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Company Ink

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Office intrigue takes on a whole new meaning in this story of love, friendship, and the secrets hiding behind boardroom doors...

The Company has a rule about falling in love on the job.

I've never been one for rules. But I need this one. I need this rule to remind me why I can't be with Dani Wallace.

I need this smart little foul-mouthed fighter by my side more than I need her in my bed. I need her to close this massive deal. She thinks it holds the key to her escape from cubicle hell and another shot at the life she always wanted.

But there is more riding on our success than she can possibly ever know. So I'll keep my hands to myself and my secrets safe for one more day.

But now I can't stop wondering what my best friend has on beneath her conservative suit. I can't stop imagining the things that sharp mouth of hers could do to me if I leaned back in my chair and unzipped my pants. And I can't stop pushing our flirting too far.

I'm trying to remember the rule. But some rules are made to be broken.

245 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 13, 2018

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About the author

Kat Colburn

1 book21 followers
Kat Colburn has always made up stories, but she just recently started writing them down. She believes in the magic of a good book and the power of the right story to find you when you need it most.

When she’s not creating stories with strong kick-ass heroines she spends her time wrangling fuzzy rescue creatures to take their medicine, reading, and discovering new trails to hike.

Company Ink is her debut novel.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
Profile Image for Cristiina♡Reads.
577 reviews3,429 followers
February 26, 2018
➳Angst, meet friends to lovers, meet office romances, meet two main characters that fight for the love that they grow to acquire and the present admiration that they have for each other...



➳As a big fan of office romances, this one was a 70% winner for me. The first time Dan and Dani meet (yes those are their names), they both encounter upon the chemistry that they both have. To me, I didn't it as an instant kind of chemistry, but it is a chemistry that throughout time started to grow more and more for the sake of them both working together over seas and in the states.

➳Dani, an individual who struggles with the life of not having too much money, doing a job that she has no sort of passion towards, and slowly falling in love with someone whom stated by HR is not a possibility she would be able to be with because of the company's code of conduct for fraternizing with your co-worker, she is also an individual that fights and cares for those she ultimately loves. She is a fighter of a character and that is something that I found refreshing to read for sure.

➳Throughout the story, we start to realize that Dan is a guy with a big secret that he is trying to keep away from Dani, because he knows that he can hurt her if she ever found out the truth about him. That's something that I found rather... irritating to follow? Because I would have preferred an instant acknowledgment of telling Dani the truth, instead of roaming and running around the bush.

➳Overall, I found this romance novel appealing for those are looking for an angsty- friends-to-lovers romance. Thank you to Kat for providing a copy of your novel, I will be looking forward to more of your books for sure!

➳Copy kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review...

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Profile Image for ~**Anna**~ A Romance Reader.
617 reviews320 followers
April 19, 2018
*3.5 stars*

This was a cute, friends to lovers, office romance. I really liked Dan and Dani and their slow burn relationship. Its nice to see 2 characters that know each other before they start a relationship, to me its makes it a little more realistic. This doesn´t mean they don't feel attracted to each other from the start, because they do. They have great chemistry together and I was patently waiting for them to get together, so when they finally do I was so happy!

Overall this was a good contemporary romance. I'll be in the look out for more books by this author for sure!

arc
Profile Image for Dianne.
6,790 reviews586 followers
March 27, 2018
Dani Wallace is outwardly strong and confident with a smart mouth and an attitude, but she has been hurt and betrayed by a man she trusted with her heart and more. Dani learned the hard way to never mix business with romance, besides, she has responsibilities, so like her little cubicle or not, she is in for the long haul.

Dan is the new boss, confident, intelligent and completely off limits. Dan also is hiding secrets and he needs someone as intelligent and sharp as Dani working with him without exposing himself. Together these two could land a huge deal, expose Dani’s true worth and more, much, much more, but that is part of Dan’s secret.

Who knew they could develop a best friend relationship as they trotted the globe, shared meals, ideas and even movie time without getting emotionally involved? Or was that really possible?

Kat Colburn’s COMPANY INK is one of those sweet, funny and sometimes heart wrenching romances that is a pure reading delight! I absolutely loved Dani! She is “that” woman who has been hurt, keeps it buried deep, but when the time comes for some sweet revenge with the help of Dan, it is priceless, absolutely priceless! Dan lets us know he has crossed the line with his feelings and there is more to him than good looks, a clearly honed business acumen and a no-nonsense approach to the 9 to 5 grind. We are lucky enough to get inside both of their minds and hearts and yes, yes it is a fabulously delicious journey!

