).
Quite enjoyed this one :)

[SussexCat]

This was very sweet. Zoe has an adorable crush on her boss's boss, Reyna.
Reyna has some pretty serious life things happening outside of work.
Circumstances bring them together briefly and blissfully and then pull them apart.
They are two very sexy women with a sensual chemistry.
I'd like to read a sequel.

[Karen]

This was a pleasant, not very angsty romance between two women who both enjoy working in finance as accountants or advisors or something like that. There are some problems and misunderstadings as there always are, but it worked. It was a relatively quick and satisfying read.