Feature Image Credit: @emilylovesgoodbooks

If you like to see couples explore their connection inside and outside of the boardroom, then you’ll want to pick one of these office romances books that are absolute must reads! Typically, romance books have that bit of undeniable tension to them before any relationship starts between the hero and heroine—and office romance books usually have this in spades! Why? Because you’re not “supposed to” fall in love with your boss or your employee or your co-worker.

There’s usually a no-dating clause at companies for a reason, but in these 20 office romance books, any limiting HR clause is thrown out the boardroom window.

You and I, Rewritten by Chip Pons

Will Cowen just got a dream promotion at one of the biggest publishing houses in New York City and moved in with his oldest friend. Life is looking up for him, and he’s excited about this next chapter. The problem is, Will can’t stop tripping over his own two feet in front of Graham Austin—the all-business and gorgeous heir to the publishing empire. When Will comes across a  devastating but beautiful manuscript, he realizes it could be his big break. But when the author ghosts him at a huge publishing event, Will finds comfort in Graham. They are swept up in an epic romance, but as the manuscript starts to take shape, Will realizes you can’t escape the past, but maybe you can rewrite it.

By a Thread by Lucy Score

Ally is colorful, annoying, and everything that Dominic isn’t. But Dominic can’t fire her because his mother, the CEO, hired her. Ally brightens up the magazine offices, argues with Dominic in front of others, and haunts his fantasies at night. For some reason unknown to Dominic, she’s also working half-a-dozen jobs on the side. He’s determined to figure out how to fix her life, just so she can quit working at his company and he can forget all about her. Because that’s what he wants…right?

Circling Back To You by Julie Tieu

Cadence Lim has slowly moved up the corporate ladder at her job. But she always feels weighed down by her complicated relationship with her elderly estranged father. Her friend and co-worker Matt Escanilla is a top broker, but all his Filipino family cares about is him settling down. When a business trip lands them both back in their hometown, Cadence acts as Matt’s girlfriend so his family stays off his case. But as the facade continues, they start to see each other in a new light. When competing promotions threaten to tear them apart, Cadence and Matt must take control of their ambitions and families if they have any chance of making it.

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

Dr. Briana Ortiz is finalizing her divorce, her brother is waiting for a kidney donor, and the promotion she wants is probably going to the new doctor at her office who is really getting on her nerves. Just when she thinks there’s no coming back for him, Dr. Jacob Maddox sends Briana a letter that shows a completely different side of him. He’s funny and charming, and he decides to donate his kidney to Briana’s brother. How is Briana supposed to resist him?

The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa

Carolina Santos is a wedding planner who was left at the altar. Ironic, isn’t it? When she’s offered a great opportunity for her business, she knows she has to take it. But, it involves teaming up with marketing expert Max Hartley, aka the best man from her failed wedding, aka her ex-fiance’s brother. They both have a lot at stake and this presentation has to be perfect. But Max is the one who encouraged his brother to ditch the wedding, and Lina wants a little revenge of her own. As time passes though, is hatred really the only emotion between the two of them? 

Tangled by Emma Chase

Drew Evans makes multi-million dollar deals and can have any woman he wants. He loves his life. Until Katherine Brooks is hired as the new associate at Drew’s father’s investment firm. She brings a new level of competition that has him unnerved, she’s annoyingly attractive, and he can’t seem to seduce her the way he does most women. Kate’s turned this charming bachelor into a broken, desperate man by being the one thing he can’t have.

Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren

This book is based around the typical intern/boss love story, but in this case, it just works! Chloe is not just some young business wannabe—she’s a force, completing her MBA. She thinks Bennett, her boss, is a complete bastard…but this enemies-to-lovers story totally feeds of their tension in the office. Of course, boss/employee relationships muddy the waters when promotions are at stake and that’s nothing new in this story, but the authors give us great characters who explore what’s a job’s worth when it comes to matters of the heart.

Double Standards by Judith McNaught

Nick Sinclair, the ruggedly handsome president of Global Industries, handles his business the way he handles his women: with charm, daringness, and complete self-control. When he hires Lauren Danner, he assumes the whip-smart beauty will be another easy conquest—but much to his surprise, her wit and rare spirit dazzles him and he slowly finds himself falling in love. Yet he has no idea that Lauren is living a lie, one that is becoming more dangerous with every passing moment.

Private Confessions by Lori Borril

Experience has taught ad exec, Logan Moore, that office affairs always end in disaster. Which is why his online romance with Scorpio63 is exactly what he needs right now—the anonymous, steamy encounters help him forget the secret urge for Trisha he gets every day.

Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James

Payton Kendall and J.D. Jameson are lawyers who know the meaning of objection. A feminist to the bone, Payton has fought hard to succeed in a profession dominated by men. Born wealthy, privileged and cocky, J.D. has fought hard to ignore her. Face to face, they’re perfectly civil. They have to be. For eight years they’ve kept a safe distance and tolerated each other as co-workers for one reason only: to make partner at the firm. But all bets are off when they’re asked to join forces on a major case.

