$12.91 with 32 percent savings
List Price: $18.99

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Monday, May 13 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Thursday, May 9. Order within 9 hrs 57 mins
In Stock
$$12.91 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$12.91
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Lucy Score
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

By a Thread: A Grumpy Boss Romantic Comedy Paperback – April 22, 2020

by Lucy Score (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 52,836 ratings
Best of #BookTok
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$12.91","priceAmount":12.91,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"12","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"91","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"wqwcALKa1HQSnJUB3sWrw2jXwpEHWpH4l7ar%2FYaVflZq3wD5bITAFKPFuUzjb3mqDsQKowyxlId2jFOiQKRyJQe7dEMSTHixVEpuzKs4jPveWb4R7JKm4QTEHfvLB%2BiPgWtuQq1IJlZw6LiGZdoSTQ%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Things We Never Got Over

Dominic was staring at me like he couldn’t decide whether he loathed me or wanted to French kiss me.

Dominic

I got her fired. Okay, so I’d had a bad day and took it out on a bystander in a pizza shop. But there’s nothing demure about Ally Morales. She proves that her first day of her new job…which just happens to be in my office….And I can’t fire her, because it’s my mother the CEO who hired her…technically, Ally doesn’t work for me, and she makes it clear she doesn’t have to listen to me either.

So maybe her colorful, annoying, inexplicably alluring personality brightens up the magazine’s offices that have felt like a prison for the past year. Maybe I like that she argues with me in front of the editorial staff. And maybe my after-hours fantasies are haunted by those brown eyes and that sharp tongue.

But that doesn’t mean that I’m going to be the next Russo man to take advantage of his position. I might be a second-generation asshole, but I am not my father.

She’s working herself to death at half a dozen dead-end jobs for some secret reason she doesn’t feel like sharing with me. And I’m going to fix it all. Don’t accuse me of caring. She’s nothing more than a puzzle to be solved. If I can get her to quit working here, I can finally peel away all those layers. Then I can go back to salvaging the family name and forget all about the dancing, beer-slinging brunette.

Ally

Ha! Hold my beer, Charming.

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    582 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Bloom Books
  4. Publication date
    April 22, 2020
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 1.46 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1945631619
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1945631610
  8. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

By a Thread: A Grumpy Boss Romantic Comedy
$12.91
Get it as soon as Monday, May 13
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Forever Never
$12.80
Get it as soon as Monday, May 13
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Rock Bottom Girl
$11.84
Get it as soon as Monday, May 13
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Choose items to buy together.
Popular Highlights in this book
What are popular highlights?
Previous page
  1. Was grumpy and rude suddenly the new hot? My vagina seemed to think so.
    Highlighted by 2,820 Kindle readers
  2. “Shouldn’t someone your age have a real job by now, Maleficent? Because obviously you’re not good at this one.”
    Highlighted by 2,442 Kindle readers
  3. I wondered if I was leaving a trail of body glitter behind me like I was a Questionable Life Choices Tinkerbell.
    Highlighted by 2,053 Kindle readers
Next page

Editorial Reviews

Review

"With a Score book, I usually anticipate a light-hearted romantic comedy with a good-guy hero and a feisty heroine, and this book is light years beyond that. It's a story that's impossible to put down with characters who will own your heart. ~ BookAddict Romance Blog

A seriously scorching hot and hilarious page-turner! ~ About That Story

Flirty and hella sexy but with enough depth to give you all the feels, By a Thread is one book that should be on every rom-com enthusiast's to-be-read list. It's just that wonderful. ~ harlequinjunkie.com

Score writes laugh out loud romance that will have you wiping tears of laughter from your eyes. 5/5 ~ Amity Book Blog

The interactions between Ally and Dominic are humorous, the chemistry hot but that doesn't mean that it doesn't pack an emotional punch. This is one story you don't want to miss. ~ Kari's Book Reviews and Revelations

I know this is going to seem dramatic but this book is a work of art, a masterpiece. I don't know when I have laughed harder reading. If you love Devil Wears Prada then you will fall for this book. ~ Nix Reads Romance

