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The Grumpy Devils #3
The Devil You Know
There’s a devil on my shoulder, and every Monday morning she announces herself. She’s this delicious flame in my chest, a flurry of whispered suggestions in my ear. Suggestions I ignore…because every single one of them is about Ben Tate.
Ben—Stealer of Clients, Evicter of Homeless Women, Nemesis. Sitting across from me every damn Monday with his lovely, smug smile and his too-perfect teeth, the living symbol of everything I hate.
It’s been my policy to avoid him, but when a case comes into the firm—one that could change his career and mine—I make an exception. It means weekends and evenings by his side. It means enduring his smirk and his smart mouth and never taking the bait.
Until the night Ben says, “Beg.”
And that devil on my shoulder decides to make a few demands of her own.
Ben—Stealer of Clients, Evicter of Homeless Women, Nemesis. Sitting across from me every damn Monday with his lovely, smug smile and his too-perfect teeth, the living symbol of everything I hate.
It’s been my policy to avoid him, but when a case comes into the firm—one that could change his career and mine—I make an exception. It means weekends and evenings by his side. It means enduring his smirk and his smart mouth and never taking the bait.
Until the night Ben says, “Beg.”
And that devil on my shoulder decides to make a few demands of her own.
296 pages, ebook
First published June 23, 2022
2679 people are currently reading
24178 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth O'Roark
31 books7,514 followersElizabeth O’Roark lives in Washington, DC with her 3 children. After many years spent writing scintillating brochures about amniocentesis and heart surgery, she is thrilled to have found a job that allows her to just make s*** up.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,389 reviews
July 21, 2022
ben definitely has an undiagnosed, incurable foot fetish but i’m willing to overlook it
December 5, 2024
★ 2.75 stars
not bad, but not great either. it’s just... okay.
i don’t plan on writing a full detailed review, but here’s a list of pros and cons.
── pros:
✦ this book is short, quick, and easy to read.
✦ the chapters are super short.
✦ some parts were entertaining.
✦ there’s a strong, independent fmc.
✦ the main characters have a nice chemistry and their banter & some of their scenes together are fun to see.
✦ i liked the setting.
✦ even though it wasn’t the best book, it managed to keep me hooked.
── cons:
✧ single pov.
✧ there’s way too much miscommunication and misunderstandings for my liking.
✧ unnecessary, irritating drama.
✧ i couldn’t fully connect with the main characters.
✧ there’s no slow burn or enough build-up. romance — and everything else — moves quickly.
✧ the plot is not super interesting.
✧ some areas aren’t very well fleshed out.
so, as you can see, it had some good parts and it also had some bad parts — but as i said, it’s not a bad book overall.
even though it wasn’t my favorite, i don’t regret reading The Devil You Know. it could’ve been a lot better, obviously... but it is what it is. i still recommend it as i feel like others might enjoy it more than i did.
not bad, but not great either. it’s just... okay.
i don’t plan on writing a full detailed review, but here’s a list of pros and cons.
── pros:
✦ this book is short, quick, and easy to read.
✦ the chapters are super short.
✦ some parts were entertaining.
✦ there’s a strong, independent fmc.
✦ the main characters have a nice chemistry and their banter & some of their scenes together are fun to see.
✦ i liked the setting.
✦ even though it wasn’t the best book, it managed to keep me hooked.
── cons:
✧ single pov.
✧ there’s way too much miscommunication and misunderstandings for my liking.
✧ unnecessary, irritating drama.
✧ i couldn’t fully connect with the main characters.
✧ there’s no slow burn or enough build-up. romance — and everything else — moves quickly.
✧ the plot is not super interesting.
✧ some areas aren’t very well fleshed out.
so, as you can see, it had some good parts and it also had some bad parts — but as i said, it’s not a bad book overall.
even though it wasn’t my favorite, i don’t regret reading The Devil You Know. it could’ve been a lot better, obviously... but it is what it is. i still recommend it as i feel like others might enjoy it more than i did.
May 22, 2022
SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP THE BEST DEVIL BOOK YET I WILL NEVER GET OVER THEM!!!!
I GOT TO READ THIS BEFORE ARCS WERE EVEN OUT AND I AM SO LUCKY I COULD CRY.
This is out June 23rd, by the way. SET AN ALARM, GET YOUR CALENDAR, PUT A MAGNET ON YOUR FRIDGE!
Listen, they are both lawyers. Working for the same firm. She is ruthless, everyone thinks she is rude and unapproachable and he is a complete d!ck. They both suck at life but they are incredible at their jobs. There is a healthy dose of competition until they are put to work together on the same case.
The FMC believes the only way she will ever get a happy ending is if she falls in love with a simple minded, small town guy who will teach her how to love a quiet life, forget about the soul crushing big city life and her stressful job. Ben Tate is here to teach her that she would never be happy in a crappy small town and that she is meant for so much more.
This book was so incredible, such an amazing reminder that women can be fierce, strong, cruel, brutal, speak their mind, fight for themselves, express their sexual desires and own every aspect of their lives without ever having to apologize for it.
(her boyfriend was the real villain in the devil wears prada movie btw, just saying).
I thought we would be missing such a huge aspect of this story by not having the male POV this time, oh boy was I wrong! I also thought A Deal With the Devil was going to be my favorite devil book forever.
Nope, wrong again.
THESE CHARACTERS ARE SO EFFING REAL!!! The sexual tension between these two characters was so INTENSE IT WAS ALMOST TANGIBLE.
I caught myself screaming, crying, sweating, the best banter I've read in MONTHS, the best sex scenes, the BEST DIRTY TALK.
Incredible, inspirational, original, never done before, characters that haven't left my mind IN DAYS and I have finished this book a week ago. I still can't stop thinking about them, about this story, about their connection, about the ending.
You are going to pull your hair out, you are going to read this while holding your kindle with only one hand and you are going to fall in love with Ben Tate like never before.
June 7, 2025
4.5/5
"The Devil You Know"? No. No. NO.
"The Perfection (Ben Tate) You Know" YES.
"The Devil You Know"? No. No. NO.
"The Perfection (Ben Tate) You Know" YES.
April 27, 2023
“And what about the guy with the weird knuckles?”
“What about him? Imagine what his hands will look like when he’s seventy.”
Ben laughs under his breath, and my head jerks toward him. “Don’t you have a single mother you can evict somewhere?”
“I would,” he replies, “but I think they’re about to make us turn off our phones.”
I sigh once more. “I’d better let you go, Keels. The Prince of Darkness here has sensed I might be enjoying myself and is determined to bring it to an end.”
“Bye, babe,” Keeley says. “Tell me how the sex was when he leaves your room.”
I hang up, and Ben turns to me. “So who’s the lucky sixty-nine-year-old?”
I roll my eyes. “Your dad.”
He smirks. “My dad is dead.”
“That,” I reply, “would explain why he’s been so pleasantly quiet in bed.”
This book is everything The Hating Game aspired to be but never could.