Sure, contemporary romance has been done in the office, but Kat Colburn has something special here, something that feels like a breath of fresh air on a spring day! She brings this tale to life with two characters that jump off the pages directly into our hearts with her gift for storytelling and her ability to make us smile, page after page. Sure there is some angst, but trust me, this is a romantic’s dream read!

I received a complimentary review copy from Kat Colburn

Publication Date: December 7, 2017
Publisher: Kat Colburn
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy
Print Length: 249 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Profile Image for Amanda Bordner.
775 reviews
April 14, 2018
This book was everything I could have wanted and hoped for from a coworkers/friends to lovers story.

Dan and Dani were such well developed characters and their story seriously had me hooked from their first interaction. Dani works hard but feels stuck in a job she has no passion for. I really related to that on a personal level because I am going through a similar thing at work. Add in her new coworker that she has been specifically told to stay away from, and you’ve got a recipe for one great story.

Really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to see what else Kat has up her sleeve!
Profile Image for Nerdy Dirty & Flirty.
3,985 reviews349 followers
March 15, 2018
-Kacie, 5 stars

This story was captivating and bewitching. I already want to read it again to find little snippets I missed the first time.

At first, I was a little undecided about this book. I was intrigued because it’s different from the usual books I read and I couldn’t seem to figure it out. As I continued reading, the story and the characters sucked me in. I HAD to know what was going to happen.

I love Dani. I found her to be extremely relatable. She’s strong and confident, yet unsure of herself. She is a nurturer. She stayed in a job she hates to take care of her friends until the end and she stayed to help her family. I love the close relationship she has with her family. Dani doesn’t see herself the same way Dan sees her, I think that’s what I love most about her. She’s oblivious to it all.

I wasn’t too sure of Dan in the beginning. He was part of what I couldn’t figure out. I like reading from his point of view to get his thoughts and perspective on Dani. My love of Dan came when Dani’s Mom was in the hospital. He invited her family to stay with him, he bought a ton of groceries, but most importantly he took care of her. He made it his job to take care of her. I love that they were best friends before they decided to be anything more.

I cannot wait to read more books by Kat Colburn. She absolutely knocked this one out of the park for me!
Profile Image for Carol (StarAngel's Reviews) Allen.
1,687 reviews609 followers
March 28, 2018
*****4.5 Workplace Stars*****

This book was generously provided in exchange for an honest review.

What a fantasy of falling in love on the job and sneaking around as to not get caught. I found myself completely wrapped up in the story and the romance/angst between Dan and Dani!

I absolutely LOVED Dani's character and her smart mouth...such a great fictional woman for me to want to be!

You will find yourself drawn into this story and not wanting to put your Kindle or book down, just to get more of Dan and Dani!

I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves stories of getting past the untouchable!
Profile Image for Amy .
2,837 reviews
June 7, 2018
Actual Rating 3.5 Stars!

Company Ink is the debut novel from author Kat Colburn. Company Ink is told from dual points of view and follows the story of Dan and Dani. Dani is smart, outgoing, and has a total mind of her own. She is anything but ordinary. I loved her confidence and that she had insecurities just like everyone else. She’s had a bad run with love and is now focusing on her career. What she wasn’t planning on was her new boss Dan. He’s smart, confident and totally off-limits. Despite the mutual attraction these two have for one another, mixing business with pleasure would be a recipe for disaster. So, despite the connection these two have, they are determined to be just friends. Only being just friends proves easier said than done……

Overall, I thought this book was a really good debut novel. I’m a huge sucker for office place/friends to lovers romances, so I knew I just had to give this one a try. I loved Dani & Dan together and thought they were pretty easy to connect with. I adored their friendship and the slow burn/build to their relationship. The journey to happily ever after wasn’t an easy one for these two. Not only did they have the office place obstacles in their way, but Dan was hiding a pretty big secret that had to the power to ruin everything. And I for one couldn’t wait to see how things were going to play out between.

As far as debut novels go, I enjoyed this one. Company Ink was a quick and easy read for me. One that I easily finished in a single afternoon. I thought the overall story-line was fun and it intrigued me. I loved the forbidden aspect to the story and the friendship between our two main characters. I thought this story had just the right amount of steam and drama with a dash of suspense. I think this author has a lot of great potential and I look forward to checking out more from her in the future.

*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for DG Book Blog - Daisy Gal.
375 reviews16 followers
October 19, 2018
4.5 Stars!

One of my favorite things is stumbling upon new Indie Authors with debut books that really hit it out of the park, and Company Ink by Kat Colburn is definitely one of them!