This is a beautifully written story which is filled with witty and sarcastic banter, and is a humorous, steamy enemies / lovers romance story, which had me enthralled throughout this addictive page turner. ~ Wendy's Book Blog

This is the book you NEED to read during this difficult time (or any time actually), it was that good. ~ B-Books Review

Can you believe I actually loved this book so much that I don't want to write a review just so that you can blindly pick it up to fall in love with it too? ~ The Book Club Trio

This book is timely in its subject matter. No spoilers. It's a tough read at times because people can be icky. Plain and simple. But knowing there are still good people at work in the world, standing up and doing what's right is good for the soul. This book generated all the feels. Tears (there are some genuinely touching moments in this book), so many laughs (it made me so happy), quite a few moments when you wanted to pump your fist and say, "YES!" when an idiot got what they deserved, and those oh so satisfying heartbeat moments that make you smile and sigh. Lucy continues to make me a happy, contented reader with bold firey heroines who are not afraid to stand up for themselves and the men who love and pursue them. You need this book in your life. ~ Beautiful Chaos Reviews

This girl has got some major writing chops. I loved everything about this book. The writing style, the story line, the genuine feel of the characters. It was emotional and sweet and everything in between. The H is definite swoon material and I loved how independent the h is. I was captivated by this story from the very first page. It's not a short read but it flows nicely and the pages turned quickly for me. I can't wait to dive into the authors backlist. ~ Reviews from the Heart

This book started at a really high level and pedal to metal kept up the banter, the pacing, the frustration and stubbornness, and seriously smokin' hot sexy times. (I am talking really sexy times, people.) This Book Was Everything. PERIOD. ~ Wendy's Thoughts Reviews

This is more than just a grumpy boss story but one about a woman making the boss see he can be so much more with a little bit of love and never giving up. This book had it all for me which is why Lucy Score is definitely an author to look out for more of her talented imagination. Loved it. ~ Melena's Reviews

Score doesn't allow the romance to fly away, ethereal in its romantic telling. Instead, she grounds it with the truths of our time and our need to be vigilant in protecting others from harm. All of these qualities conspire to bring her readers a story that leaves you feeling ebullient. ~ Professor Romance

The sparks between Ally and Dominic was off the charts hawt! Their love/hate relationship was so compelling and I was so invested in both of them. Both Ally and Dominic love hard and when past insecurities and secrets come to light, they both stumble and falter. I was moved! I was crying! And I was cheering hard for the two of them! The dialogue between all the characters is so smart, funny and moving! Ms. Score has a true talent for writing and her stories are some of the best I have read! ~ Bibliophile Chloe

Lucy Score manages to perfectly marry The Devil Wears Prada with the #MeToo movement, and she does it brilliantly. ~ Sunny Shelly Reads

This one's a funny, sweet, sexy, and hilarious-at-times read that I highly recommend. Then, when you're done reading, go watch The Devil Wears Prada. You'll thank me later. ~ Romance Rehab

The banter is to die for and I had to keep putting the book down to laugh. ~ By the Bookcase

This book is full of emotion. I laughed, like so much! I cried tears of both joy and sadness. I swooned, and not gonna lie, I could feel the heat! ~ Novel Momma

About the Author

Lucy Score is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She grew up in a literary family who insisted that the dinner table was for reading and earned a degree in journalism. She writes full-time from the Pennsylvania home she and Mr. Lucy share with their obnoxious cat, Cleo. When not spending hours crafting heartbreaker heroes and kick-ass heroines, Lucy can be found on the couch, in the kitchen, or at the gym. She hopes to someday write from a sailboat, oceanfront condo, or tropical island with reliable Wi-Fi.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bloom Books (April 22, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 582 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1945631619
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1945631610
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 1.46 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 52,836 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Lucy Score

Lucy Score

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Lucy Score is an instant #1 New York Times bestselling author. She grew up in a literary family who insisted that the dinner table was for reading and earned a degree in journalism.

She writes full-time from the Pennsylvania home she and Mr. Lucy share with their obnoxious cat, Cleo. When not spending hours crafting heartbreaker heroes and kick-ass heroines, Lucy can be found on the couch, in the kitchen, or at the gym.