👠𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗟 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪 - 𝗕𝗬 𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗭𝗔𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗛 𝗢'𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗥𝗞👠
★𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
★𝗬𝗔/𝗡𝗔/𝗔: 🅽🅰/🅰
★𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙳𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙻𝚂 #𝟹 (𝙱𝚄𝚃 𝙲𝙰𝙽 𝙱𝙴 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙳 𝙰𝚂 𝙰 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙽𝙳𝙰𝙻𝙾𝙽𝙴)
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦: 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴 - 𝙲𝙷𝙸𝙲𝙺-𝙻𝙸𝚃 - 𝚂𝙼𝚄𝚃
★𝗣𝗢𝗩: 𝚂𝙸𝙽𝙶𝙻𝙴 𝙿𝙾𝚅 - 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽 - 𝙿𝚁𝙴𝚂𝙴𝙽𝚃 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙴
★𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: 𝙴𝙽𝙴𝙼𝙸𝙴𝚂/𝚁𝙸𝚅𝙰𝙻𝚂 𝚃𝙾 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚂 - 𝙵𝚆𝙱 𝚂𝙾𝚁𝚃 𝙾𝙵 - 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙺𝙿𝙻𝙰𝙲𝙴 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴 - 𝚂𝙴𝙲𝚁𝙴𝚃 𝚁𝙴𝙻𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙿 - 𝙹𝙴𝙰𝙻𝙾𝚄𝚂𝚈 - 𝙶𝚁𝙾𝚅𝙴𝙻𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝙼𝙸𝚂𝚄𝙽𝙳𝙴𝚁𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙽𝙳𝙸𝙽𝙶𝚂 - 𝙴𝙼𝙾𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻𝙻𝚈 𝚄𝙽𝙰𝚅𝙰𝙸𝙻𝙰𝙱𝙻𝙴 𝙵𝙼𝙲
★𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: 👥👥👥👥/5
★𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼/5
★𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧: 📜📜📜/5
★𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗦 & 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: 💀💀/5 (𝙳𝙸𝚂𝙵𝚄𝙽𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻 𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙻𝙸𝙴𝚂 - 𝙲𝙷𝙴𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶 (𝙽𝙾𝚃 𝙱𝙴𝚃𝚆𝙴𝙴𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙼𝙲𝚂))
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5 (𝙺𝙸𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝙾𝙵𝙵𝙸𝙲𝙴 𝚂𝙴𝚇 - 𝙿𝙴𝚃𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝙾𝚁𝙰𝙻 𝚂𝙴𝚇 - 𝙴𝚇𝙿𝙻𝙸𝙲𝙸𝚃 𝚂𝙴𝚇 𝙱𝙴𝚃𝚆𝙴𝙴𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙼𝙲𝚂 - 𝙳𝙸𝚁𝚃𝚈 𝚃𝙰𝙻𝙺𝚂)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬/𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🚒🚒🚒🚒/5 (𝙿𝚁𝙴𝚃𝚃𝚈 𝙷𝙾𝚃 𝚂𝙼𝚄𝚃 - 𝙷𝙰𝚃𝙴 𝚂𝙴𝚇 - 𝙰 𝙼𝙸𝙻𝙳 𝙵𝙾𝙾𝚃/𝚂𝙷𝙾𝙴 𝙵𝙴𝚃𝙸𝚂𝙷?)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬: 💣💣💣½/5
★𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🤐🤐🤐/5 (𝙼𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙴 𝙻𝙰𝙽𝙶𝚄𝙰𝙶𝙴 - 𝙶𝚁𝙰𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙲 𝙳𝙴𝚂𝙲𝚁𝙸𝙿𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝚂𝙴𝚇/𝚅𝙸𝙾𝙻𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙴)
★𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🌻🌻🌻🌻/5 (𝙵𝙼𝙲 𝙶𝙾𝙴𝚂 𝙾𝙽 𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙳𝙴𝚁 𝙳𝙰𝚃𝙴𝚂 𝙱𝚄𝚃 𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚈'𝚁𝙴 𝙿𝙶)
★𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹/5
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗦𝗧 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: 💔💔½/𝟱
★𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗘: ❌
★𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘: 𝙵/𝙼
★𝗥𝗘𝗣: 𝙽𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝚁𝙴𝙻𝙴𝚅𝙰𝙽𝚃
★𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗘𝗦-𝗧𝗢-𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🖤🖤🖤/5
★𝗧𝗬𝗣𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚:
★𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘 𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚: 🎶𝙳𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙻 𝙸 𝙺𝙽𝙾𝚆 - 𝚂𝚄𝙺𝙸 𝚆𝙰𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙷𝙾𝚄𝚂𝙴🎶
▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰
Take The Hating Game.
Give it a talented writer such as O'Roark and make it more sophisticated and with two likeable main characters instead of minus one.
Welcome to The Devil You Know, aka my new obsession.
Like I started to do on a daily basis, lately, I've listened to this while I was at work and I think I died a thousand times in my cold suit because of Gemma and Ben and how perfect and hot these two were.
Both individually (Gemma apparently looks like Gal Gadot 😩🤌✨) and together.
Gemma is the kind of woman I've always admired and often wished to be more similar to.
And Ben is...Ben is unfortunately very fictional.
Funny, considering one of the things I loved the most about the romance in this book and the main characters, was how realistic they felt.
Elizabeth O'Roark's writing is amazing. I found out about this author by accident, while looking for another one; Destiny was on my side when She put me in the way of this fantastic book and it's stupidly pretty cover.
And yes, I know it's a shirtless dude kind of cover and we all universally agree it's cringey by default, but I won't hear anything about this one because guy on the cover is simply G O R G E O U S.
(In case you're wondering - and I know you are -, the model's name is Álvaro Torralbo and his IG is very public)
I've already mentioned the romance being chef's kiss, but so was the writing, and the whole plot that revolved around Gemma's family issues. I felt for her and my heart ached whenever I read about her putting others' happiness in front of her own.
Cue, Ben being one of the best book boyfriends ever. He was so good to her, so patient, so open and wonderful.
He buys her shoes knowing she's obsessed with them.
I mean.
PERFECTION HAS A NAME, AND THE NAME IS BEN TATE.
The are a few things I didn't really appreciate, that obviously kept me from giving this more than those 4 stars; for one, there were certain scenes and situations that didn't get along well with the characters and their personalities.
For example, I found very degrading that someone like Gemma would throw a fit and get drunk over something so clichéed as a miscommunication trope moment.
Second, the final revelation about Ben's family. Meh.
Third, the narrator for this book was great and her version of Gemma's mom sounded a lot like Jennifer Coolidge, but the way she chenged her voice when she read Ben's lines was so grating I couldn't handle it, especially during smutty scenes/dialogues.
It kind of ruined the moment and was unfortunately a little anticlimatic.
Technicalities aside, both Samantha Brentmoor and Elizabeth O'Roark made it into my list of favorites, this week, and The Devils series is hands down becoming one of my favorites.
I forgot to add that I've accidentally downloaded the little novella the author wrote that contains a few chapters of this FROM MY BOY BEN'S POV.
If you ever decide to pick up this book, make sure to treat yourself to Ben's Chapters, afterwards. I'm still drooling.
July 3, 2022
3.5 Stars (some spoilers)
I liked it, but not as much as I liked the first two books. Heroine lowkey annoyed me most of the book, and was a bit of a hypocrite at times. I did end up liking her at the end though, but she made me angry because of how angry she was throughout the whole book 🤣 I also understood her trust issues which she had a lot 😅. I did love though that she was actually good at her job. I get so annoyed when the heroine is supposed to be a girl boss and smart but totally stumbles around when trying to do what she made us think she could do. I feel like it took way too long for her to know her true worth, but I liked her reasonings for the things she did. I also loved the hero (most of the time...) And I like how he was patient with her and didn't just break it off when her trust issues got in the way. He also made some really sweet gestures, things she didn't even know about, that made me like him more.
My only issues really was how repetitive it got, such as the banter (mainly about him sleeping or getting caught with ow (one which wasn't true)) it was funny at times but got old quick. I also wish we had more of his pov because the whole book felt very one sided, and I needed more details, such as his past, like was he really that big of a hoe that entire time? I would have like some explanations or just his POV and thoughts of some of the things we knew about him from the past books. Or at least get some scenes between him and his friends or just what he did when they were apart. Otherwise he seemed a little two dimensional which is a shame because the bonus chapters were good, and they could have made the book better if they were in it.
I also feel like we didn't get enough closure or growth. It was constantly drama and trust issues/back and forth, then they have like one convo and it goes to epilogue. Not very satisfying. And lastly, while I did love that the hero was Lowkey obsessed with the heroine and what he did for her (some super cute scenes, but it would have made it more emotional, maybe if we got some of his pov😅), him still sleeping/dating around over the two years he supposedly loved her, took a lot of the sweetness out of his confession, and made it somewhat unbelievable.
Overall, not the best in the series, but it was a quick, easy read with some drama, angst, and a bit of romance (didnt feel like enough imo). It had a lot to live up to after book 2 (Joshua Bailey is bae), so I'm not super disappointed. Excited for the opposites attract in the next book tho👏
Safety:
ow/om drama- we get details of heroines last relationship (nothing sexually descriptive, just how their relationship was and where her trust issues came from), and a few mentions of how hero always dates around and brings them to events. He goes on one date in the beginning of the book, but nothing happens (also only shown in the bonus chapters). Heroine later goes on a date because she thought hero was cheating but nothing happens.