I really enjoyed Dan and Dani’s characters in the story and really felt for Dani on many levels! She faced so many challenges in her life with not only her job but dealing with her mother’s health and the responsibility of keeping her family afloat with all of the medical bills. I really admired how Dani carried the weight of the world on her shoulders, but somehow still managed to keep her wits about her.

My favorite was Dani’s snarky and honest humor about it all and how Dan ate every bit of it up! He was so mysterious, and although intimidating at first, Dani’s personality was just what he needed to lighten up. Together they were such a great complement to each other, and their slow burning sizzle just about killed me. It was so perfect in the story!

The story was very well written, and I really enjoyed the complex and consuming storyline. It was told from both Dani and Dan’s point of views, which pulled on my emotions. Specifically, the foreshadowing from Dan’s perspective really kept me on my toes, and there was so much intrigue and many suspenseful twists throughout the story that I did not see coming at all!

Company Ink was such an enjoyable read and a fantastic debut for Kat Coburn!

Copy kindly provided by the author in exchange of an honest review.

Read more of my reviews at: DG Book Blog

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Profile Image for Wonder Tre Reads -Tre Harris.
1,236 reviews28 followers
March 22, 2018
For a debut book I was rather impressed with this authors work. Company Ink is a slow building office romance with a friends to lovers twist added into it as well. I love the personality of Dani from the start, seeing that this woman follows the rules set before her but still finds a way to add her personal touches at all times even if it’s just earrings shows you that she is confident and self assured. Glen is an absolute ass and I cannot stand him from the moment his backstory is shared with us. Dan had me assuming a whole other side to him for quite a while in this story and the turn when secrets were revealed- the grin on my face wouldn’t leave from that point forward. There were so many moments I was yelling at my kindle to take another path then the one chosen but as they say, the wait is absolutely worth it in the end. I finished this story with tears in my eyes, as I was as reading I was shocked and couldn’t believe the words before me. This author has a new follower and I cannot wait to see what the future holds. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
Profile Image for Dani (Dani Reviews Things).
542 reviews290 followers
April 13, 2018
I'm going to quietly step in here and leave my review, as everyone else seemed to love it, and I don't want to rock the boat too much. All I'll say is that apparently this book is 247 pages in print, but it felt much longer and slower. To the point that I reached page 74, got frustrated, and skipped to page 200. I wanted to love this book considering the main character is named Dani, is a techie, and doesn't like when people lie, but alas, I will just slip away in my black sheepiness.

P.S. On Amazon, this is subtitled as a friends-to-lovers office romance, but the hero and heroine are not friends before this book begins, so I think that's a bit of a lie...
Profile Image for Babs.
Author 13 books189 followers
March 11, 2018
Company Ink was a little different for me as I don’t normally read first person POV’s. Dani and Dan was not a bad read I rather liked the different point of views as you could see more into their characters.

Dani and Dan meet and the encounter was not like love or chemistry at first site. It grows between them. As they grow closer they are both starting to fall for each other but Dan has secrets that could blow the while thing up in their faces.

I liked Dani as she is a strong woman who speaks her mind. Dan is a great guy who is a great friend. It’s what makes them perfect for each other. There are some laugh out moments and you want this relationship to work out. An enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Llaph .
1,054 reviews27 followers
February 17, 2018
This book was awesome; it had a touch of everything and was not what I was expecting for an office romance. I sometimes find books set in first person hard to read, but this one flowed smoothly and grabbed my attention from the start. The PoVs were well done; being both Dani’s and Dan’s which lent more depth to the story by adding each of their takes on situations. I loved Dan and Dani, each had their hidden depths and it took the other and time to reveal them. It was a slow burn romance that was perfectly paced to make me fall in love with them as I read. I would recommend this to someone looking for more than the typical as it pleasantly surprised me.
The rest of my review
Profile Image for  MaLuReads❤️DirtyDarkBooks.
422 reviews88 followers
March 12, 2018

★3.5 Stars★

This book was so much, it was awesome and so unexpected, for many reasons. I really like it and enjoyed reading it.

Dani is a shell, a shadow of the woman she once was. Once, she was a happy woman, she loved and she was loved, she created her job/company, (it was her baby), she had friends and she loved her life, only now...she hated everything.

Nina Dobrev, I love her she is perfect and flawless she knows how to act, playing like 3 different characters in different personalities in The Vampire Diaries. By the way, my favorite TV show.

