3.5 stars. Even though Clover was super bitter and could be a b*tch did I agree the president should have called her that? Absolutely not. I actually liked Clover, the president not so much. He was a man wh*re and the whole stripper debacle was tasteless. A lot of things in this book i had to just pretend didn’t happen because it was too unrealistic for a president or the White House. It was very much like scandal. The writing was really good.

This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. I wanted a "West Wing"-esque book and was so intrigued by Clover's character that I was hooked.

Clover has a dream of being the White House press secretary. She's carefully curated her career in PR to get there and her dreams are coming true. She worked on the new president's campaign when he was a senator so she has a lay of the land. She doesn't expect the raw attraction she has to seeing Theodore again, though.

Theodore is the new president and is divorced, driven, and a little cocky. He wants Clover on his team and makes sure she gets the job. He has big plans for his time in office and thinks that they could be a great partnership at work and in their personal life.

I enjoyed the two together for the most part. I liked that they had history together and were learning each other again as they've grown. Some of the sneaking around was a little far fetched for me but the steamy scenes were top notch. I also like how the author didn't shy away from the tough subjects like being a woman in a relationship with her boss, a man being sexually harassed by a coworker, and what it's like to be a person of color in a traditionally white space.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more from this author.

♥ Friends to lovers
♥ Strong Heroine
♥ Workplace Romance
♥ Singular POV

This book was sooooo good. The writing was witty, easy flowing and there were some stand out lines that I couldn’t help but smile at.

The chemistry between the two leads was insane. I loved Clover. She was headstrong and brilliant. And Teddy, my gosh, he was amazing. Teddy is very much a contender for best book boyfriend. I loved him

I can’t wait to check out other books by the author

This political romance follows PR specialist Clover Bennet who is interviewing to be the newly elected President of the US Press Secretary. Mr. President, Teddy Ellsworth, and Clover already worked together in the past during his senator campaign. Teddy has been pinning over Clover ever since and this may just be their chance!

From the first page I was hooked! Clover was confident, wicked smart and sexy. Their banter was my favourite part — like who dares to speak to POTUS like a regular old colleague!? Clover, that is who. Teddy is a multifaceted character and I loved seen his professional/ political side vs his soft/romantic one.

There are so many pop culture references that made me laugh! Although, my favourite part is that Clover really gave 0 fucks and did not cave to the marriage, kids narrative! Boss lady right there!

Honestly the only two things I was missing: more politics but that could be because I’m a polisci nerd and actually enjoy politics (I know, blame it on the international relations degree) and to see Teddy’s POV.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who wanted more romance out of Scandal!

Also this is my official request for Alan’s book! ❣️

Thank you to NetGalley and Webster Avene Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will preface this with there was a lot in this book that was fun, but also as a Washington, DC resident and political professional, there was a lot that just didn't sit well with me. I actually think I would have really enjoyed this had 1) the male lead not been the President 2) the female lead did not work for him. While books are an escape, the level to which I had to stretch to believe the central parts of this book were just too much. I often enjoy DC-based and political novels, but so much of this was so beyond reality. And I really struggled with the power dynamics in this relationship, and never felt like they were properly addressed.

The characters clearly had incredible chemistry, and I enjoyed the supporting cast as well. I really think if these characters had different jobs and one was not the supervisor/President, it would have worked a lot better.

Clover is press secretary to bachelor US president Teddy. They've been friends for years, and she's always been drawn to him. She knows she should keep things professional between them. But how can she resist when the most powerful man in the world is relentlessly pursuing her?

This is a super steamy contemporary romance (despite the illustrated cover, it's not a rom com). The story is solid with plenty of chemistry between Clover and Teddy. He doesn't always act presidential, and they sometimes take careless risks. It's a fun, escapist story.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

In DC, Clover has worked her way up to become a rising PR star. Teddy, the recently elected president, is a handsome single man. Teddy and Clover have a history. Ten years ago, she participated in his senate campaign. Since then, he hasn't stopped thinking about her. He searches for Clover to join the team when the press secretary position in his cabinet becomes available.