No virgins/(sorta?) Manho (off page)
No details on heroines sexual history except her last relationship ended approx 5 years before this book. Not much of details on hero's except he dates and sleeps around (not as much as the first hero in the first book tho). But he was supposedly in love with her for two years and was still dating/sleeping with ows. No deets if heroine was except she never dates.
No cheating. They are with only each other when they get together.
I liked it, but not as much as I liked the first two books. Heroine lowkey annoyed me most of the book, and was a bit of a hypocrite at times. I did end up liking her at the end though, but she made me angry because of how angry she was throughout the whole book 🤣 I also understood her trust issues which she had a lot 😅. I did love though that she was actually good at her job. I get so annoyed when the heroine is supposed to be a girl boss and smart but totally stumbles around when trying to do what she made us think she could do. I feel like it took way too long for her to know her true worth, but I liked her reasonings for the things she did. I also loved the hero (most of the time...) And I like how he was patient with her and didn't just break it off when her trust issues got in the way. He also made some really sweet gestures, things she didn't even know about, that made me like him more.
My only issues really was how repetitive it got, such as the banter (mainly about him sleeping or getting caught with ow (one which wasn't true)) it was funny at times but got old quick. I also wish we had more of his pov because the whole book felt very one sided, and I needed more details, such as his past, like was he really that big of a hoe that entire time? I would have like some explanations or just his POV and thoughts of some of the things we knew about him from the past books. Or at least get some scenes between him and his friends or just what he did when they were apart. Otherwise he seemed a little two dimensional which is a shame because the bonus chapters were good, and they could have made the book better if they were in it.
I also feel like we didn't get enough closure or growth. It was constantly drama and trust issues/back and forth, then they have like one convo and it goes to epilogue. Not very satisfying. And lastly, while I did love that the hero was Lowkey obsessed with the heroine and what he did for her (some super cute scenes, but it would have made it more emotional, maybe if we got some of his pov😅), him still sleeping/dating around over the two years he supposedly loved her, took a lot of the sweetness out of his confession, and made it somewhat unbelievable.
Overall, not the best in the series, but it was a quick, easy read with some drama, angst, and a bit of romance (didnt feel like enough imo). It had a lot to live up to after book 2 (Joshua Bailey is bae), so I'm not super disappointed. Excited for the opposites attract in the next book tho👏
Safety:
ow/om drama- we get details of heroines last relationship (nothing sexually descriptive, just how their relationship was and where her trust issues came from), and a few mentions of how hero always dates around and brings them to events. He goes on one date in the beginning of the book, but nothing happens (also only shown in the bonus chapters). Heroine later goes on a date because she thought hero was cheating but nothing happens.
No virgins/(sorta?) Manho (off page)
No details on heroines sexual history except her last relationship ended approx 5 years before this book. Not much of details on hero's except he dates and sleeps around (not as much as the first hero in the first book tho). But he was supposedly in love with her for two years and was still dating/sleeping with ows. No deets if heroine was except she never dates.
No cheating. They are with only each other when they get together.
September 19, 2023
i love ben tate
i love ben tate
i love ben tate
i love ben tate
i love ben tate
“Are you really going to pretend you didn’t kiss me back?”
[...]
“You took me by surprise.”
“I should have fucked you then, too,” he says, eyes flashing, “just to see how else surprise makes you yield.”
get you a man that inadvertently renovates his home to look like your pinterest board and recreates hallmark movie moments to surprise you 💞🥺😍🥰😚💗🫦☺️💖🤪💞🥺😍🥰😚💗🫦☺️💖🤪
note: gemma reminded me so much of elena from the anti-heroes in love series
reread 9/19/23: still one of the best books i’ve ever read 😩🩷
i love ben tate
i love ben tate
i love ben tate
i love ben tate
“Are you really going to pretend you didn’t kiss me back?”
[...]
“You took me by surprise.”
“I should have fucked you then, too,” he says, eyes flashing, “just to see how else surprise makes you yield.”
get you a man that inadvertently renovates his home to look like your pinterest board and recreates hallmark movie moments to surprise you 💞🥺😍🥰😚💗🫦☺️💖🤪💞🥺😍🥰😚💗🫦☺️💖🤪
note: gemma reminded me so much of elena from the anti-heroes in love series
reread 9/19/23: still one of the best books i’ve ever read 😩🩷
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2022
2 😔😔⭐️s
Gemma’s insecurities tired me so much. Her pull and push attitude towards Ben was irritating. I am sorry-not-sorry to say she should have been to a therapist with all those issues she had.
The slow burn and single pov didn’t add to my interest.
Any romance that tried to exist, was drowned by Emma’s issues and drama life.
I liked some of their banter, a few of those in-good-will things Ben did for Emma and the cover.
I struggled to finish it… 🦸🏻♀️
Gemma’s insecurities tired me so much. Her pull and push attitude towards Ben was irritating. I am sorry-not-sorry to say she should have been to a therapist with all those issues she had.
The slow burn and single pov didn’t add to my interest.
Any romance that tried to exist, was drowned by Emma’s issues and drama life.
I liked some of their banter, a few of those in-good-will things Ben did for Emma and the cover.
I struggled to finish it… 🦸🏻♀️
June 23, 2022
4.5 stars
my girl is a grade A self-sabotager cause the way she physically RAN out of the room directly after finishing to avoid post sex intimacy....... 'twas a bit too relatable bye
but omg BEN FUCKING TATE-
elizabeth o'roark not playing around w the heroes in this series. him and joshua bailey can teach these other men lil something called ✨consistency✨ ben's going straight to the best boy shelf cause honestly i would've given up on gemma's paranoid ass. fr best book in the series and im shook cause i didn't think she'd be able to top joshdrew 🙏🏽
my girl is a grade A self-sabotager cause the way she physically RAN out of the room directly after finishing to avoid post sex intimacy....... 'twas a bit too relatable bye
but omg BEN FUCKING TATE-
elizabeth o'roark not playing around w the heroes in this series. him and joshua bailey can teach these other men lil something called ✨consistency✨ ben's going straight to the best boy shelf cause honestly i would've given up on gemma's paranoid ass. fr best book in the series and im shook cause i didn't think she'd be able to top joshdrew 🙏🏽
September 23, 2024
P*ssing each other off is their love language. I love the cutting banter, mean retorts and the general competition that goes along with a workplace romance.
This is set in a high-pressure Law office with lawyers that fight cases for moral reasons, but more so just to win. Think ‘Suits’. Throughout the book, the FMC has a metaphorical ‘devil’ on her shoulder goading her to say things, do things and generally act in a way that she usually wouldn’t.
I liked that this book showed the FMC as this Boss B*tch, but also emphasised the imbalance of power in her workplace. Even though she worked harder than all her male associates at the firm she was never appreciated. She could never join the ‘boys club’ that these rich, old, white dudes had created. In situations where she should have been seen as a victim, she was seen as an ‘overly emotional’ woman.
This was an enemies to co-workers with benefits to friends with benefits to lovers. It gradually developed over time, but each stage injected tons of humour. I did laugh a lot.
I liked the regular calls with her mum to talk about Hallmark movies and the fluffy plots that they love. Especially the fact that the FMC was convinced she would marry a small-town doctor or vet or Christmas tree farmer. All of them wear flannel shirts.
I think this is a good ‘don’t know what to read’ read. It wasn’t revolutionary, but it was a sweet read. I think if the FMC jumped to fewer conclusions and was a tad less paranoid I would have enjoyed it a bit more. Although with her past it’s understandable.
Also, I thought it would end with a real Elle Woods kind of moment, with her ‘sticking it to the man’, but we got a time jump instead. It had a cute epilogue though.
Similar vibes to The Hating Games.
This is set in a high-pressure Law office with lawyers that fight cases for moral reasons, but more so just to win. Think ‘Suits’. Throughout the book, the FMC has a metaphorical ‘devil’ on her shoulder goading her to say things, do things and generally act in a way that she usually wouldn’t.
