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Shell Grove #1

Reasons Why Not to Date Public Enemy CEO

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What happens when the most hated man in town goes after everyone’s favorite girl-next-door?

Reason #1: Big, bad CEO Aiden Beaumont wears his grumpy mask every day like a badge of honor. Mia Sparks wants nothing more than to honk his nose or throw a pie in his face, à la The Three Stooges, just to see if he’s capable of smiling. Unfortunately, she can’t. Because he’s technically her boss, and she’d like to keep her gig at the new five-star beach resort for longer than two weeks.

Reason #2: Everyone in her small hometown of Shell Grove, SC hates the man. He brought big business to their little beach town, and as far as her fellow citizens are concerned, that makes him the devil incarnate. But he won’t be staying forever, which works for Mia. She doesn’t go for the flashy city types anyway. She’s quite happy living her quiet life in Shell Grove. The faster the cranky—albeit stupidly hot—CEO is out of her life, the better.

Reason #3: Every time Aiden frowns at her, it hits her like a thousand-watt smile. He has a language all his own, and it’s starting to make way too much sense to her. She can’t avoid him in a town the size of a postage stamp, and it finally hits her that…she doesn’t want to escape him. This always-irritated, too-serious businessman couldn’t possibly be the stable safe haven she’s been looking for. Could he?

Aiden knows there’s a million and one reasons to stay away from the sugary sweet Mia. But who runs away from sunshine after living their entire life in a secluded cave? And when someone from her past unexpectedly emerges and tries to drive a wedge between the two of them? All bets are off. Aiden has never lost a fight in the boardroom, and he’s not about to lose the fight for the woman he wants to deserve. He just has to prove to her that he’s not the PUBLIC ENEMY CEO everyone thinks he is.

322 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 21, 2022

24 people are currently reading
2110 people want to read

About the author

Melanie Munton

34 books777 followers
Melanie grew up in the Midwest, but she loves living in the Southeast (where the beaches are!) now with her husband and daughter.
Melanie's other passion is traveling and seeing the world. With anthropology degrees under their belts, she and her husband have made it their goal in life to see as many archaeological sites around the world as possible.

She has a horrible food addiction to pasta and candy (not together...ew). And she gets sad when her wine rack is empty.

At the end of the day, she is a true romantic at heart. She loves writing the cheesy and corny of romantic comedies, and the sassy and sexy of suspense. She aims to make her readers swoon, laugh out loud, maybe sweat a little, and above all, fall in love.

Go visit Melanie's website and sign up for her newsletter to stay updated on release dates, teasers, and other details for all of her projects!
http://www.melaniemunton.com/

You can also follow Melanie on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Goodreads.

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5 stars
39 (17%)
4 stars
74 (32%)
3 stars
71 (31%)
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32 (14%)
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9 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
Profile Image for Travelogged Blogs.
1,494 reviews127 followers
June 13, 2022
I'm not a fan of insta-love which is why the romance was quite off putting for me. Aiden & Mia had good chemistry and the smut was quite a surprise but the pacing of the book was quite wierd. I couldn't understand where exactly a chapter ended tbh. While the plot was well constructed, it failed to keep my attention in some parts. Overall, I liked the side characters like Mia's friends and family and the small town setting was well depicted. But the ending was abrupt and I felt like there wasn't enough development in Mia & Aiden's relationship. The book had potential but it didn't live up to my expectations and ngl, it's easily forgettable.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Kate Whitley.
203 reviews
June 6, 2022
yeah so i completely devoured this book in a matter of two days...

this is the PERFECT book to kick off your summer reading!! i loved aiden and mia's grumpy guy, sunshine girl dynamic so much and the insta-love trope MADE this book such a page-turner. every part of me wishes i got to read this book while sitting on the beaches of Shell Grove, SC and honestly the fact that i can't live there IRL pains me. i can't wait for the rest of this series!!

*ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for AvidReader.
1,426 reviews326 followers
June 22, 2022
This was a sweet, realistic, medium angst, small town romance and I enjoyed it.
There were humour, love, passion, familial bonds and deep friendships.
Hero Aiden was Mia’s Boss (and I enjoyed the office romance aspect so much) but from the beginning itself there was an equality between them. Courtesy of Aiden. He was enamoured with her from the first (hilarious) meeting and treated her accordingly. He was very sensitive man underneath all that grumpy exterior, Very down to earth and simple under that expensive suit.

Mia was such a sweet and simplistic soul. The one who loves and cares for everyone. But what I loved the most about her, the girl knew her mind and didn’t care what others thought about her decision and lived for herself. Like Mia said it didn’t happen overnight but she did it.

Loved the colourful bunch of Mia’s friends. Especially Maggie.. that woman and her pranks were nuts😂. I do admit some of the jokes went right over my head but some made me laugh so much. I also thought hero could’ve handled two scenes with little more maturity.
Sweet epilogue.

Safe.
Profile Image for Bree.
208 reviews
June 19, 2022
You say billionaire romance with the grumpy x sunshine trope and I say SOLD. Add in the forbidden love element and I absolutely devoured this book.

Aiden is a big shot CEO who builds a brand new resort in the small town of Shell Grove. Seeing this new fancy resort go up in their beach community, the town views Aiden as public enemy number one. Mia is Shell Grove local who accepts a job at the new resort despite the very real risk of being alienated from her community. After their first encounter, Mia and Aiden can’t seem to stay away from one another despite any potential relationship being forbidden.

What proceeds next is a swoon worthy slow burn romance full of pining and small town fun. Aiden and Mia are total opposites but they can’t deny their mutual attraction to each other. Aiden is also the definition of boy falls first and harder trope! There’s nothing I love more than a MC needing to stay away from the heroine but not being able to.

Overall, this was a fun, steamy read that is perfect for readers who love workplace romances and grumpy billionaire heroes.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Profile Image for Emily.
5,814 reviews543 followers
June 5, 2022
Mia Sparks saw an opportunity getting a job at the new resort in Shell Grove, SC. Not all the locals feel that way but Mia believes in the long run it will be a asset to the community. What she does not plan on is to keep bumping into CEO Aiden Beaumont who keeps catching her doing other peoples jobs. When Aiden meets Mia, he is intrigued she is different from the other women in his world. He finds himself trying not to think of her especially since he has become public enemy #1 in town. What he does not expect though is Mia sticking up for him, he wants her but could she be happy with someone like him?

This brought a smile to my face, filled with a lot of humor through out the story. I really enjoyed the side characters they really helped with the small town feel of the book. Great read and a enjoyable kick off to a series.
Profile Image for Cassandra.
1,329 reviews106 followers
July 4, 2022
:)

We’ll talk later

It's later.

I definitely worried that this book would not be the one for me but I was so happy to have finished it and actually enjoyed it. It was a nice, light romance with a grumpy/sunshine trope to sink our teeth into. I feel like we were very Spanish Love Deception but in our own way and I enjoyed that even MORE BUT I must say, I really can't deal with the insta-love trope as much as I used to. It's never been my favourite but this time I was able to at least push through even though I was ready to hang it up.

I really did love Aiden and Mia though. I think that's why the insta-love was just ignored after a while. Aiden was trying really hard to win her and the rest of this town over and Mia was the only one willing to give him the time of day to prove he wasn't this money-hungry asshole.

While it wasn't my favourite, I'd definitely reread this in the summer, by a beach.

Thank you NetGalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for elhyza.
247 reviews377 followers
June 9, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

i surprisingly enjoyed this one a lot more than expected as it's definitely not your typical grumpy x sunshine dynamic trope and was glad to see characters in this fast paced romcom having much more dimension to them! mia sparks, a young hardworking divorcée years separated from her high school sweetheart, is the sweet girl everyone in shell grove knows and can rely on. she's now a guest relations manager at The Sapphire, a brand-new resort hotel that all the small townspeople have been accepting in the change in town. aiden beaumont, the ceo of the resort chain, is not the evil corporate man that they've all painted to be in the minds. he's absolutely obsessed with mia at their first awkward meeting as he sees her growth potential when questioning why she's doing duties not up to her position. mia's not exactly a people pleaser type, more like making people happy is what fulfills her in life and that comes into play when she pitches aiden a successful idea of having the hotel have a romantic night/getaway package (discount for the people of shell cove for a short amount of time to help ease their perspective on the resort) and mia is in her element managing those as she is able to curate it to couples' wants.

