4.5 Stars
When the story starts, Nathaniel is a true jerk. His administrative assistant is Piper, who also used to work for Nathaniel’s dad before he retired. Nathaniel hates his job as CEO of Lennox Publishing, and it shows in the way he walks around with a small, and sometimes a large ‘black cloud’ hanging over his head! He always wanted to be an architect, and actually started an architectural firm with his best friend, who is now stuck with running that firm while he runs the publishing company, resenting it all the while. Piper has always loved all aspects of the publishing business, and is very aggravated with her new boss. She thinks he is hot-looking, but his jerk-like behavior turns her off. One night he discovers that Piper is just as attracted to him as he is to her. He actually becomes a nicer person at this point, and Piper begins to see that there is more to Nathaniel.
The author sets this story up nicely by giving enough background information on each protagonist to intrigue the reader and draw them into the story. There are questions that don’t get answered until the final chapters of the book, but other issues get resolved earlier. The pace is steady, and the tension stays moderate for most of the book, then increases toward the end. The motivations for each protagonist are established early in the book, and get clearer as the story unfolds.
This was a heartwarming story that tackles a couple of serious issues with dignity and respect. Well done!