I liked that this book showed the FMC as this Boss B*tch, but also emphasised the imbalance of power in her workplace. Even though she worked harder than all her male associates at the firm she was never appreciated. She could never join the ‘boys club’ that these rich, old, white dudes had created. In situations where she should have been seen as a victim, she was seen as an ‘overly emotional’ woman.
This was an enemies to co-workers with benefits to friends with benefits to lovers. It gradually developed over time, but each stage injected tons of humour. I did laugh a lot.
I liked the regular calls with her mum to talk about Hallmark movies and the fluffy plots that they love. Especially the fact that the FMC was convinced she would marry a small-town doctor or vet or Christmas tree farmer. All of them wear flannel shirts.
I think this is a good ‘don’t know what to read’ read. It wasn’t revolutionary, but it was a sweet read. I think if the FMC jumped to fewer conclusions and was a tad less paranoid I would have enjoyed it a bit more. Although with her past it’s understandable.
Also, I thought it would end with a real Elle Woods kind of moment, with her ‘sticking it to the man’, but we got a time jump instead. It had a cute epilogue though.
Similar vibes to The Hating Games.
July 4, 2022
2.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was just a little less than alright for me. I appreciated the h’s smarts and strength but her insistence on man hating really bugged. She was judgmental and assumed a lot. She also was super stubborn, which to me, is a horrible combination of traits! I just couldn’t get completely on her side tbh. The H was great up until he was keeping secrets and just needed to freaking communicate! Otherwise, this would’ve been better for sure! I liked the overall premise (even though I feel like it’s been done before) and I liked the previous book in this series The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, so it could just be a me thing again 🤷🏻♀️
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Gemma and Ben’s story. They are work colleagues and have a kind-of a nemesis relationship after Ben took one of Gemma’s clients when he started years prior. They enjoy fighting and riling each other up with jabs, but they have to play nice when they are both assigned to a big case. The tension comes to a head one night and they end up crossing the line and sleeping together. There is some work drama, some heavy baggage they have to work through, and some sweet and sexy times…and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This was told in Gemma’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, but hate-to-love type feelings that have already developed when story begins.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Ben. I liked him but I really wanted him to confess much sooner and communicate better.
h (heroine) rating: 2 stars. Gemma. I struggled with her, especially how she held other people’s behavior against the H too much IMO.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Not in the usual way
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Not between mcs
Separation: Very small
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in a cute place with what I would call a HFN ending but I know other readers might be fine calling it a HEA . The author does offer a bonus epilogue if you sign up for her newsletter (but I’ll be stubborn and refuse to read it 😉).
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
Overall Opinion: This was just a little less than alright for me. I appreciated the h’s smarts and strength but her insistence on man hating really bugged. She was judgmental and assumed a lot. She also was super stubborn, which to me, is a horrible combination of traits! I just couldn’t get completely on her side tbh. The H was great up until he was keeping secrets and just needed to freaking communicate! Otherwise, this would’ve been better for sure! I liked the overall premise (even though I feel like it’s been done before) and I liked the previous book in this series The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, so it could just be a me thing again 🤷🏻♀️
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Gemma and Ben’s story. They are work colleagues and have a kind-of a nemesis relationship after Ben took one of Gemma’s clients when he started years prior. They enjoy fighting and riling each other up with jabs, but they have to play nice when they are both assigned to a big case. The tension comes to a head one night and they end up crossing the line and sleeping together. There is some work drama, some heavy baggage they have to work through, and some sweet and sexy times…and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This was told in Gemma’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, but hate-to-love type feelings that have already developed when story begins.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Ben. I liked him but I really wanted him to confess much sooner and communicate better.
h (heroine) rating: 2 stars. Gemma. I struggled with her, especially how she held other people’s behavior against the H too much IMO.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Not in the usual way
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Not between mcs
Separation: Very small
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in a cute place with what I would call a HFN ending but I know other readers might be fine calling it a HEA . The author does offer a bonus epilogue if you sign up for her newsletter (but I’ll be stubborn and refuse to read it 😉).
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
February 4, 2023
literally may already be in the running for a fave of the year????
i smiled the entire time reading this book, holy moly.
ben and gemma are workplace rivals ever since ben came into the firm and stole a huge case from gemma. except, when they're both assigned to work on a huge case and she starts working side by side with ben, she realizes their rivalry might be all in her head.
Y'ALL THIS MAN IS THE SIMP TO END ALL SIMPS. like he was so down bad but protective, possessive, and so hot.
i think gemma was written after me? kind of mean and sarcastic woman with trust issues who also obsessively watches hallmark movies? yeah. and ben is not like a hallmark guy who's going to show her the magic of love. he's just like, i love your mean self and will take any little snippet of affection you will give me.
a lot of the story was centered around her trying to get her due in a male-dominated work force and helping other women do the same and ben was such a steadfast, ride or die for her. i am obsessed.
the banter, the tension, the chemistry, all 1000000/10.
i smiled the entire time reading this book, holy moly.
ben and gemma are workplace rivals ever since ben came into the firm and stole a huge case from gemma. except, when they're both assigned to work on a huge case and she starts working side by side with ben, she realizes their rivalry might be all in her head.
Y'ALL THIS MAN IS THE SIMP TO END ALL SIMPS. like he was so down bad but protective, possessive, and so hot.
i think gemma was written after me? kind of mean and sarcastic woman with trust issues who also obsessively watches hallmark movies? yeah. and ben is not like a hallmark guy who's going to show her the magic of love. he's just like, i love your mean self and will take any little snippet of affection you will give me.
a lot of the story was centered around her trying to get her due in a male-dominated work force and helping other women do the same and ben was such a steadfast, ride or die for her. i am obsessed.
the banter, the tension, the chemistry, all 1000000/10.
June 26, 2022
Highly anticipating a book is both a blessing and a curse. There’s both a sense of dread and excitement when you finally pick it up. I’ve been struggling with contemporary romance this year but I read the first two books in the Devil series and fell head-over-heels in love. So, as you can imagine, my expectations for this book were UP THERE. And y’all???? The Devil You Know might actually be my favorite book of the year? I doubt anything is going to top the feelings that Gemma and Ben’s love story evoked in me. *cries happy tears forever*
I loved how Elizabeth O’Roark flipped the script with the role of the devil here. This time around, it’s the heroine who is the “devil”. Gemma owns my soul. I loved love love guarded characters who don’t let anyone in. Most of her trust issues come from having terrible experiences with the men in her life. Her father abruptly left her mother for a 24 year old and basically destroying her life in the divorce proceedings. To make matters worse, she unknowingly ends up having an affair with a married man. This not only leaves her heartbroken, but also leaves her without a job. You literally could not blame her for being so stiff. Men can be garbage and these two were real pieces of crap.
She’s a boss when it comes to her job as a lawyer, and is extremely goal-driven. In The Devil You Know, she is laser-focused on making partner so she can dismantle the male-dominated club who are higher up in the career ladder. She’s a fierce woman and I loved her for it. Surprisingly, even though she’s got this impenetrable wall around her, she holds romantic notions of who she wants to end up with. She wants a Hallmark type hero, and Ben Tate is anything but a Hallmark hero.
Gahhh, Ben! MY HUSBAND!!!! I was already halfway in love with him from the glimpses we saw of him in the previous book, but Elizabeth O’Roark said “you haven’t even seen an ounce of what I did with him”. WHAT. A. MAN. Gemma stole my heart for sure, but Ben had me wanting to spread my legs (read: had me swooning). Once again, @God, when will it be my turn?
There’s a lot I love about Ben, but what struck me was how emotionally intuitive he was. I love a man who is not afraid to apologize and Ben?? He GROVELS when he inadvertently makes a callous joke about her mother. It was a great sign of his emotional maturity. And that doesn’t even begin to describe Ben as a character. In fact, I could probably make a long list of all the times he made me want to drop my panties actually melt into a puddle of goo because GOD, HE WAS SO THOUGHTFUL. The fucking strawberries at the meetings because that’s the only thing she likes to eat slayed me!! And when he goes to shovel her mom’s driveway after a snowstorm???? MARRY ME, BEN!!!