the romance itself was a bit quick paced whirlwind for me personally, but i still liked that we got to see them connect emotionally at parts as we see them talk about both of their economic hardships growing up but also differences with mia in a loving household versus aiden with an emotionally detached single dad. i wish we didn't have to see mia's ex, rainer try to come back into her life but i understand it was naturally for the sake of a conflict plot device. there's definitely a lot more sexual tension and eventual smut that takes majority of the story rather than plot, nevertheless i still had fun with the small town setting and characters themselves particularly mia's friend group. mia's best friend and cousin, maggie with her penchant for dangerous situations then maggie's best friend finn who she has an interesting dynamic with and others as its intriguing to see all of them who grew up together in shell cove still, different jobs scattered around town. all things considered, i'm actually looking forward to seeing more of shell cove in mia's friends stories with olivia and ben's next, and hopefully maggie and finn's story as well!
Profile Image for Jennifer Sellers.
181 reviews38 followers
July 2, 2022
This was a cute story and I love the premise. Perfect summer read!. Would have been 4 stars, but the smut felt forced that and made the story feel stilted.

If the author would have let the characters take the lead on their dialogue and interaction instead of what her ideas were for the book, it would’ve felt more organic. Can’t wait to watch this author grow into her own. Very much look forward to the rest of this series.
Profile Image for Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog).
5,786 reviews207 followers
June 22, 2022


Amazon / B&N / Apple Books / Kobo

Mia's the sweetheart everyone in her small town loves. She's working at the local resort that's been opened, the resort that has most of the town up in arms. But she needs to pay the bills, so this is her current lot in life. Then a gorgeous, grumpy suit comes along and turns her world upside down. Or more accurately, she turns his world upside down, with one glimpse. All she wants to do is get a smile out of him. All he wants is her. And he means to have her, which is looking good when she pitches him an idea that will require them to work together quite closely.



I love grumpy/sunshine, when done with wit and some fun like Melanie did here with Aiden and Mia. He's focused and closed up, she's sweet and loving, and together the two generate serious sparks. I can't wait to read the next couple who fall in love in this small town series.



ARC provided by Xpresso Book Tours for an honest review.

Review / Blog Tour: Live Through Books Blog.

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Profile Image for Ariel.
642 reviews125 followers
June 9, 2022
This book was so amazing I'm not even sure where to begin! It had clever writing, swoony romance, and a fantastic cast of characters.

I think I need to start with the writing. It was so well done for so many reasons. For one, it was clever. I don't really know how to explain this, but trust me on it. It's clever. Second, Munton did a great job of fleshing out each character's thoughts. I got a really good sense of both Aiden and Mia's personalities, and fears, and joys because their thoughts were well written. It didn't feel like I was slogging through them either. Their thoughts were interesting and actually contributed to the story rather than just being there to get the word count up. Thirdly, this book was funny! Like, actually funny. I laughed out loud multiple different times which is not an easy feat to achieve so props to you Munton.

Moving onto characters...Obviously, I loved the two main characters, Mia and Aiden. They were likable, relatable, and funny. But what really impressed me about this book were the well-thought-out side characters. I got a really good sense of their distinct personalities even though they weren't the center of attention in this book. Also, getting to know them decently well in this book just upped my excitement for when they get their own books in this series.

Next, I have to comment on the romance. It was swoony and heartwarming and everything. I swear, Aiden was in love with Mia from page one and I was here for it. They had their issues to work through and I think they were handled really well. I love these two so much and I hope I get to see more of them in the future books of this series!

I wish I could bottle up the feeling this book gave me so I could feel the feels whenever I like. If you're looking for a swoony beach read, this is the one!