She hopes to someday write from a sailboat, oceanfront condo, or tropical island with reliable Wi-Fi.

Sign up for her never annoying newsletter at https://www.lucyscore.net/subscribe-lucys-newsletter-website/.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
52,836 global ratings
Devil wears Prada vibes, but X rated!
4 Stars
Devil wears Prada vibes, but X rated!
Don’t let this book fool you- it looks thick, but it goes by quickly! This was my first Grumpy Boss trope read (it came highly recommended by my book club) and boy did it deliver.MMF, Ally, needs $$ quickly to cover dad’s memory care facility. Awful, but funny, encounter with MMC, Dominic, and his mom who offers a job at her magazine.Dominic, the unapproachable Creative Director with daddy issues has a secret crush, but due to said daddy issues can’t/won’t act on it. Cute flirting, uncomfortable encounters, Ally is transformed into a muse for another designer. Dominic just can’t help himself, they’re together, but he just can’t get over being like his dad, cue 3rd act break up.Dominic and his mom face their daddy/husband betrayal, Ally deals with her dad and finances and all is HEA.Very classic rom com-slow burn, seemingly dominant male, Dual POV, mild steam until about 60%, solid 4/5 open door spice, mild trigger warning for off page sexual harassment in the office and a lap dance scene in a strip club. Strip club is very respectful and owned by MMF’s BFF.Not an original by any means, but a light feel good HEA.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

BookAddict
5.0 out of 5 stars “Her Hands were Stroking over My Chest and Shoulders … I Felt … Worshipped. Loved.”
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2020
Verified Purchase
This book is not at all what I expected, but Mr. Grumpy McGrump certainly lives up to his reputation. With this wordsmith's books, I usually anticipate a light-hearted romantic comedy with a good-guy hero and a feisty heroine, and this book is light years beyond that.

Dominic Russo (the aforementioned Mr. McGrump) is a wealthy, cold, heartless anti-hero; Ally Morales is a driven, big-hearted heroine with the weight of the world on her shoulders and barely two nickels to rub together, and their story is incredible!

Ally has four different jobs, trying to make ends meet and take care of her father. Until a horrible patron decides to get her fired for standing up to him and putting him in his place. His mother/dining companion wastes no time in offering Ally a job at the Russo's fashion magazine empire, Label. (Wait, whose side is Dalessandra Russo on?!)

Ally is the gal who, like the theme song of an old sitcom, turns the world on with her smile. She quickly develops friends at Label and an easy camaraderie with the other employees. She's loveable, loyal and fierce, and she gives as good as she gets. And Dominic? He's the one all the girls love to look at, but the one who strikes fear in the heart of every employee. But he's a bit of a mystery, the man with no heart who anonymously helps others in need.

Dom and Ally remind me of a push-me-pull-you, two stubborn, independent minds with conflicting ideas and personalities, but basically joined at the hip. The push and pull, the snarky banter, the tension between them, are exquisite. Torturous. Divine. Utter perfection. They drive this book and made my heart race and squeeze with the starts and stops.

The one thing they have in common is an inability to trust. There's also their incredible attraction which both resolve to do nothing about. This is the part where I grin maniacally and rub my hands together in glee. We all know they don’t stand a chance of sticking to their resolve, and their journey to forever just got a lot more interesting.

This book is filled with laugh-out-loud hilarity, I’m-standing-way-to-close-to-the-bonfire steam, and heartstrings being manipulated to play the most delightful symphony. Dom’s past hurts, wrongs he's trying to right, and his vulnerability will make you want to hug him (between the times you want to shake him) and Ally's grit and determination while hanging on by a thread to barely get by will make you stand up and cheer for her.