And the romance????? ACTUAL PERFECTION! As with the previous couples, Ben & Gemma had unmatched banter, the kind that have me screaming and kicking my feet in delight. Similarly, the romantic progression is just a work of art.When I say Ben & Gemma freaking own my heart, I’m not exaggerating. They are an all-time favorite couple for a reason. There’s something so simple, yet so gorgeous about watching two people who supposedly don’t get along, slowly become woven in each other’s souls and heartbeats. Elizabeth O’Roark is wildly talented at crafting these couples who make you feel deep-down that, yeah, these two belong together.
We know that Ben is whipped for this woman the minute he talks about his kink for her heels, but for Gemma it’s much more of a slow-burn. He slowly melts the ice wall around her heart by making her feel valued every step of the way. Ben is incredibly patient, but that’s exactly what Gemma needed. She needed someone who worshipped her and phew, did Ben worship her (in and out of the bedroom).
Of course, given Gemma’s trust issues, she has moments when doesn’t trust him and it understandably blows up in her face. But you can’t blame her though given her experience with men. Usually, I’m very indifferent to the low moments in romance, but this one had me clutching throat because of all the pains I was experiencing. I was just SO invested in these two. MY BABIES.
I’m sorry I don’t even know if this review is helpful at all? I know I sound like a very shouty unhinged banshee, but I hope I’ve not scared you away from reading the book. JUST PLEASE READ IT and then come into my DMs to scream about it.
Content notes: on-page sex, sexual harassment, death of a parent in an accident, poverty, gender-essentialist language.
More content notes: I do think that some of the jokes here could be viewed as a little juvenile and somewhat icky – I personally cringed at some of the ones referring to Ben’s exes as “teenagers”. I also didn’t care for the constant use of “female” and other gender-essentialist language. Nothing to deter me, but I know some readers might be sensitive to them.
Relationship disclosure: None
October 12, 2023
4/5 ⭐️ This was such a fun read and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I loved the animosity between Gemma and Ben but he was secretly obsessed with her the whole time😏.
I loved both Gemma and Ben. Gemma is the type of person who doesn’t take shit from anyone but she also had a big heart. It is one of my favorite combinations in a character. Ben was grumpy but he was also really sweet and utterly obsessed with Gemma 😌. I loved that he was the one wanting more while Gemma was a bit more reluctant to date him.
I loved their banter so much. It had me smiling throughout the whole book. The tension was so delicious and I couldn’t wait for them to finally act on their attraction 🤭. When they finally did, it was AMAZING 😮💨.
This also had enemies with benefits vibes which is usually not my favorite thing but I enjoyed it here.
Ben was just so in love! He redesigned his entire house based on her pinterest board of her dream home 🥺❤️
He also shoveled the snow from her mom’s driveway in a whole different state 🥺❤️
And she was the main reason he even interviewed at that firm in the first place ugh. He was so damn swoony 🥹❤️
I did wish we got Ben’s POV though. We only got one chapter at the beginning of the book 😩
I loved both Gemma and Ben. Gemma is the type of person who doesn’t take shit from anyone but she also had a big heart. It is one of my favorite combinations in a character. Ben was grumpy but he was also really sweet and utterly obsessed with Gemma 😌. I loved that he was the one wanting more while Gemma was a bit more reluctant to date him.
I loved their banter so much. It had me smiling throughout the whole book. The tension was so delicious and I couldn’t wait for them to finally act on their attraction 🤭. When they finally did, it was AMAZING 😮💨.
This also had enemies with benefits vibes which is usually not my favorite thing but I enjoyed it here.
Ben was just so in love! He redesigned his entire house based on her pinterest board of her dream home 🥺❤️
He also shoveled the snow from her mom’s driveway in a whole different state 🥺❤️
And she was the main reason he even interviewed at that firm in the first place ugh. He was so damn swoony 🥹❤️
I did wish we got Ben’s POV though. We only got one chapter at the beginning of the book 😩
June 23, 2022
I wish I could give this 100 stars. I finished this at almost 2am because I couldn't stop reading.
Elizabeth O'Roark manages to weave stories that are the perfect blend of swoony romance and really hard topics.
I feel like any woman out there who has ever been passed over for a promotion that went to a man, been abused and not believed, been relegated to the office "mum" who organises everything social because "that's a woman's job" or been told that they are too "emotional" or "hysterical" when they behave in the exact same way a "ball busting" "go getter" man does.
This. Book. Is. For. You.
I felt like I was constantly nodding my head in agreement with everything Gemma thought. I loved her so much, she's tough as nails and has had to make some hard choices in her career while playing the long game to make partner at her law firm of sexist, horrible men. I really wanted to hug her but she probably wouldn't have wanted that 😂
🖐🎤
Ben. I don't even know where to start with him, he's perfect. It's books like this that make me wish men read more romance books, not because they need to spice up their romance game although they could learn a lot from Ben but because they'd see how a man being a feminist is actually alpha as fuck.
When I finished this book I burst into tears, not because it was sad although it dealt with infuriating topics but because it was so beyond what I imagined this book would be. I'd loved Ben in the previous books but he absolutely is going on the book husband shelf after this.
Elizabeth O'Roark manages to weave stories that are the perfect blend of swoony romance and really hard topics.
I feel like any woman out there who has ever been passed over for a promotion that went to a man, been abused and not believed, been relegated to the office "mum" who organises everything social because "that's a woman's job" or been told that they are too "emotional" or "hysterical" when they behave in the exact same way a "ball busting" "go getter" man does.
This. Book. Is. For. You.
I felt like I was constantly nodding my head in agreement with everything Gemma thought. I loved her so much, she's tough as nails and has had to make some hard choices in her career while playing the long game to make partner at her law firm of sexist, horrible men. I really wanted to hug her but she probably wouldn't have wanted that 😂
" The running joke, among pretty much everyone here, is that my vagina has teeth. The Castrator, they call me. In theory because I often represent women in custody disputes, and in truth because I won’t play the game—I don’t bake cupcakes and make cooing noises over pictures of everyone’s kids. If a man doesn’t bake cupcakes and make cooing noises, you know what they call him? Senior Partner."
🖐🎤
Ben. I don't even know where to start with him, he's perfect. It's books like this that make me wish men read more romance books, not because they need to spice up their romance game although they could learn a lot from Ben but because they'd see how a man being a feminist is actually alpha as fuck.
When I finished this book I burst into tears, not because it was sad although it dealt with infuriating topics but because it was so beyond what I imagined this book would be. I'd loved Ben in the previous books but he absolutely is going on the book husband shelf after this.
August 25, 2023
the best book in the series hands down AND it’s the only one that isn’t dual POV so it had the odds stacked against them and yet
July 7, 2022
Why i haven't read this series before and why am i just seeing it now?😤
also i'm starting this series backwards. I hope i'm not gonna spoil myself.🥲
The frenemies to lovers part really sold me and ngl the tension, the banter were perfect.
So about our main characters Gemma and Ben. Ugh i have conflicting thoughts about both of them.
I read sm reviews saying how they couldn't stand Gemma in the beginning and for me it was actually the opposite. I loved her in the beginning but omg she drove me crazy in the second part.
I really liked her tough, no bullshit personality in the first half and i actually didn't like Ben that much bc he acted like a douche canoe.
Pls saying that after they had sex for the first time, i wanted to slap him too.
after they kinda got together that's when my opinion did 180 and i couldn't stand Gemma. Jesus her indecisiveness, jumping to conclusions and assuming things annoyed me so much. She acted like an ungrateful brat always misundertanding stuff and doing stupid shit instead of just talking it out with Ben.
Oh and tbh my opinion on Ben didn't change much. Yes he was really cute and the things he did for her were sweet and precious but he could've just be more open with her and you know actually invite her out with his friends and family sooner. the side characters were barely mentioned.🙄
and i'd really really liked a pov from ben bc did he have a personality? He was always in the back and everything always revolved around drama queen Gemma. And being in her head 24/7 was exhausting.😩
But that epilogue was super super sweet.
also i'm starting this series backwards. I hope i'm not gonna spoil myself.🥲
The frenemies to lovers part really sold me and ngl the tension, the banter were perfect.