Once I started the first page I couldn't put it down. I love Clover's personality and energy toward her career. She wasn't going let anything or anyone ruin her career. I love their banter between each other. Their relationship gives off scandal vibes. Teddy is such a sweet and soft guy. I love all the side characters. They were all funny and caring. I love the message that you don't necessary need a man and children to be successful woman.

I really enjoyed this book.



My thanks to NetGalley and Webster Avenue Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

I liked this book, but I can't say I loved it unfortunately :/. and that is solely down to the love interest (who is the actual fucking president of the United States????????? it was hard to get over)
first of all, there was (in my opinion) a skewed power dynamic between them, seeing as she is his press secretary and he's THE ACTUAL PRESIDENT!!! so yeah, I'd say he was a tad more powerful than her. there were also her very valid concerns for her career and reputation which I feel like was absolutely glossed over in the end? I would've liked this book more if it delved into how her reputation following the scandal changed. he was also just really pushy and annoying at times when I felt like he was acting like a petulant child.

all in all, I loved clover and I wish she got a better love story but I did enjoy the book! it was a quick, enjoyable read that I wouldn't hesitate to pick up again if my mood yearned for it.

“for a communications professional I sucked when it came to communicating my own emotions.”

Figure of Speech by Kasha Thompson
Pub Date: 7/12/2022
Rating: 🌟🌟💫 (2.5/5)
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶🌶 (4/5)

Clover is a rising PR star who has worked her way up in DC. Teddy is the attractive and single recently elected president. Clover and Teddy have a past. She worked on his senate campaign a decade ago. He hasn’t stopped thinking about her since. When the press secretary role in his cabinet opens up, he looks to add Clover to the team.

I enjoyed the second half of this book much more than the first half. This work place romance is a little uncomfy to me. I also wish we had more character development earlier on. I didn’t learn who Clover was besides a workaholic until 43% of the way in. Overall it’s a cute story once I got past the uncomfy.


If you like:
- Black Love
- Workplace romance
- The West Wing


Thank you to Net Galley and Webster Avenue Publishing for proving me with an eARC of this novel.

LIKED::
-Clover’s name and nickname ;) his nickname for her is literally the cutest (did it take me a minute to realize why he kept calling her that?yes, yes it did)
-Clover’s ambition and work ethic is literally unmatched
-Scandal vibes (I loooooved Scandal and Olitz)
HE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (hot face emoji)
- 🌶🌶 (2 bordering 3)
-The ending really ties it all up nicely in a bow and I was happy that Clover made her dreams come true and didn’t settle though it was a roundabout way that she had get there.

DISLIKED::
-He is the President of The United States; what I did not like about him being President was the attitude of him thinking that Clover should just jump into this situationship with him and it’s okay for him because he’s single but it could literally destroy her and her career and he was very blaise about that and I was getting annoyed with him.
-No backstory; I wanted more back scenes of his time as Senator and also a little more about Clover and her ex’s. We know she’s a runner but we don’t really dive into why.
-SHE KEPT RUNNING. Gooooodness, can we talk about why she kept running? She had some swift feet.
-Some of the steam fades to black (the parts that don’t are wonderful though that’s why spice is on both lists)

I did not know I needed a presidential romance in my life. I thought it was going to be done super cheesy or dramatic but no it was done just right. Clover is so relatable (especially to me) right from the start that you can't help but root for her and want for her to fall in love. The President is just what you thought a single president would be. It was fun seeing the intricacies of the White House without too much political drama. I loved the group of friends and that there were so many from different walks of life. Kasha's writing was superb I can't wait to read more of her books.

I was gifted an ARC from Net Galley/ Webster Publishing in exchange for an honest review, however all words are my own.

Figure of Speech by Kasha Thompson is a great weekend read full of Black Girl Magic 🪄 and it wouldn’t be a romance without spicy sex scenes
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶… and they are spicy!

The protagonist Clover Bennet gives off major Olivia Pope vibes as she navigates her new career as the White House Press Secretary. She is overqualified, works weekends, and doesn’t commit to relationships but that all changes with Theodore Elmsworth, the President of the United States.