Ally and Dom's story is love-hate romance at its finest, and the story will enamor you from the first page. It's a story that‘s impossible to put down with characters who will own your heart. Get your copy of this book and fall in love with a cranky, heartless, generous, vulnerable hero and his amazing, admirable heroine. You absolutely don’t want to miss this enchanting, hilarious, heartfelt, extraordinary read!
20 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Sam Young
4.0 out of 5 stars I would love to have Dom as my grumpy boss.
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2023
Verified Purchase
Oh this book was so cute and funny. It is definitely a romantic comedy and the bickering between the two of the main characters is priceless. Dom is haunted by his father’s past, and Ally is trying to find a spot in her father’s future. They are complete opposites, and the attraction has never been stronger. I am so happy with this book, there was a little bit of a lull toward the end of the book, but it was necessary for the climax of the book! Love love love!! 3/5 spice.
Helpful
 Report
Dee Garcia
5.0 out of 5 stars Charming and Maleficent forever!
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2022
Verified Purchase
You know how I found this book? A screen shot of a one-star review posted in a book rec Facebook group.

The reader who shared the SS said the review made her giggle (reviewer's name was blocked out from what I remember) and instantly one-click. Evidently, the reviewer thought this book would've been a perfect 5-star had it not been for the copious amounts of explicit smut. 🤭

👀 👀 👀 👀

To each their own and all that, but I meannnn...did someone say COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF EXPLICIT SMUT?

I ran and one-clicked, too. 🤣 **shrugs**

Unfortunately for me, the book then sat on my Kindle for several weeks while I raced through one of my own deadlines. BUT I finally got to it, and sweet baby Jesus—or cheeses as Ally would say—I must now read everything Lucy Score has ever written. When I tell you I was blown away—I was blown tf away. The writing style is absolutely immaculate. It flows and it's just so easy to read and follow. Miss Score is hella talented and I cannot wait to devour her backlist! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Okay, okay, I'm done rambling and singing my praises. 😅 Onto the story!

"I knew many things in that moment. I didn't like her. I didn't want to like her. I had no intention of treating her as anything but an annoyance. Yet non of that quelled my desire to be near her."

We all have a favorite trope, right? Mine will always and forever be enemies to lovers. The angst, the tension, the "I hate your guts but I wanna get IN your guts" is IT for me. I adore it. 😍 By a Thread was a perfect contemporary rom-comish version of it. I don't know if Lucy intended to make this a rom-com, but I lost count of how many times I literally cackled out loud. The beginning with the pepperonis had me on the floor. The banter between Ally and Dom was just 💋🤌🏻 Their chemistry—even during the hating phase—was 🔥 And when they finally got together? Oh, honey...I was swooooooning.

"Was grumpy and rude suddenly the new hot? My v*gina seemed to think so."

Ally is my kinda girl and the type of FMC I LIVE to read about in an E2L. She's not a doormat by any means, thank feck for that! She takes absolutely no shiz, isn't afraid/doesn't cower from Dominic, and...AND she's thick and curvy. 😩 YAS QUEEN. Plus, the last name Morales hints to the fact she's Latina and, helloooo, ya girl is Latina sooo... ✊🏻 #representationmatters
Oh, yeah, and she's a graphic designer (another thing I have in common with her, so more bonus points there.) I also loved the fact that, despite everything terrible going on her life, she chooses to the glass half full and believes things will get better. Not in a naive way, just in a refreshing optimistic way. She's literally sunshine and fire, and I just adored her from head to freaking toe.

Now Dominic... Dominic-freaking-Russo... The man is one delicious alphahole, I'll tell you that. But there were several occasions where I found myself wanting to strangle him—and no, not in the good way. 😒 The man is fecked up. He's been let down by his father and used by women in the past. He's got baggage, ya know? But he literally hauls that baggage around everywhere and uses it as a shield, keeping people away at all costs. I get wanting to guard your heart and spare yourself disappointment, but at some point, you gotta man tf up and realize that baggage doesn't make you. Watching him unravel for Ally, though, was a beautiful sight 😏 and in the end, he proved himself—and proved he had a huge, generous heart—which is all we can ask for in the MMC.

"I was the beast to my mother's beauty. The monster to the heroine. When they looked at me, they saw my father."

Some of my favorite background characters include Dom's mom (who had a very unique name), Gola, Linus, Ruth, and Missie. I liked Faith, too, but she wasn't around enough for me to really get to know her, which I did find a little odd since she's supposed to be Ally's best friend. In any case, I enjoyed something from each of these characters. They added that extra oomph to the plot with their presence and witty commentary.