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed a gifted and advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Profile Image for Charity (Booktrovert Reader).
836 reviews634 followers
March 7, 2023

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Reasons Why Not to Date Your Public Enemy CEO by Melanie Munton is a summer read to pick up for 2022. It has a great story and fun characters that you will fall in love with. This is a grumpy to sunshine trope that will have you smiling at the pair.

Though the smut that was in this book was a little unexpected for me and wish there was a smut warning label on books. As a result, it is a part of the book that I didn't care for. However the smut it is not my cup of tea in a contemporary romance, I still really enjoyed this book.

Reasons Why Not to Date Public Enemy CEO starts with Mia who is the guest relation employee of The Sapphire Hotel in Shell Grove, SC. She is cleaning the pool and accidentally throws a dead squirrel at none other than Aiden Beaumont who is the CEO of the hotel.

Although Aiden is completely off limits for Mia since he is her boss. She can’t help but understand him and feel totally drawn to him. While they get closer, Mia realizes that there is something underneath that grumpy exterior of Aiden's.

As previously stated that is not my cup of tea is the sexual tension between the two and you can tell in their dirty thinking of each other. The dirty talk. The smut scene. A little more than what I am used to when it comes to contemporary romances these days. If that is your jam, then certainly this is for you.

But other than that, there are genuine moments between the two as they share about their lives and who they are as people. Then there are those moments that have those connections on emotional levels that are cute.

In short, this is a fast and easy summer read that I can recommend for someone that is looking for a sweet and spicy read.
Profile Image for Natalia.
623 reviews11 followers
June 11, 2022
A new book by Melanie Munton is a book to grab without hesitation, every romance reader, every romcom or smut lover has to read her
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The chemistry of her characters, that impossible attraction that holds glances and leaves you trying to imagine the gestures they're doing is something very exquisite and so well done
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This is the first book in a new series in the small town called Shell Grove, a grumpy- sunshine between the ceo of the new hotel complex and the guest service employee
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Aiden is the CEO of a corporation that establishes luxury hotels throughout the country, in small towns where large corporations are not well accepted. Shell Grove is no different, which is why he prefer to stay inside his office until something catches his eyes
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Mia Sparks is the good girl next door, born and raised in Shell Grove, she knows everyone and everyone knows her family, although that does not prevent popular discomfort because she works for public enemy number one, but when she finally has her first meeting with the devil in person she realizes that it is only myth and fantasy, under that grumpy and closed man there is another totally different one. And the instant attraction she feels towards him is something that she needs to find reasons to not to act on
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Slow burn, steamy, heartwarming with two beautiful and perfect characters for each other in a small town full of characters that I want to keep reading about, this book is a solid five stars for me
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Thanks to Melanie Munton and Xpresso Book Tours for give me this beautiful book in exchange for my honest opinion I really enjoyed it
Profile Image for Alina.
145 reviews5 followers
June 25, 2022
If there is a rich character who wants to spoil the main character I WILL definitely be reading.

I liked the way Mia develops in the course of the book, because I identified with her, pretending she doesn't care what others say but still doing everything to make others think positively of her? Mia, you and I are the same girl.

I also liked to see how Aiden is able to develop in a different environment than the one he is used to.

Aiden and Mia's relationship is so cute and the fact that Aiden is playing the "boy obsessed" card is everything!!!

This is a fun book that has all the feeling of summer so it's definitely a good one to add to your summer reading list.

(Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review)
Profile Image for Neermboop.
260 reviews46 followers
July 29, 2022
✅️ RomCom
✅️ Grumpy/Sunshine
✅️ Office/Boss Romance
✅️ Small Town Romance

Let me start by saying this book had me giggling so many times! 😂

Loved the characters and the side characters so much! (Maggie- I'm talking to you!!! 🙌🎆)

Mia Sparks starts working for a large hotel in her small(ish) town. She has a hilarious meet cute with her boss's boss, Aiden Beaumont, while squirrel fishing.... 😂🐿🎣

Aiden is a protective, possesive grump who starts falling for the good girl-next-door sweetheart. 😍

This is definitely not a clean romance book 😉 so steer clear if you don't like some spice! 🌶🔥

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this eARC!
Profile Image for 🦉Maggie Whitworth.
3,254 reviews112 followers
June 13, 2022
❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

Not bad writing, amusing banter and entertaining characters.