Her fiancée cheated on her and when he sold their company, he kept the money for him, she didn't receive anything. She kept working for the company, being the single woman there and although she was very good at her job, she was very unappreciated, because she was a woman. The only reason she kept working there was her mother illness. She had to pay for her treatment. With a big contract on the line, and she hoped it was the last...she meets Dan.

I admire Ian for all of the awesome things he is doing to help our world along with the animals in it. He has a passion for people and making the world a better place. I'll always be a fan of someone who wants to better the world.

Dan is a total mystery, and I'm not going to spill anything more because, in my opinion, he is the essence of the book. I loved him from the start to the end of the book.
Their attraction is instantaneous and the chemistry between is off the charts. They try to fight it, and most of the time they succeed. And I truly understand, because their friendship is unique. They grow slowly.

Nina & Ian (http://25.media.tumblr.com/68a123b214c5e17315cbb2ef039a1200/tumblr_mpmr7gtvwF1sy2l1fo1_250.gif)

I'm not a friend-to-lovers kinda girl, but this one right here I truly enjoyed. It was a great read, funny, emotional, sweet. We see their friendship grew more and more.
The book is written in both Dani and Dan POV. The only things I didn't enjoy it was the details about the company and about the sells.

The story was very good, but sometimes the action was really slow. So...if you are looking for a sweet fun loving story and especially a friends-to-lovers story you should give this book a chance...

You won't regret it!...and I like the other cover, too. 😜

Here are some deleted scenes:

Company Ink – Deleted Scene 1

Company Ink – Deleted Scene 2

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My reviews are posted on DirtyBooksObsession

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Profile Image for Jennifer.
750 reviews13 followers
March 11, 2018
Don't you just love it when you discover a new book that you fall in love with? You eagerly go to Amazon to buy more of their books because it was so fantastic, but then you discover it is their only book!! This is my struggle today because I have fallen in love with Company Ink and the uber-talented author, Kat Colburn - only to remember after reading that this is her debut novel (which still seems unbelievable). 

Moving on, Company Ink is a funny, fresh, and unique friends-to-lovers romance about Dan and Dani. Dani Wallace is stuck in a thankless, miserable job at a failing company after her and her ex-fiancee created a software start-up and he left her high and dry for someone else. Dan Kelly is heading up a potentially huge sales account to a company in Tokyo and wants Dani on his team. Not only do Dan and Dani make a great professional team, but they become inseparable best friends that also have some serious secret feelings towards each other. 

I have read plenty of office romance novels, but again, Company Ink is very different. However, I can't exactly explain why or it would ruin the suspense and surprise. Anyway, there are plenty of sexy and steamy scenes between Dan and Dani but even better is the incredible bond they form as friends. We all need a "Dan" in our lives to come to our rescue as he so frequently did for Dani. The emotions are honest and heartfelt, demonstrated by the outstanding writing and dialogue throughout the novel and Colburn's magical ability to bring the characters' tension and anticipation to life. When they were sad, I felt it. When they were happy, I felt it. Most importantly, when they laughed, I laughed! This novel has several funny moments ranging from cheeky sarcasm to laugh-out-loud moments, especially when Dani would throw out one of her negative but quite colorful thoughts or comments. 

Kat Colburn's debut is smart, funny, emotional, and addictive. Besides the entertaining and suspenseful plot, the amazing characters, and the humor - the writing and editing are flawless - no missed typos in this one fellow readers! The talent demonstrated in Company Ink suggests a much more seasoned author and my hope is that she continues to receive recognition and praise, as well as, treats us all to another novel very soon.

*Thanks to Kat Colburn for allowing me the pleasure to read and honestly review this novel!
Profile Image for ✰  BJ's Book Blog ✰Janeane ✰.
2,841 reviews12 followers
March 9, 2018
Copy received from author for an honest review

Sweet, cute, sexy friends to lovers, office romance with some intrigue thrown in for fun.

Dani and Dan's relationship is a slow burn. There is instant spark, then so much UST between them, and how they didn't rip each other's clothes off is testament to their will power.

I love how close they become, their friendship is one to be envious of, and you just hope that they can become more.

I did enjoy the story, though there were some things towards the end that I felt were superfluous to the story.

I do feel that this book could do with another run of edits, as I did find quite a few typos and missing words, and one more clean up should fix all these.

The story flowed, it kept me turning the pages. I will be reading more of this author in the future.