So about our main characters Gemma and Ben. Ugh i have conflicting thoughts about both of them.
I read sm reviews saying how they couldn't stand Gemma in the beginning and for me it was actually the opposite. I loved her in the beginning but omg she drove me crazy in the second part.
I really liked her tough, no bullshit personality in the first half and i actually didn't like Ben that much bc he acted like a douche canoe.
He meets my eye, a small grin on his face. “Told you you’d beg.”
I stiffen. It’s not like I expected him to write me a love poem now, but I wasn’t ready for this.
It shouldn’t hurt, but it does.
Pls saying that after they had sex for the first time, i wanted to slap him too.
after they kinda got together that's when my opinion did 180 and i couldn't stand Gemma. Jesus her indecisiveness, jumping to conclusions and assuming things annoyed me so much. She acted like an ungrateful brat always misundertanding stuff and doing stupid shit instead of just talking it out with Ben.
Oh and tbh my opinion on Ben didn't change much. Yes he was really cute and the things he did for her were sweet and precious but he could've just be more open with her and you know actually invite her out with his friends and family sooner. the side characters were barely mentioned.🙄
and i'd really really liked a pov from ben bc did he have a personality? He was always in the back and everything always revolved around drama queen Gemma. And being in her head 24/7 was exhausting.😩
But that epilogue was super super sweet.
July 1, 2022
4,5. My heart is full of love!!!!
This story is so cute! Ben is the perfect book boyfriend!!!!
It’s worth the reading.
This story is so cute! Ben is the perfect book boyfriend!!!!
It’s worth the reading.
November 5, 2024
₊‧.°.⋆ 3 stars ⋆.°.‧₊
➴ possible spoilers ahead!
i really enjoyed this cute hate-to-lovers romance, even if i didn’t love it quite as much as the first two books in the series. just like the earlier ones, it had a great mix of humor and entertainment that really stood out. this one wasn’t a slow burn like the others, so that was a bit different. i loved the angst, but i really wish it had included dual pov. the miscommunication between the characters was pretty frustrating at times, but the plot was good and the writing was enjoyable.
⋆౨ৎ˚ gemma.
i really admired gemma's career ambitions and her obsession with shoes, along with how she gradually opens up while spending more time with ben. she’s the kind of person who doesn’t take nonsense from anyone but still has such a big heart. her serious trust issues were frustrating at times, but i couldn’t entirely blame her, given her past experiences. i just wish she had taken a moment to listen to ben instead of jumping to conclusions and walking away. but my heart also broke for her. it was clear she was genuinely trying to work through her trust issues and make progress, only to face setbacks that made things harder.
⋆౨ৎ˚ ben.
i absolutely adored ben as a hero. his flirtatious charm was irresistible, and he was so patient with gemma—not to mention, incredibly romantic. i loved catching those little glimpses of his true feelings for her hidden beneath all their witty banter, which was such a joy to read. you could tell he was completely smitten with her from the moment he first saw her, and it was impossible not to swoon a bit. his tenderness and those quiet acts of kindness toward gemma genuinely melted my heart. this whole series has played with the theme of unrequited love from the male heroes, and it reminded me just how much i love that trope.
⋆౨ৎ˚ ben and gemma.
just like the previous couples, ben and gemma had unmatched banter. there’s something so simple yet beautiful about watching two people who supposedly don’t get along slowly become woven into each other’s lives and heartbeats. ben was totally smitten! he even redesigned his whole house based on gemma’s pinterest board of her dream home and drove to another state just to shovel her mom’s driveway. she was also the main reason he decided to interview at that firm to begin with, even though it took him two years to finally win her over.
my one issue with them, though, was the heavy miscommunication toward the end. since we only got gemma’s perspective, the story kept us in the dark about what ben was actually feeling until the last moment. i get why it was done, but i didn’t love that they kept jumping into bed every time instead of sitting down for an open, mature conversation.
ᡣ𐭩 .ᐟ all in all, not the best in the series, but it was a quick, easy read with a good mix of drama, angst, and a bit of romance.
——— ˗ˋ ୨ 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 ୧ ˊ˗ ———
❥ "i want the world to be a different place for the women who come after me. and the only way to make that happen is to ignore the fact that it isn’t different yet. but i’m so goddamned tired of staying silent just to get the things i deserve."
❥ "they think it’s a slur when they refer to me as a castrating bitch, but all it says to me is that they’ve finally realized i’m not someone to fuck with. i was someone who was fucked with a lot, once upon a time. it won’t happen again."
❥ "i want to be someone you trust enough to invite home, gemma. and i’m willing to wait for it."
❥ "you want to burn the whole world to ash, just to make sure every path she walks is cleared for her. i know the feeling."
❥ "a jury will label a distressed female as shrill or hysterical for the exact same behaviors they’d term righteous indignation in a man."
⋆.𐙚 ˚pre-read
started on november 4, 2024
⤷ i've been curious about ben since the very first book, so i can’t wait to get into his story!✨
➴ possible spoilers ahead!
i really enjoyed this cute hate-to-lovers romance, even if i didn’t love it quite as much as the first two books in the series. just like the earlier ones, it had a great mix of humor and entertainment that really stood out. this one wasn’t a slow burn like the others, so that was a bit different. i loved the angst, but i really wish it had included dual pov. the miscommunication between the characters was pretty frustrating at times, but the plot was good and the writing was enjoyable.
⋆౨ৎ˚ gemma.
i really admired gemma's career ambitions and her obsession with shoes, along with how she gradually opens up while spending more time with ben. she’s the kind of person who doesn’t take nonsense from anyone but still has such a big heart. her serious trust issues were frustrating at times, but i couldn’t entirely blame her, given her past experiences. i just wish she had taken a moment to listen to ben instead of jumping to conclusions and walking away. but my heart also broke for her. it was clear she was genuinely trying to work through her trust issues and make progress, only to face setbacks that made things harder.
⋆౨ৎ˚ ben.
i absolutely adored ben as a hero. his flirtatious charm was irresistible, and he was so patient with gemma—not to mention, incredibly romantic. i loved catching those little glimpses of his true feelings for her hidden beneath all their witty banter, which was such a joy to read. you could tell he was completely smitten with her from the moment he first saw her, and it was impossible not to swoon a bit. his tenderness and those quiet acts of kindness toward gemma genuinely melted my heart. this whole series has played with the theme of unrequited love from the male heroes, and it reminded me just how much i love that trope.
⋆౨ৎ˚ ben and gemma.
just like the previous couples, ben and gemma had unmatched banter. there’s something so simple yet beautiful about watching two people who supposedly don’t get along slowly become woven into each other’s lives and heartbeats. ben was totally smitten! he even redesigned his whole house based on gemma’s pinterest board of her dream home and drove to another state just to shovel her mom’s driveway. she was also the main reason he decided to interview at that firm to begin with, even though it took him two years to finally win her over.
my one issue with them, though, was the heavy miscommunication toward the end. since we only got gemma’s perspective, the story kept us in the dark about what ben was actually feeling until the last moment. i get why it was done, but i didn’t love that they kept jumping into bed every time instead of sitting down for an open, mature conversation.
ᡣ𐭩 .ᐟ all in all, not the best in the series, but it was a quick, easy read with a good mix of drama, angst, and a bit of romance.
——— ˗ˋ ୨ 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 ୧ ˊ˗ ———
❥ "i want the world to be a different place for the women who come after me. and the only way to make that happen is to ignore the fact that it isn’t different yet. but i’m so goddamned tired of staying silent just to get the things i deserve."
❥ "they think it’s a slur when they refer to me as a castrating bitch, but all it says to me is that they’ve finally realized i’m not someone to fuck with. i was someone who was fucked with a lot, once upon a time. it won’t happen again."
❥ "i want to be someone you trust enough to invite home, gemma. and i’m willing to wait for it."
❥ "you want to burn the whole world to ash, just to make sure every path she walks is cleared for her. i know the feeling."
❥ "a jury will label a distressed female as shrill or hysterical for the exact same behaviors they’d term righteous indignation in a man."