I’ve read this lady before and enjoyed it so this was a given.
It wasn’t as good as the last one , but it did keep me entertained and I thought the characters were good, great chemistry between them.
I would read others by her without doubt.

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review
Profile Image for Tala.
105 reviews27 followers
June 20, 2022
Thank you NetGalley for the arc
2.5⭐️
if you’re looking for a quick and light summer read then you might enjoy this book
It has grumpy/sunshine and workplace tropes which I love, however it can be considered insta love which is not my favourite.
The formatting and writing of some parts of the book made it hard for me to get through and I had to skim through them.

Profile Image for Hannah J.
36 reviews3 followers
June 11, 2022
I just couldn't do it. I tried. The writing felt immature, and in the age of body positivity, the book depicted having curves in a very negative way. Maybe I'm not the target audience. Just a few things that crawled under my skin:

"Monster-ating" in place of menstruating.

"They just needed to bang like bunnies so they could see how fire they'd be together."

"She hadn't been overweight by any means, but she'd had some extra pounds here and there that had kept her in a one-piece bathing suit all throughout her youth. After going on a diet and workout regimen in college, she'd shed the slight chubbiness and slimmed up."

"While Mia, on the other hand, hadn't had the metabolism of a twelve-year-old even when she was twelve. It had taken her most of her youth to shed her baby fat, which had made her appear heavier than most of her friends. She hadn't really been chubby, but compared to Olivia and Maggie, she might as well have been the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man."
Profile Image for Thalia Ohh.
196 reviews85 followers
June 7, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5/5
🌶 1/5

Aiden Beaumont is seen (by the small beach town of Shell Groves) as the Evil Emperor. By buying land and expanding his company within this small town, this handsome CEO had some residents despising him and other’s enjoying the business his company brought to their little shops. Mia, being the Shell Grove’s sweetheart, only radiated positivity and wanted her town to see what great opportunities Aiden’s company can bring to them, even though she wanted to see if her grumpy boss had more facial expressions to offer besides scowling. But after a while, even his frowning, lit her up like fireworks, making Mia fall for him even though she had plenty of reasons not to.

Tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine

There were so many things I enjoyed about this book! The banter between Aiden & Mia. The realistic way their relationship played out.

The relationship Mia and Maggie have, was so freakin amazing & wholesome 🥺! I mean that scene that mentions them watching Bridgerton together?! That’s exactly how I spend my evening, talking about Anthony & Kate with my bestie!

all the friendships mentioned in the book, really painted the story of a small town with an amazing group of close knit friends. I loved that and I loved wanting to guess who the next book couples are going to be in this series.

There were some scenes in where I was like “really, Aiden?! Mia should definitely slap you for that!”

& some where I was like 🥵 “my, my Mr. Beaumont” (in a southern accent while clutching my pearls, of course)

I’m not really into the Insta-love trope but the way it was written didn’t make it seem like it was insta love for me. Yes they both outright thought the other was attractive but didn’t right away express those feelings to each other and that’s what I liked about it.

Literally only reason why it’s not a 5 ⭐️ for me is because there was no epilogue. Don’t get me wrong, the ending was great. I’m just a sucker for an epilogue that’s YEARS into their future together. But maybe we’ll get glimpses of them over the next books in this series.

I already can’t wait!

“I want Solomon Burke in the kitchen with you, honey.” He rasped softly

*Thank You Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review
Profile Image for Lulye.
108 reviews2 followers
June 26, 2022
TLDR : Spicy small town romance with likeable characters. It was too long in my opinion. But it has a great atmosphere for a light summer read. Medium angst. I would recommend it for people who like romcoms but also want some spice in them.