Profile Image for Tamara Harrington.
523 reviews28 followers
March 26, 2018
This is Kat's debut novel and I am thoroughly impressed.
She has done an amazing job at keeping me entertained and excited but not to the point where it doesn't seem normal. Dani is a shell of her former self but her true personality still glimmers through. She has a great personality that she feels she needs to suppress in order to "fit in" with the business world. These glimpses of that we do get to see, I absolutely love. My weakness in a good book is to have a kick-ass heroine who knows how to hold her own and to see Dani come back to that was awesome.
Dan is alpha extraordinaire and with his good looks, he had me captivated from the start. These two are co-workers who become best friends and it is a slow move towards more and with very good reason. The sexy times are good but it's not over the top and the language isn't offensive so this is a great book for someone who isn't looking for anything too intense. Because I am not a fan of spoilers I will not be giving away much of anything but, what I can say is that I loved how it all comes to an end.
This is my honest and unbiased review.
Profile Image for Onnica.
1,294 reviews13 followers
March 15, 2018
Why you should read it: This was an absorbing and very intriguing story. I was asked to review this book and went in with no expectations or preconceptions. What I got was an exciting, slow burn of a story which kept my interest and entertained me. The dialogue between Dan and Dani was sparky and funny and I loved the dynamic. Both characters had a lot to give but circumstances and past experiences made them hesitate. There are a lot of secrets so be patient as the story unfolds at a steady pace.

What you might not like: I loved it so can’t really criticise it at all. I loved the characters, the setting, the premise and the romance.

Rating: 4/5 for a very funny, very impressive debut. I look forward to reading more from Kat Colburn.
Profile Image for Angie McGuire.
1,115 reviews12 followers
March 7, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, more than I ever thought I would. Dani and Dan (yes those are truly their names) had such a strong friendship that continued to build throughout this story. They'd never met before working together, but their kinship was unique and sincere.

Dani has had some bad breaks, tried to look on the positive side of every obstacle, and is loyal to a fault. Dan has so many secrets. and you have no idea what they are for a very long time, but they are valid secrets and must be withheld, no matter the cost.

I loved the characters and the storyline. It was much more than I anticipated. Congrats to the author for a very well written story. I voluntarily reviewed this book from the author, and I will definitely read anything she writes going forward.
Profile Image for Tracy.
684 reviews22 followers
April 20, 2018
Company Ink was an interesting story. Dan and Dani shave an undeniable spark between them. Dani is selfless and strong. I loved seeing them find their way to each other, each of them
holding things close.

Company Ink is a slow burning romance. It moves slowly, but it’s what these characters need. I became invested in the story quickly and couldn’t put it down. The plot is unique and the story is very well written. This was my first book by Kat Colbern, and I’m excited to read more


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Profile Image for Nicole Collins.
1,174 reviews9 followers
February 16, 2018
Stress reduction

This was a very intense story. Office romance/spy/horrible boss mixed with family angst. I could not put it down. Kat did an amazing job.
Profile Image for Anna lost in stories *A*.
1,021 reviews179 followers
September 4, 2019
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book :) this debut novel was such a lovely surprise for me... I definitely did not expect to fall in love with it as much as I did :) it's a standalone story, with no cliffhangers, and a beautiful ending :) don't worry, I won't spoil you anything about it ;) as a matter of fact... there's not much I can actually say to you about the plot of the book... beacuse there were quite a few surprises along the way that I soooo did not see coming, and I don't want to ruin those for you :) so let me share a few safe details and then I will tell you all about how amazing it was and why you all need to read it :)

Dani is the heroine :) she works in sales in this huge corporation, but it's definitely not the job of her dreams... I don't really want to get into too many details about why she's working there, so moving on :) she has this feisty and brave part of her, that was stifled for so long in a job that stresses her out so much, but when that part shines through, it's wonderful :) I loved her as the main character :) she made hard decisions, took care of her family... she was complex and funny and I just wanted to be her friend :) our hero is Dan :) he's new at the company... he's the vice president of... I wanna say international sales, but don't quote me on that ;) he is... well... hmm... there's not much I can say about him, because we get to know him more a little bit further into the book :) but's he's very good at reading people and can be charming when he wants to ;) everything starts between them, when they have to work together on this huge potential international deal... :) and that's all I can say ;) so let's just jump into all the reasons why I loved this book :)