⋆.𐙚 ˚pre-read
started on november 4, 2024
⤷ i've been curious about ben since the very first book, so i can’t wait to get into his story!✨
July 6, 2022
Wow! This book was really good. Honestly, I enjoyed it so much. I listened to this audio book so fast and I really enjoyed the talents of the narrator.
My gut reaction was that I loved this book, but... after I sat with it for a bit, there was a few things that bothered me and I would be remiss if I didn't share them.
The heroine had a lot of talk about the changes she was going to make and her goals to join the "boys club" and make a change. She fully believes she can only make a change by being a partner at this law firm that has NO interest in her attaining that place. In fact, they want her to service certain clients who want that from me.
There were several options that could have been pursued in which she could have had more agency but... none of those happened. The hero is the one who saves her. In pretty much every aspect. Not one SINGLE thing she does helps herself.
I wanted her to crush those old codgers... but... in the end... she was left an insecure girl who questioned everything Ben ever said to her and couldn't make any choices that freed her from where she was.
Pining hero, righteous indignation and lots of steamy scenes. That was fun and a good enemies to lovers but... I just expected more after the heroine had some great ideas and hopes for a better workplace.
4 stars
3 on the spice scale
My gut reaction was that I loved this book, but... after I sat with it for a bit, there was a few things that bothered me and I would be remiss if I didn't share them.
The heroine had a lot of talk about the changes she was going to make and her goals to join the "boys club" and make a change. She fully believes she can only make a change by being a partner at this law firm that has NO interest in her attaining that place. In fact, they want her to service certain clients who want that from me.
There were several options that could have been pursued in which she could have had more agency but... none of those happened. The hero is the one who saves her. In pretty much every aspect. Not one SINGLE thing she does helps herself.
I wanted her to crush those old codgers... but... in the end... she was left an insecure girl who questioned everything Ben ever said to her and couldn't make any choices that freed her from where she was.
Pining hero, righteous indignation and lots of steamy scenes. That was fun and a good enemies to lovers but... I just expected more after the heroine had some great ideas and hopes for a better workplace.
4 stars
3 on the spice scale
July 21, 2022
“On Mondays and Wednesdays, you go to the taco truck,” I tell him, staring at the floor as I speak, divulging what feels like a shameful secret. “On Tuesdays and Thursdays, you get a wrap from the gym.”
“You drink two cups of coffee every morning, always with milk, not cream, and a ridiculous amount of sugar. You’ll eat an acai bowl at any hour of the day, and you’re the only person alive who prefers strawberries to donuts, which is why I’ve been buying them for staff meetings for the past year.”
I love it when the h and H are both equally obsessed with each other
“I love you,” I whisper. “And I wanted to make partner, but for the past two years, you were the reason I stayed there too.”
He laughs as he presses his lips to mine. “I know,” he says quietly. “But I’m glad you finally figured it out.”
Ben Tate ✨🤌
what an exquisite species
“You drink two cups of coffee every morning, always with milk, not cream, and a ridiculous amount of sugar. You’ll eat an acai bowl at any hour of the day, and you’re the only person alive who prefers strawberries to donuts, which is why I’ve been buying them for staff meetings for the past year.”
I love it when the h and H are both equally obsessed with each other
“I love you,” I whisper. “And I wanted to make partner, but for the past two years, you were the reason I stayed there too.”
He laughs as he presses his lips to mine. “I know,” he says quietly. “But I’m glad you finally figured it out.”
Ben Tate ✨🤌
what an exquisite species
October 4, 2022
4.25 stars
The Devil You Know is another great enemies to lovers book by Elizabeth O'Roark. This entire series has been so much fun and this one is tied with the first as my favorite.
Ben and Gemma have worked with each other for two years. Gemma is working hard to get to be partner at her firm. She wants to change the way things are in law from the inside out. She hasn't liked Ben ever since he stole a client from her two years ago, but for some reason, her interest in him has grown lately. I adored Ben. Seriously. I wish so much that we could have gotten his perspective, but he was the absolute best!
This book gave me 'The Hating Game' vibes which I love, and left me with a big smile on my face. For anyone who love workplace romance or enemies to lovers, check this out!
The Devil You Know is another great enemies to lovers book by Elizabeth O'Roark. This entire series has been so much fun and this one is tied with the first as my favorite.
Ben and Gemma have worked with each other for two years. Gemma is working hard to get to be partner at her firm. She wants to change the way things are in law from the inside out. She hasn't liked Ben ever since he stole a client from her two years ago, but for some reason, her interest in him has grown lately. I adored Ben. Seriously. I wish so much that we could have gotten his perspective, but he was the absolute best!
This book gave me 'The Hating Game' vibes which I love, and left me with a big smile on my face. For anyone who love workplace romance or enemies to lovers, check this out!
Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 4.25 stars
Narrators: Samantha Brentmoor
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 8h 38m
June 25, 2022
4.25 stars ⭐️
The way ben had his room inspired by her Pinterest, the way he did so much for Gemma, IM IN L O V E .
The way ben had his room inspired by her Pinterest, the way he did so much for Gemma, IM IN L O V E .
July 10, 2022
this was just extremely good and i stayed up all night to finish it so i’m gonna be miserable today because not only am i sad i don’t have a boyfriend but i’m exhausted so 💔
June 21, 2022
4.5 ★
The IDEAL enemies to lovers, office romance! Ben and Gemma are both attorneys at the same law firm, they constantly butt heads and bicker, and they have for years. When they're both put on a huge important case, they are forced to spend a lot of time together, and things get heated, to say the least.
The banter in this book was unmatched. Two hot headed, witty attorneys going at each other (and then eventually really going at each other). There was tension, there was angst, even a little "touch her and I'll kill you" thrown in.
Even once the tension snaps and things get a little more physical, the always present anger and "hatred" toward each other doesn't disappear right away. But when they start spending more time together, Ben and Gemma both realize how wrong they may have been about each other.
A big part of this plot was Gemma's experience as a female attorney in a very male dominated work space. So there is a lot about her personal journey dealing with sexual harassment, being overlooked for promotions, etc. I loved Ben's protectiveness but overall understanding that she can stand on her own two feet.
This book was entirely in Gemma's POV (minus the prologue), so I often had no idea what was going on in Ben's head. This really only bothered me towards the end because a lot was revealed all at once and it felt a little rushed/unexpected. I think had we seen any of Ben's POV, it wouldn't have felt that way. But obviously there is an allure to not knowing what he's thinking and learning more about him solely through Gemma.
I really loved both Gemma and Ben and was so happy to see characters from the first two books make appearances in this one! All three books in this series have been amazing, and I can't recommend them enough!
__________________
One other thing that I'll mention is the overuse of the word female. this is something that has never bothered me in the past, I never found the word to be offensive or anything. But there were soo many instances when the word woman could have been used, but the author constantly used the word female. Again, this word has literally never bothered me, so the fact that I even noticed was weird to me, but I think it was just used so often that I couldn't help but notice.
The IDEAL enemies to lovers, office romance! Ben and Gemma are both attorneys at the same law firm, they constantly butt heads and bicker, and they have for years. When they're both put on a huge important case, they are forced to spend a lot of time together, and things get heated, to say the least.
The banter in this book was unmatched. Two hot headed, witty attorneys going at each other (and then eventually really going at each other). There was tension, there was angst, even a little "touch her and I'll kill you" thrown in.
Even once the tension snaps and things get a little more physical, the always present anger and "hatred" toward each other doesn't disappear right away. But when they start spending more time together, Ben and Gemma both realize how wrong they may have been about each other.
A big part of this plot was Gemma's experience as a female attorney in a very male dominated work space. So there is a lot about her personal journey dealing with sexual harassment, being overlooked for promotions, etc. I loved Ben's protectiveness but overall understanding that she can stand on her own two feet.
This book was entirely in Gemma's POV (minus the prologue), so I often had no idea what was going on in Ben's head. This really only bothered me towards the end because a lot was revealed all at once and it felt a little rushed/unexpected. I think had we seen any of Ben's POV, it wouldn't have felt that way. But obviously there is an allure to not knowing what he's thinking and learning more about him solely through Gemma.