My favorite part about this book was the ease and authenticity of the dialogue between the characters, especially Clover and her BFF, Daysha..it was like reading a conversation that I have between my own friends!

Kasha Thompson had me hooked right from the first paragraph. Right away, Clovers personality and energy had me interested and ready to find out more right from the start- the unconventional job interview. I could visualize easily every scene, feel the emotion from all the characters like I was apart of their story.

The “Scandal” parallels screamed through, but also in a way that kept the story separate and even with the similarities the story can stand on its own merits. The supporting characters brought new personalities. I truly appreciated the BIPOC cultural representations and sometimes struggles shined throughout.

The only thing I had a hard time with, was I couldn’t picture Theodore as “president”. I’m all for showcasing the sentiment of being your authentic self, especially in the workplace and your profession. But he seemed a little too playboy and lacked care of being caught (the speakeasy scene) that I just can’t imagine the president being so careless when they’re such a public figure. Any other profession and this would have been 5 stars for me!

Loved the overall story, loved the writing.

Figure of Speech is an exciting and beautiful story. I was impressed with how Clover was portrayed as a woman with goals and ambition and not.just a damsel looking for love. Clover is a Public Relations expert working as the Press Secretary for the handsome President of the USA, Teddy.

Clover and Teddy are attracted to each other but Clover is weary of letting her heart take over. Her last experience has taught her love only leads to heartache.

While working with Teddy, Clover isn't able to focus on her work. He's a sweet, sensitive and playful soul who's determined to win her heart over as well as the hearts of those who voted for him.

An enchanting story.

I don’t know where to start except this book was so good, I could not put it down. This is Ms. Thompson’s 2nd book and it did not disappoint. We meet Clover when she becomes the press secretary to the President aka Teddy. Clover had so many trust issues and concerns and Teddy did his best to get through all of them. The road to their HEA wasn’t smooth but completely worth it. It was nice to see Teddy in his job but also as just a man. I really enjoyed reading their story and can’t wait to read more from this author. Great job and story!

Figure of Speech was such a fun read! This is the romance between Theodore “Teddy” Elmsworth, the newly elected President of the United States, and Clover Bennett, his newly hired Press Secretary. Teddy and Clover knew each other years ago when she worked on his senator campaign and are now reconnected in their new roles. Teddy has always had a crush on Clover even after they fell out of touch. Meanwhile, Clover wants to focus solely on her political aspirations and avoiding the flirtatious advances of Mr. President. It’s a bit of a slow burn at first because Teddy has to work hard to tear down Clover’s walls because she has practically given up on love and believes in no strings attached only.

One of my favorite things about this book were all the references to African American culture. Obviously both Teddy and Clover are black, as well as the author, so I automatically connected with a lot of the pop culture references and dialogue choice that were used in the book. Also, something about Teddy’s smooth charm was so fresh. He made it no secret that he wanted Clover and watching him wear her down was hilarious😂. I could relate to Clover because she’d been burned by men in the past and she’d really closed herself off to the possibility of a real relationship. She didn’t make it easy for Teddy to woo her and I appreciated that realistic aspect of the book. She was a strong heroine with a soft heart that wanted someone she could trust and I just loved how Teddy cared about her 😭.

The political background to their romance gave me Scandal/Olivia Pole vibes so I was here for it😂. I would’ve liked the intimate scenes to be a bit more descriptive though, because it seems like the author teetered on the line between explicit and fade to black. Also, I think the book would’ve benefited from us being able to get a flashback scene or two of Clover and Teddy’s time together back when he was a senator because there were only brief references that were a bit lacking.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more by this author!

Before I was even a chapter in, I was hooked. Kasha writes with assurance and humor, with never a dull moment. My main criticism is that it's single perspective, and I think a dual perspective might have forced Thompson to make the male lead engage with the stakes and learn to be less of a selfish asshole. He's hot and he loves her, but I got tired real fast of the female lead always being the "problem" in their relationship when he refused to take her concerns about a workplace romance with the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES seriously. As much as I liked the book and even enjoyed them together when they weren't fighting, I was disappointed that she went back to him in the end because she deserved better.