Ok, first things first, let's talk about the writing style... I can't believe this is a debut novel :) I adored the writing style... the character were complex, the story was super entertaining, and it definitely had a few surprises I absolutely did not see coming... :) add to that, it's a slow burn friends to lovers kind of a story... so my personal favourite, and that's always a nice bonus ;) I remember reading in one of the reviews, that you can't say it's friends to lovers story, because the main characters don't know each other before the start of the book... uhm... that's not really how those things go... ;) yes, they didn't knew each other, but when they met, they didn't jump straight into romance... they started working together, slowly got to know more and more about each other, which resulted in their friendship... and then and only then, it grew into something more ;) not to mention, that the whole book takes place over the span of about a year... *sighs happily* yet another thing I love in books... where characters actually have time to form connections and relationships between them :) we also have two perspectives, so there are chapters, or parts of them, written from Dani's perspective, as well as Dan's point of view :) they both definitely give us great insight into who they are as people :) a lot of things happen in this story... and I can't really talk about any of them :) trust me, you don't want to be spoiled... what I can say, is that this story hit me in all the feels... I laughed, I teared up, I aaaawwwwwed because of the cuteness... it was such a beautiful book :) I highly recommend you guys to give this lovely gem a try... it may have been my first book by Kat, and the only one available at this moment, but I am definitely looking forward to any other stories she will have for us in the future :)

XOXO

A
Profile Image for CoffeeTimeRomance andMore.
2,045 reviews170 followers
February 18, 2018
This book was awesome; it had a touch of everything and was not what I was expecting for an office romance. I sometimes find books set in first person hard to read, but this one flowed smoothly and grabbed my attention from the start. The PoVs were well done; being both Dani’s and Dan’s which lent more depth to the story by adding each of their takes on situations. I loved Dan and Dani, each had their hidden depths and it took the other and time to reveal them. It was a slow burn romance that was perfectly paced to make me fall in love with them as I read. I would recommend this to someone looking for more than the typical as it pleasantly surprised me.
Llaph
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Full Review @ Coffee Time Romance & More
82 reviews1 follower
December 11, 2017
I am in a very dizzying, fuzzy, wonderfully glorious haze of a book hang over. Bewitching. That’s how Dan describes Dani. That’s how I describe this story.
We, or many of us, can relate, to being in a job that just sucks the very soul from our marrow. That's how Dani Wallace feels at a company that just seems to be doing whatever it can for the bottom line, pinching pennies, not investing in it's infrastructure or people. Dani is a smart, sassy, sarcastic, foul-mouthed woman. As a coder, and a woman, that's a pretty formidable combination.
Dan is brought on to negotiate software sales internationally. They develop a very close working relationship and an even closer friendship.
Dan finds her honesty and lack of a filter refreshing compared to how he's always had to be - closed off, secretive, get down to business kind of guy. Doesn't hurt that his piercing blue eyes and James Bond like persona help him in business and in his personal life.
They are two totally different people who clash and verbally spar with each other but that also brings them closer together.
The attraction is palpable. Always on the brink of crossing a professional line.
But the secrets Dan Kelly is keeping works to keep anything beyond friends at bay.......Its like watching two good friends fight and flirt with each other until you find yourself saying, "hurry up and get naked with each other!"
Their relationship is a slow burn but one that smolders and ignites into everything that a relationship with your best friend and partner should be.
Profile Image for The Fae Louise.
53 reviews
December 10, 2017
Company Ink was a fun, romantic read about Dan and Dani who become best friends whilst working together and slowly realise they are falling in love. But Dan has secrets which could cost them both.
Dan is such a lovely guy, caring, loving and would do anything to make Dani happy. Dani is a strong minded woman, caring, intelligent and hard working and I enjoyed her sarcasm and wit.
I enjoyed the slow romance, the witty banter between them, the laugh out loud moments, the thrilling secrets and heart-stopping moments.
Overall a great, fun read which I would recommend to anyone who enjoys romantic comedies with a hint of danger.
Profile Image for Laurie Beemer.
679 reviews28 followers
December 8, 2017
Dani and Dan find themselves looking for something new. When they end up working together sparks fly, so does snarky comments, romance, and entertainment. This was a book that kept me entertained for hours and made me think about my life, and job. When things don't always work out and rules and people stand in the way , is happiness possible? Thank you for allowing me to read this and write about it honestly.
Profile Image for Romance4thebeach.
157 reviews13 followers
July 8, 2019
A delicious office romance with a secretive twist.

I really enjoyed this book! It was such a good combination of funny, romantic, slightly suspenseful, yet also kind of sad. Office romances are always a tricky thing, and must be handled delicately so that we don’t cross over into inappropriate work behavior/sexual harassment. However, this book cleverly avoids that scenario. Sure, there’s that first initial physical attraction upon first meeting for our lead characters, but they don’t take things further for a really long time. Instead what we see is a true blossoming of friendship. They help each other in work, he helps her with managing stress, and only by opening up through spending so much time together do they slowly start to fall for each other. I for one appreciated how natural it seemed. And sure, once their friendship is secure we do see some fabulous sexual innuendo thrown in there too!!