***

Three stars. I liked the main characters a lot and how they interacted with each other. I also loved how much Aiden was simping for Mia, it was swoon-worthy and heartbreaking at the same time. Also funny. But, this was just too long. It should be cut down to half I’d even say. All the shenanigans involving the cousin could’ve been put in her own book, since it seems like she’ll be getting one. The third act conflict felt forced but I appreciated how quickly it was resolved through communication.

I think I would’ve appreciated this book more if it had a bit more direction. A lot of interesting plot points occurred but they weren't really explored. For example, .

So that’s why I’m giving it three stars. I appreciated the chemistry and the sizzle but sometimes it’s not enough to carry the whole book, especially if the book is this long. Which takes me back to where I started : if this book was shorter, it would be a four-star read for me.

***

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I thank the author and the publishing team for providing me with this review copy.
Profile Image for the carat reader | sv ᥫ᭡..
145 reviews7 followers
June 20, 2022
In Reasons Why Not to Date Public Enemy CEO, we follow Mia Sparks — the beloved small-town girl of Shell Grove who can’t quite seem to know what she’s meant to do — and Aiden — the grumpy and big shot CEO of a new resort that disrupted the peaceful life in Shell Grove. Needless to say, he’s Shell Grove’s number one most hated man.

This book is a whirlwind grumpy/sunshine romance, which kind of hinted at an enemies-to-lovers trope, but doesn’t quite get there.

I honestly can’t put a finger on what’s so off about this book, but it was honestly quite disappointing. This couple would definitely break up years into their relationship. I guess that’s how best I can put it.

What I enjoyed about this book is the friendship between Mia and her group of friends. I enjoyed their banter and care for each other. I especially love how playful Maggie is. The friendship is genuine and something that was quite well-developed in the book. I would have liked to see deeper into that, though.

What was disappointing was the pace of Aiden and Mia’s relationship. I understand it is love-at-first-sight but there was just not enough build-up to enjoy. It went from zero to one hundred real quick. It’s hard for me to grasp that this is a “romantic” or a “romance” book because it just felt like one whole book of sexual frustration. I felt like Aiden and Mia didn’t really connect, or if they did, the reader was left out of it. There weren’t as many sparks as I expected,

Oh, and okay, I get it that they were both so horny towards each other but… sex to prove her love? That’s a red flag, isn’t it? And in some parts, it feels like Mia’s being objectified. I’m trying my best to understand that it happens, but it’s just a no from me with how it was done here.

I’ll have to be honest though, this book is funny and enjoyable, so it’s not entirely bad.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher/author for the eARC. I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Daisy Knox.
Author 4 books37 followers
June 22, 2022

More reviews posted at Tales of Love, Life, and Murder

Mia is a small-town girl who doesn’t know what she wants to do with her life but when a fancy resort decides to call Shell Grove SC home, she’s happy to work there. A lot of residents hate the new development and resent the intrusion into their community but Mia enjoys her job, maybe even a little too much. She’s a people pleaser who doesn’t like to say no so Mia’s always filling in for someone or jumping in to save the day. She wears a lot of hats and probably spreads herself too think but she doesn’t know any other way. But when Aiden Beaumont, the CEO and most hated man in Shell Grove, comes to town, he’s both concerned and intrigued by the lengths she’ll go to in order to keep things running smoothly.

Aiden appreciates that but instead of telling her so, he criticizes her instead. I loved this book from the beginning, when she accidentally ruined his suit with a dead squirrel. That instantly took the top spot as my favorite meet-cute. Mia’s a little intimidated by Aiden but she tries not to let it show and the resulting banter is delightful.

