Isn't it wonderful when you read outside of your usual genre(s), and stumble upon an unexpected gem of a book you'd have missed otherwise? Well, THE P.U.R.E. is one such gem.

I have to admit, I wasn't entirely blown away by the blurb. It sounded like some sort of white collar crime thriller with business jargon I'd never understand. Well, my first impressions were partly true: much of the details of the white collar crimes committed and the discovery of them remain somewhat murky to me, but it detracts little away from the pace and characters, and the overall WOW factor of the book.

Claire Gillian managed to make the rather dull (in my opinion--sorry!) world of accountancy and auditing into a suspenseful whirlwind of activities, ranging from murder and espionage, to love and romance. She grabbed my attention from the get-go as we join Gayle Lindley eavesdropping on her superiors. I absolutely adore Gayle's sassy voice throughout the story. That girl's one feisty, inquisitive, infectiously enthusiastic little pocket dynamite! Her nose for trouble invariably drags co-worker Jon Cripps into a whole web of deceit. But Jon--the handsome, smart, mysterious love interest with a wealth of hidden talents (both inside and outside the bedroom)--has some secrets of his own.

I don't normally read much romance (and this book is classed under "romantic suspense"), but the love scenes in THE P.U.R.E. were all so tastefully done, and maintained Gayle's voice so well, they blended seamlessly with the rest of the story, unlike the many gratuitious sex scenes found in other romance novels.

All in all, this book surprised me in more ways than one. It's the first romance novel I truly enjoyed, and it's the first novel on white collar crime I enjoyed. So what if I didn't understand the nitty-gritty about accounts and audits? It was still a thrilling story with great characters and an intriguing plot. I look forward to more from Ms. Gillian.