The work factor of this novel was just as gripping as the romantic side of things. Now, I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t fully comprehend whatever the hell technology it was these two were working on. However, that wasn’t really the most important facet of it. Instead it was all about Dani, and how we’ve seen her become trapped by something she used to love. How this company is running her into the ground with stressful hard work that she doesn’t receive appropriate compensation for. Yet she’s unable to leave because she needs the money to help pay for her mother’s cancer treatment. And that’s when Dan comes along.

The two of them are forced to work together on a big international proposal, the commission from which would allow Dani to finally have enough funds to help her mother, quite working for a company she hates, and finally get back to the woman she once was before corporate suits and fake personalities buried her true self. She can finally focus on living her life and escape from the depression she’s slowly steeping herself in. And I just found this part of the story so compelling. We find this strong woman at her wits’ end. At first she is hesitant to work with the domineering Dan, but they quickly discover how similar their personalities are. They have the same interests, laugh at the same jokes and truly become best friends. He helps her smile again, and uncover the sassy side she’s kept hidden for so long. They both want to take things to the next level, yet also don’t want to rush the possibility of ruining their friendship. Not to mention breaking a few HR rules along the way!

After a while I really started to wonder if we would ever be privy to Dani and Dan breaking those HR rules, because damn do we have to wait a long time for them to get around to it!! Again, when push comes to shove I’m happy we were able to see them develop an emotional connection beyond anything physical, but good God! Eventually there was so much sexual tension I was ready to burst. While you do have to wait until a good three quarters of the way through the novel to get to the good stuff, lemme just tell you it…doesn’t…disappoint! I’d say we get a good full chapter of details, and my word do they make every second of it count. Simply delicious!

Personally I really liked this one, and I think it’s a good one to take to the beach. You can’t help but root for Dan and Dani to eventually find a way to be together. There are some secrets to Dan that I won’t give away here, but let’s just say they also impact his decision to hold off on taking things further with Dani. There was one element brought into the very end of the novel that I can’t 100% say was necessary, but overall I thought it was a fun, sweet, sexy read.
Profile Image for Red Cheeks Reads.
2,208 reviews374 followers
May 9, 2018
Dan may want more from Dani than just being colleagues, a lot more. But that doesn’t mean he can just give into his desires. Neither can she. The strict no fraternising policy in work has made sure of that. But when things start to heat up, it’s hard to resist. But Dan knows the secrets he is keeping close to his chest could be enough to extinguish the flame between quicker than any rule in work.

“I’m losing my best friend. I always knew that this was a possibility. That she would finally get fed up with my secrets and my bullshit reasons that I can’t be with her. And yet I can’t go back to the way things were. I can feel the light being sucked from my life.”

If you are looking for a slow burn, office, friends to lovers romance than this will suit you nicely. It was a good read, just not a great one for me. However I do think it is a perfect read for those looking a nice easy romance story. I really enjoyed the characters and I liked the fact it wasn’t an insta love story; they build their chemistry over a period of time and it made their story a lot more believable.

“I know I hurt her, but what she doesn’t know is I did it out of love. I love her. I love her so much that it hurts, quite literally. My chest aches at the thought of how close she currently is and the wall that separates us. There is nothing temporary about how I want her. I turned her down tonight to give us a slim shot at a future.”

Dan and Dani (didn’t like the similarity in names but that’s a personal preference) are both enjoyable characters to read about and get engaged with. Dani is one head strong, smart and determined women. She’s had her heart broken and has learnt some hard lessons when it comes to office romance but she doesn’t let this stop her from wanting to reach her goals and she’s not going to let the broken heart shatter her. I could admire her attitude and I was definitely keen for her to come out of this story on top. We know from the blurb that Dan is keeping a secret and that this secret has the potential to hurt Dani, but even so, that didn’t stop me from liking him. He’s confident and sexy but I also loved how he initially had a friendship with Dani and as you read on it becomes quite clear that he wants to take care of her and be there for her.

“At the time I didn’t believe in happy endings, because I hadn’t seen much evidence in my own life. I still don’t believe in happy endings, but for a different reason now. Happy endings need to be reserved for books and fairytales, because real love never really ends.”