They fall fast and hard but this is her home and he’s a loathsome outsider so he doesn’t think a relationship can work. Mia just wants him to have faith in her and take her words at face value but that’s easier said than done. This is a lovely start to a new series. Aiden and Mia’s story is funny, sweet and fun to read.
829 reviews13 followers
May 20, 2022
This first book in the Shell Grove Series by Melanie Munton checks every single box for me! Reasons Why Not to Date Public Enemy CEO was such a fun and charming read. As soon as I started reading it, I knew it was going to end much too soon. You know when you don’t want to read it too fast because you know it’ll be over too soon? Yep, most of Ms. Munton’s books are catnip for me – they’re everything I love and adore in contemporary romance, but “small town” romance is definitely in my top 3 and Shell Grove is the epitome of a beachy small town. I want to meet all the people who live there, even though they may appear “nosy” and know everything about everyone. Mia and Aiden together were absolute perfection. Aiden “appears” to be the grumpy CEO and Mia is sweet as honey and pure sunshine, so you can imagine the fireworks that happen when these two get together! Mia is originally from Shell Grove so you can surmise that she knows everyone and everyone knows Mia – another aspect I love about small town romances. Not only is this a delightful small town romance, it’s also sexy, flirty and emotional. Ms. Munton’s writing is always exceptional in that I feel like I personally know each and every character she writes – whether it’s the main characters or the secondary ones, they are all so well developed. If you’re looking for a thoroughly enjoyable opposites attract romance with steamy times and all the “feels” make sure you get this first book in this series. I’m grateful to have been given the opportunity to read an early copy of this book for my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Karen.
96 reviews6 followers
August 14, 2022
I was drawn to this one because of the premise and the title seemed cute enough, but it was such a let down.

The first half of the book was cute, I liked the banter between Mia and her friends, and some of the exchanges between her and Aiden were fun and entertaining. It seemed to be going well because it didn't feel like a "rushed romance" where they meet and they're professing their everlasting love to each other, instead they were taking their time interacting with each other and seeing where their attraction led.

I was starting to like this book until their inner monologues became all about lusting for each other and their sexual needs. There wasn't enough romance to convince me to connect with the characters or believe their story. It just seemed like we jumped time so we could believe they were taking their time with each other, but we didn't see that.

The biggest problem with this novel is that the monologue in Aiden's head when it came to Mia was to objectify her every chance he got. Even when there was something cute going on, he had to ruin it because he couldn't control himself.. he was so gross. When they finally got together he became this possessive and jealous man that just seemed out of nowhere and it was so off putting. He asked to prove her love by performing oral sex on him... that's not it...he also went down on her when she was still sleeping.. what???

It should've been an easy read but it took me weeks to get through it. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Profile Image for Samantha.
28 reviews2 followers
June 18, 2022
As any lover of romance books knows, every great love story starts with a dead squirrel. Or maybe that's just this one...

Aiden and Mia's story is a perfect love story. From their instant attraction to working through their lifestyle difference, you can't help but root for them. their chemistry goes from sweet to spicy in a matter of moments and let me tell you, Aiden Beaumont is a man after my own heart. His hard exterior can only be softened by a curly haired blonde named Mia Sparks. Their relationship is so wonderfully written as they figure their was through small town opinions, unexpected guests, and good lord, some damn hot sexual attraction.

Not only do we get two wonderfully romantic leads, but the abundance of side characters fills this book with so much life. Mia's family and friends bring joy, laughter, and...more potential romance to this book, which only makes the reader look forward to more Shell Grove!

Reasons Why Not to Date Public Enemy CEO is an amazing read for any romance lover out there and you NEED to check it out on release day!!

Special thanks to Xpresso Book Tours and Netgalley for proving me with an Advanced Reader Copy!

tropes: workplace romance, small town romance, grumpy/sunshine
Profile Image for Danielle Lashmett.
102 reviews9 followers
June 21, 2022
SWOON! This was a wonderfully sweet and spicy rom com that had me laughing, nearly-crying, and tingling in all the right places!

Shell Grove is a breath-taking small seaside town where everyone knows everything about everyone.. except the CEO of the new resort in town. Everyone just thinks they know everything about Aiden. He is the grumpy, rigid, career focused CEO that’s in town for a few weeks getting his new business established. Mia on the other hand is the sweet, kind, girl next door that everyone adores who found a job working at the new resort. The pair find themselves drawn together like magnets in this fast-paced workplace romance.