Overall, I fell head over heels for this book and these characters. I loved the fashion magazine part of the plot (had never read anything like that before) and the circumstances that led Ally to working there. As aforementioned the funny bits made me literally LOL, the angsty "I hate you" moments had me clapping excitedly in anticipation, the swoony moments were everything, and the smut...🥵 it was explicit but not erotica level, though there were quite a few scenes, so it was spicy enough for me. Now I will say, the last 20% had me stressed, and I do mean S-T-R-E-S-S-E-D. In the end, it all worked out obviously, but omg I was having a mini-panic attack. And the ending 😭💖 gahhh, I loved it so much! Charming and Maleficent forever! 💞

"This moment of heaven was worth a lifetime of misery."

If you're looking for a contemporary E2L with a rom-com feel, you need this book in your life! 🥰

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶
Drama: 🔥
Dark/possibly triggering content: None
61 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Caroline Rohem
5.0 out of 5 stars 5 stars
Reviewed in Brazil on June 21, 2023
Verified Purchase
If you're looking for a book that is funny, spicy and have great banter, please, read this.

Ally and Dominic have so much chemistry. The grump MMC, who has a soft spot for the FMC.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Power Librarian
5.0 out of 5 stars delicious enemies to lovers
Reviewed in Canada on July 24, 2022
Verified Purchase
This is the ultimate grumpy-boss romance! This book is almost 600 pages of will-they, won’t-they delicious office enemies-to-lovers romance. Dominic is a grumpy 44-year-old whose employees fear him. When his mother hires Ally, the woman he got fired from the restaurant she worked at for being rude to him, he’s infuriated. But his desire to get her to quit this job directly conflicts with his need to get closer to her. He has his secrets, and she has hers. She calls him “Charming”. He calls her “Maleficent”. This book is so cute and funny and very, very steamy.
I love how Ally is 39 years old, especially when so many romance book heroines tend to be in their early twenties, as if once you hit a certain age, you’re no longer eligible to find love (fortunately for men, they’re allowed to wait until their late forties for that expiry date 😂).
All in all, this was a fantastic book by Lucy Score - my second read after 'Things We Never Got Over', another fabulous rom com.
5 stars!
3 people found this helpful
 Report
Erin Hbk
5.0 out of 5 stars Hooked
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 18, 2023
Verified Purchase
I read this after I read The Things We Left Behind, I needed more Lucy Score and more suit daddies! And boy did I get one. This was a heartwarming story from Lucy Score. Easy to read, makes you laugh out loud and had me crying at the end. *TW* does talk about dementia patients, which was a topic close to my heart and when I established it was a major part of the story I wasn't sure I could keep going but Lucy handles the topic with love & care and done a super job of tying it in to the ending.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Dayana
5.0 out of 5 stars Adoré ❤️‍🔥
Reviewed in Spain on March 24, 2023
Verified Purchase
es/ Entre mis mejores lecturas del año se encuentra By a Thread de Lucy Score. Ya había leído a la autora con things We Never Got Over, pero este lo disfruté mucho más 💗

💗enemies to lovers
💗romance de oficina
💗grumpy/sunshine
💗jefe/empleada
💗

Dominic y Ally me encantaron, tanto como personajes individuales como pareja. Dominic es un gruñón a toda regla, pero tiene sus momentos adorables y me encantó todos los detalles que tenía con Ally sin decírselo. Ally es una luchadora, no sé cuántos trabajos tiene al principio del libro la pobre, pero siempre se mantiene positiva.

Las interacciones entre los dos eran oro puro y LA TENSIÓN!!! En un punto ya estaba yo sudando y gritándoles que se comieran la boca porque no podía más. El buen slow burn 😌

En fin, lo mega recomiendo. No está en español, pero el inglés es asequible.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Ines (isolsworld)
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!
Reviewed in Germany on March 6, 2023
Verified Purchase
This was great!
A perfect romance book with "The devil wears prada" vibes and a combination of grumpy x sunshine, boss romance and haters to lovers
Definitely not my last Lucy Score book
Report