For me it was the plot that I didn’t totally love. Perhaps because I was looking for something a bit more meaty in terms of shock, or drama or adventure but I just needed a little something extra. Even though there is that shocking plot line towards the end, it all happens so quickly with not much detail that it didn’t grab me as much as it perhaps should have. That’s not to say that what was there wasn’t good- it was! It is what it says on the blurb; a romance read. It had some angst and a bit of drama surrounding Dan’s secret so in that sense it was a great romance read. The characters were so enjoyable to read about and so likeable that I 100% wanted to finish and find out what their ending was going to be.

3.5 Smooches
~Bethany
Profile Image for Books Laid Bare.
2,275 reviews37 followers
March 18, 2018
Cleverly crafted this was a marvellous debut read for me from this author, I should also say that this was, in fact, the first book the author has written but from the quality of the work, that little snippet was hard to tell. I thought that the attention to detail spoke volumes, it gave a great indicator to the fact that this was an author that was quite rightly proud of her work and I for one will be following her future releases with great interest.
I thought the story was fresh, it had a strong sense of purpose and its own unique outlook on the friends to lovers’ storyline.
Dani was a fabulous female character. Left swinging in the breeze both emotionally and financially by a douche of an ex, she is dragging her sorry a** through each and every day at a job that she really doesn’t give two hoots about and I would have to say rightfully so, she had the world at her feet or perhaps fingertips when her and her ex, created their own company. I would be pi**ed too!
Dan, wants Dani on his team for a deal that has the potential to be huge but as tight as they are…is it a point of them actually being too close? They are best friends but neither of them is completely honest in the fact that given half a chance they would like to be a whole lot more than just mates.
I liked the fact that the author gave the story time to draw out its secrets, that the interaction between the characters was full of not just unrequited tension but also humour, I couldn’t begin to count the number of laugh out loud moments I came across, it was totally engaging.I thought there was just enough angst to have that “wtf is going on” pottering around in my head, I was totally hooked.
If you are looking for an honest read then you need look no further, this was packed with characters that you will adore. Dan was a genuinely good guy, I loved the way he looked out for Dani, of course, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows but the author was cleverly able to gauge the anticipated reaction and seemed to be able to ensure that I didn’t feel bereft when the two of them were going through some tough times, I will admit that some of their issues made me sad but that was all part of the storyline and that made it all the more enjoyable.
For a first novel, this was a great read, beautifully presented, correct in every manner and highly enjoyable.
Profile Image for Misty (Reds Romance Reviews).
3,150 reviews6 followers
March 17, 2018
Dani Wallace is leading a life she never saw coming... first off the man she was set to marry and run a company with, decided a life with her wasn't what he wanted, so he walked away, and then took the funds from selling their start-up company along with him. Which now leaves her working in a dead end job just to make ends meet, with no love life, and no exciting future to look forward too.

Then a big deal comes along, and brings Dan Kelly into her life, and things take a very unexpected and thrilling turn! It could be so easy to fall for a guy like Dan, but a relationship with him would be forbidden per office rules, and not to mention she has been down this road before, mixing work and love is not a good idea...or is it?

Company Ink is a slow burning forbidden romance story that will leave readers blissfully happy, and put an unshakable smile on their face! This first time read lured me in from the first page, and held me hostage until the last; it was sweet, passionate, and funny! The characters were drawn nicely, equipped with unique personalities, that played off one another nicely and inspired some great heated banter!! Highly recommend this one, it's a well blended romance sure to satisfy!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and voluntarily read and reviewed.
Profile Image for Terri Handschumacher.
381 reviews20 followers
April 18, 2018
Dani Wallace was just there. She really wasn't living. She hides her true self on a daily basis, and there is a chance she doesn't been know if her old self still exists anymore. She does her job that she hates, buy only so she can pay her moms medical bills. Dan appears when Dani isn't even expecting to find someone. Working close together they find themselves forming a friendship. But Dan isn't being 100% truthful with Dani. And he knows of he wants anything with her he needs to be able to be honest with her. It is the secrets that he's keeping that keeps you guessing as to what is his real story. There is off the charts chemistry between these two. Yet Dani has her insecurities about herself that she feels she's not enough for Dan. Still there is their flirting that just almost crosses the line, and Dan's inability to not touch and protect Dani that keeps you reading.
This book is not fast paced, and that is what is needed for these characters relationship to truly build. And the duel POV is also something that helps you see what each of them are feeling about one another. And when your reading Dan's POV you are able to understand more of his reasons for being somewhat mysterious when it comes to his personal life.
Definitely a recommendation for any friends to lovers readers.
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