My thanks to NetGalley and Webster Avenue Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I largely enjoyed this book (I’m always on the hunt for political romances!) I thought Clover was a fierce lead, and I enjoyed the cast of minor characters - especially her mother and Day.

The political elements were well done, although the President seemed to have more free time than I’d imagine is realistic! The White House parts were fun, and I enjoyed all the policy discussions.

A few things that impacted my experience:
- The power imbalance made me uncomfortable, especially when Clover repeatedly expressed her concerns about perceptions of her in the workplace
- Something about the tense seemed funny in this book. I couldn’t pick it precisely - something about the way the past tense was phrased in places
- I think we needed more of why Clover was so closed off to love. Some of the reasoning came in very late and by that point I was irritated with her for not giving things a try!
- I predicted the Seth thing (this didn’t bother me, but if the complication was meant to be shocking unfortunately it was a little obvious!)

In general, this was an enjoyable read with a badass lead!

This book by Webster Avenue Publishing was provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for an honest review. All of the thoughts and opinions are my own.

My God this is a good book.
The banter, tension, romance, spice and pain was fantastic. Chef's kiss.
The political side of the book was very fascinating to me as a European. The nuances and intertwined matters I don't really have much knowledge about was really fun to read about(and yes I do know it's not as exactly like that in real life).
Clover is Press Secretary and Theodore is the President of the United States.
Clover is a hard working bad ass woman that commands the room with her intelligence, knowledge and pure gumption of woman who knows her worth and will not let you devalue her to just being beautiful. She is not afraid to speak up and yell at you if you are being a dumb ass and I absolutely love that.
What she is afraid of is love and that is where Teddy comes in.
Theodore is her equally matched golden retriever energy pair. Just as driven, intelligent and hard working as she is.
Their connection grows from friendship to hook up to actual feelings "getting caught" all with trying to not get caught by the public eye.
So when some innocent but kind od of suspicious pictures of the two of them come up in an interview things blow up in their faces. So now they have to decide if this breaks them or makes them stronger.
And if you want to find out, we'll you will just have to buy the book and read it yourself.
Overall this book is entertaining, well written and definitely worth the wait.
5 stars

This book had a lot going for it.

Clover is a workaholic/"girl boss" type character who gets a job as the new (black) president's press secretary. One of the things I found worked best about the book was its representation, and there were lots of great lines about the difficulties facing black women (and black Presidents!). Clover is also very focused on her career instead of relationships (although I do think this is undermined slightly at points by her and Teddy's relationship, which I'll come to later). But there are positive messages about women who don't necessarily want a husband and kids - even if it all feels slightly heteronormative (other than the token gay friend). Clover and her friendships are also some of my favourite parts of the book. There were lots of funny one-liners and references, particularly to black culture, and it felt very contemporary in that sense.

While there were definitely some "progressive" (quote unquote) aspects, I think I had some issues with the core workplace relationship trope. I'm normally a big fan of this trope and, tied in with a celebrity angle (well, President in this context, but basically celebrity), I thought I'd be a fan. But the actual relationship between Clover and Teddy felt imbalanced, and from the beginning I felt quite uncomfortable with the power dynamics between an employer and employee. This only increased for me further through the book - Clover repeatedly tells Teddy what she has to lose as a female employee, and he doesn't seem to hear her at all. I felt that the overall message of 'quit your job to get the man' wasn't ideal, either. Fair enough if she wanted to pursue her dreams, but it seemed like the woman in this scenario lost more than the man (and Teddy didn't exactly seem to get that).

Having said that, I did genuinely like the relationship between the MC's other than that. While the conflict was fairly predictable and some of their interactions were a bit cheesy (not sure how much "Mr. President"ing I can deal with), it was a nice slow build.

Overall I would like to read more from Thompson - and I'm sure there will be plenty of readers who disagree with me!

Thank you NetGalley and Webster Avenue Publishing for the ARC.