I really loved both Gemma and Ben and was so happy to see characters from the first two books make appearances in this one! All three books in this series have been amazing, and I can't recommend them enough!
__________________
One other thing that I'll mention is the overuse of the word female. this is something that has never bothered me in the past, I never found the word to be offensive or anything. But there were soo many instances when the word woman could have been used, but the author constantly used the word female. Again, this word has literally never bothered me, so the fact that I even noticed was weird to me, but I think it was just used so often that I couldn't help but notice.
February 26, 2023
reread 2/25/23. the perfect workplace romance imo. ben and gemma are my fav couple from this series!
5/5 ☆
screaming. crying. throwing up. HOW DOES THIS SERIES KEEP GETTING BETTER AND BETTER? Ben Tate has surpassed both Hayes and Josh by a landslide and that's saying a lot since both of their books were a 5/5 for me.
This book follows Ben and Gemma who are both attorneys working at the same law firm. Gemma is a cut-throat lawyer who doesn't take shit from anyone - especially Ben Tate, the gorgeous, but annoying man who constantly bickers and teases her relentlessly. When they are assigned to work a case together, Gemma knows it isn't going to end well. They are both stubborn, strong-willed individuals who don't stop until they get what they want. As they spend more and more time together, Gemma is realizing there's more to Ben than she thought. She can't stay away and Ben isn't going to let her.
Elizabeth O'Roark knows how to perfectly execute enemies to friends to lovers trope and she has done it again with this book. Individually, Ben and Gemma are amazing characters that have so much depth. Ben is arrogant, but charming all in the same and is a hopeless romantic. We don't get his POV in this book, but you can see the good man that he is through Gemma's POV and how much he deeply cares for her.
Gemma is fierce and goes to lengths for her clients and the people that she loves. Her passion speaks beyond the work she has done as an attorney and her demand for justice for those who have been abused by those in power is admirable. I loved, 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 how tangible she felt - her emotions and the way she struggles to express how she feels was so real and raw and accurate. My heart hurt for her in this book; I was in awe of her strength.
I thought Drew and Josh's book was my favorite, but this completely won me over. Ben and Gemma have a beautiful story that I simply could not put down.
Tropes:
-Enemies to friends to lovers
-Workplace romance
-Single POV (FMC)
5/5 ☆
screaming. crying. throwing up. HOW DOES THIS SERIES KEEP GETTING BETTER AND BETTER? Ben Tate has surpassed both Hayes and Josh by a landslide and that's saying a lot since both of their books were a 5/5 for me.
This book follows Ben and Gemma who are both attorneys working at the same law firm. Gemma is a cut-throat lawyer who doesn't take shit from anyone - especially Ben Tate, the gorgeous, but annoying man who constantly bickers and teases her relentlessly. When they are assigned to work a case together, Gemma knows it isn't going to end well. They are both stubborn, strong-willed individuals who don't stop until they get what they want. As they spend more and more time together, Gemma is realizing there's more to Ben than she thought. She can't stay away and Ben isn't going to let her.
Elizabeth O'Roark knows how to perfectly execute enemies to friends to lovers trope and she has done it again with this book. Individually, Ben and Gemma are amazing characters that have so much depth. Ben is arrogant, but charming all in the same and is a hopeless romantic. We don't get his POV in this book, but you can see the good man that he is through Gemma's POV and how much he deeply cares for her.
Gemma is fierce and goes to lengths for her clients and the people that she loves. Her passion speaks beyond the work she has done as an attorney and her demand for justice for those who have been abused by those in power is admirable. I loved, 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 how tangible she felt - her emotions and the way she struggles to express how she feels was so real and raw and accurate. My heart hurt for her in this book; I was in awe of her strength.
I thought Drew and Josh's book was my favorite, but this completely won me over. Ben and Gemma have a beautiful story that I simply could not put down.
Tropes:
-Enemies to friends to lovers
-Workplace romance
-Single POV (FMC)
July 24, 2022
4.5 STARS ....This was my first book by this author and I jumped straight to this book in the series and I really loved it. The writing, the pacing of the story, a bad ass take no shit h and a sweet yet possessive H....perfect ingredients to a great story. I loved how both Ben and Gemma were equally obsessed with eachother yet neither one tried to admit it. Gemma has been put through shit from some of the men in her life and naturally it took a while for her to trust Ben's feelings but I loved that little by little, he warmed up her icy heart. The bickering was fun, the Hallmark references, the Pinterest board.....this was all around a great book. Wish it would've had Ben's POV!
July 1, 2022
I loved this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ fantastic banter perfect enemies to lovers story!!
June 1, 2023
These books just get better and better, and the more I read, the more the ones I already read are growing on me! I had a great time with this one! I am convinced that no one can write banter like Elizabeth O’Rourke. Gemma and Ben are work frenemies, and they live to dig at each other. During meetings, passing each other in the break room, you name it, they’re exhausting everyone with their jabs. As for me, I lived for it.
Ever since Ben joined their firm two years ago, Gemma has hated Ben. He stole her biggest client, is cocky as hell, and generally is not to be trusted. So when they’re paired up on a high profile case together, she’s less than thrilled. But it also coincides with a bid to pick the newest partner, and she is determined to make the first female Partner at their law firm. She’s EARNED IT.
Gemma is guarded, determined, hard working…and lonely. She’s devoted her life entirely to her work as a lawyer, pushing off family, relationships, and general work life balance in pursuit of her goal. And she makes no apologies! If she were a man, she’s just be labeled “ambitious”. I got a lot out of the gender norms being challenged in this book, and was here for it with Gemma!
Ben, for all his bluster, was so obviously completely in love with her, aside from all the hands off stuff that was designed to keep us guessing. And the epilogue that challenged Gemma’s view of Hallmark Small Towns had me laughing my ass off! Loved that this put two high powered lawyers together and didn’t make them slow down and start a petting zoo together…or however the movies go.
Ever since Ben joined their firm two years ago, Gemma has hated Ben. He stole her biggest client, is cocky as hell, and generally is not to be trusted. So when they’re paired up on a high profile case together, she’s less than thrilled. But it also coincides with a bid to pick the newest partner, and she is determined to make the first female Partner at their law firm. She’s EARNED IT.
Gemma is guarded, determined, hard working…and lonely. She’s devoted her life entirely to her work as a lawyer, pushing off family, relationships, and general work life balance in pursuit of her goal. And she makes no apologies! If she were a man, she’s just be labeled “ambitious”. I got a lot out of the gender norms being challenged in this book, and was here for it with Gemma!
Ben, for all his bluster, was so obviously completely in love with her, aside from all the hands off stuff that was designed to keep us guessing. And the epilogue that challenged Gemma’s view of Hallmark Small Towns had me laughing my ass off! Loved that this put two high powered lawyers together and didn’t make them slow down and start a petting zoo together…or however the movies go.
June 24, 2022
For a heartless lawyer, he’s incredibly sweet sometimes.
I tried to write this review like 5 times in the kindle app and it wouldn’t transfer here or post there, so I give up. This book was good. Two lawyers that are sort of rivals, throwing snark and banter back and forth. Hero falls first. Heroine has been hurt before, so she’s very reluctant/cautious to see their chemistry as anything more than physical. I appreciated that the heroine isn’t just soft and sweet and falling all over herself for the hero. Don’t get me wrong I love those heroines, but I also love ones who are a little scared to be vulnerable and who are hesitant when it comes to falling. It’s a nice little change up.
Ok. That’s all.
I tried to write this review like 5 times in the kindle app and it wouldn’t transfer here or post there, so I give up. This book was good. Two lawyers that are sort of rivals, throwing snark and banter back and forth. Hero falls first. Heroine has been hurt before, so she’s very reluctant/cautious to see their chemistry as anything more than physical. I appreciated that the heroine isn’t just soft and sweet and falling all over herself for the hero. Don’t get me wrong I love those heroines, but I also love ones who are a little scared to be vulnerable and who are hesitant when it comes to falling. It’s a nice little change up.
Ok. That’s all.
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