Personally, I loved this book and would recommend it as a great summer read for romance lovers who don’t mind a little smut. The only reason why I wouldn’t rate it 5 stars is because of the dirty talk in the smut. It was slightly distracting to me but didn’t deter from my intrigue of the story and its characters overall. I also fell in love with some of the other characters in the book and am hoping to get to read Maggie and Finn’s story in the future!

*ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Helpless Reads.
287 reviews
June 20, 2022
Book Review:
2.5 ⭐️’s

I went into this book unsure how I’d feel after reading other reviews, but then realized I was genuinely enjoying it. It felt like it would end up being somewhere between 3.5 - 4 stars for me. I enjoyed that it was an ongoing romance and I found much of the dialogue and banter to be funny. However, I couldn’t get past the change of tense in the writing every time the author used the word “whenever”. It was so glaringly obvious and I don’t know how that made it past editing. It was ok to overlook the first couple of times, but it was throughout the entire book and it just confused me. The ending was ok. After enjoying most of their relationship, it was a bit abrupt to have to deal with an immature conflict that shouldn’t have happened.

Also, I absolutely couldn’t get on board with how much talk there was about Mia either needing to loose weight or the emphasis on how and when she did “shed her chubbiness”. Unacceptable and rubbed me the wrong way.

Overall I think many may like this book, but ultimately it was not for me.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for a review.
Profile Image for Stephanie Rhodes.
76 reviews1 follower
June 3, 2022
After finishing this cute little gem of a book, I am dreaming of small town beach life. Reasons Why Not to Date Public Enemy CEO is the first in the Shell Grove series, and a perfect summer read!

Aidan and Mia complemented each other so well, and I’m always a sucker for a grumpy/sunshine romance. Aiden, the CEO of the company that Mia works for, has always been focused on his career and didn’t view himself as someone deserving of love. Mia has finally found a job where she can make other people happy, and she shines right through Aiden’s grumpy facade.

I loved the characters and the small town setting. There were so many characters introduced at the beginning, but after a few chapters of figuring out who everyone was, they became the perfect friend/family group you want to read more about. I can’t wait for other characters to get their own story told!

If you’re looking for a light, steamy, beach read, look no further!

*ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Mia.
15 reviews3 followers
June 15, 2022
FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!

I finished this story within a day and it was such a pleasure! 'Reasons why not to date public enemy CEO is a steamy ,rom-com, grumpy/sunshine, enemies-to-lovers, office romance, beach read, small town story taking place in Shell Grove and filled with sexual tension.

I devoured this book completely through! It's a perfect summer read for when you're laying at the beach! I wish i could reread it again for the first time on my vacation to Spain in a few weeks!

Mia Sparks is the perfect girl next door and is always there for the ones close to her. She's working a small job but that changes when a certain CEO from Jacksonville arrives to the small Shell Grove. The Stigma around Aidan makes him restrain himself, but in the end, his desire for Mia is too strong, and they fall into a deep and exciting romance.

Perfect for fans of 'The Fine Print' and 'It happened one summer'!

This is a great kick-start to the new series of Shell Grove and I cannot wait to get back to Shell Grove for the next book 'Reasons not to date your Nemesis'!
Profile Image for rowan.
63 reviews2 followers
June 17, 2022
i wasn't expecting to love this one as much as i did but trust and believe, i ate this bad boy up!

normally, it doesn't take me an entire week t finish a book that i'm so interested in but because it was my final week of school, i could only sneak in chapters during my lunch break. like it was bad for me.

anywhosie, let me tell you why i loved this book. it was cheesy and it had heart, and those are two factors i love in a contemporary romance. i never disliked mia during my time reading this, which if i'm going to be honest, i wanted to, i reeeeaalllyyy wanted to. but she's just so loveable it hurts. and aiden. his character growth literally had me cheering.

this book definitely wasn't perfect. i'm a sucker for dual povs and i think the writing would've excelled if it utilized it. as i said before, it was a little corny. i loved it, it's what i was expecting, i just know a lot of people would be thrown off by it. overall, i had an amazing time reading this book! thank you so much to netgallery & xpresso book tours for allowing me to read this one early.
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