Irresistibly Yours by Lauren Layne

Meet the men of Oxford magazine! In the first captivating spin-off of Lauren Layne’s Sex, Love & Stiletto series, a not-so-friendly battle of the sexes turns into a scorching office romance. Hotshot sports editor Cole Sharpe has been freelancing for Oxford for years, so when he hears about a staff position opening up, he figures he’s got the inside track. Then his boss drops a bombshell: Cole has competition. Female competition, in the form of a fresh-faced tomboy who can hang with the dudes—and write circles around them, too.

Her Gentle Capture by Elizabeth Lennox

Adriana is good at her job—and she’s not going to sit back and take her current boss’s grumpy moods any longer! Feisty and creative, Adriana succeeds at everything he tosses at her. But having her boss, CEO Mitch Powell, double-checking her every move puts her on edge.

Neanderthal Seeks Human by Penny Reid

There are three things you need to know about Janie Morris: 1) She is incapable of engaging in a conversation without volunteering TMTI (Too Much Trivial Information), especially when she is unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her more than Quinn Sullivan, and 3) She doesn’t know how to knit. After losing her boyfriend, apartment, and job in the same day, Janie Morris can’t help wondering what new torment fate has in store. To her utter mortification, Quinn Sullivan- aka Sir McHotpants- witnesses it all, then keeps turning up like a pair of shoes you lust after but can’t afford. The last thing she expects is for Quinn- the focus of her slightly, albeit harmless, stalkerish tendencies- to make her an offer she can’t refuse.

The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon

Samiah Brooks has just made two new best friends, London and Taylor. They met because they were all dating the same boy, a catfishing three-timing jerk. Since their lives have gone viral because of the unfortunate situation, these girls have come together and made a pact that the next six months are about them. No men, no dating, just a whole love of self-time and love. Sometimes plans don’t go accordingly, though. When Samiah finally develops the app she has always dreamed of creating, she unintentionally meets the delicious (her words, not mine) Daniel Collins at work. Is he just another too-good-to-be-true guy, or is actually a truly good guy?

The X Ingredient by Roslyn Sinclair

Diana Parker is Atlanta’s top lawyer, and everyone knows it. No one can claim that she isn’t the most driven, ruthless, stringent boss out there. If only she applied all of that to her failing marriage. When Laurie Holcombe walks through the door as Diana’s new assistant, Diana is sure that she is all wrong for the job. Laurie’s bright blue eyes, streaked pink hair, and cute southern accent isn’t exactly what Diana is looking for … right? As the two begin a thrilling dance with risky desires, they’ll have to decide if they can keep it professional and resist the irresistible.

The Brutal Truth by Lee Winter

The truth always comes out, whether we want it to or not. When Australian crime reporter Maddie Grey ends upon a work trip with her boss that she has a crush on, things might unexpectedly heat up down under. Elena Bartell is brilliant and fierce, and believes that the world would be a much simpler place if everyone told the whole truth. So, Elena and Maddie make a bet that at first seems harmless. They can’t lie to each other. Easy enough, right? Well, when the bet starts to backfire, Elena might not be ready for the whole truth like she thought she was. Secrets come out, and these two women will never be the same again.

Rule Breaker by Lily Morton

Unsurprisingly so, after two years of insults and remaking the coffee because it’s not up to Gabe’s standards, Dylan wants to kill his boss—not like actually, but a little. However, despite Gabe being a cynical wedding planner, a chance encounter has opened Dylan’s eyes to the attraction that has always been underlying between them. Gabe’s still a bastard, though. But what happens when Dylan starts to fall in love with the real Gabe, the one that doesn’t cause murderous thoughts 24/7? Dylan has to figure out if Gabe is truly letting him in and breaking down that cold exterior wall or if he should prepare himself for heartbreak.

If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane

It started as a fauxmance: a fake relationship to strategically give one another the chance to achieve their goals. Laurie was humiliated and needed to give the rumor mill something else to talk about when her partner, who works with her, of over a decade breaks up with her and announces that his new girlfriend is pregnant. Jamie just wanted to impress the bosses, let them know he can be loyal and committed. It was perfect, and weirdly it was working. But what happens when the fine line between pretending to be in love and actually falling in love starts to blur?

The Trouble With Hating You by Sajni Patel

Don’t you just hate it when your parents try to set you up for marriage without telling you? Liya Thakkar does, which is why she ran out the back door when she realized that was the intention of her parent’s latest dinner party. She didn’t care though; she was an extremely successful and single biochemical engineer. She wouldn’t have thought twice about it if the same guy hadn’t shown up at her office a week later. Jay Shah was the new lawyer that was hired to save her struggling company. Their infuriating and witty office banter soon turns into late-night chats—and before you know it they’re realizing that if they are truly going to fall for one another it means they’ll have to face their painful pasts. Will they be able to give love a chance, or keep running?

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Lucy Hutton’s definition of nemesis: an opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome, AKA Joshua Templeman. Lucy and Josh hate each other, and yes, hate is a strong word—but if there was one stronger than it, they would use it. They display their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other as executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. When they are up for the same promotion, their battle of wills comes to a peak and neither one is backing down. But as their rivalry comes to a boiling point, Lucy starts to think that maybe she doesn’t hate Josh—and maybe he doesn’t hate her either. Is it all a part of a game, or are these two discovering where all this “hate” is truly coming from?