THE STORY
Devin takes his role as older brother and CEO of the family company very seriously. So when a clause in his grandfather's will means that he won't be able to remain in charge of the company unless he finds a wife, he gets serious about that too. He hires a local matchmaker, Scarlett, though he doesn't tell her about the looming deadline for his marriage.
Scarlett is the youngest of four sisters, a position in the family that means she's always fighting to establish her place. Spunky and competitive, Scarlett is determined to win a family bet by landing and matching her first VIP client. So when her best friend's older brother hires her to find him a wife, she jumps in with both feet.
But as she starts her work, she barely gets along with the serious, equally competitive workaholic. How can she find him a match without getting to know him first? Scarlett sets out to learn who Devin truly is, but in the process, finds herself falling head over heels. It's against the rules for a matchmaker to match herself with a client - will Scarlett follow the rules, or follow her heart?
THE ROMANCE
Initially, the two leads really don't get along, but in a playful and almost flirty way. There's plenty of chemistry between them as they tease, compete, and try to be the first to figure out the other person. We see what they have in common - their drive, their determination, and their commitment to their big families - before they do, adding a lovely bit of dramatic irony to the unfolding romance.
Then the actual romance itself moves really, really fast. They go from realizing that they actually don't hate each other, to kissing, to declaring their love for each other within just a few pages. It makes sense, and it's depicted well with the shifting between POVs. But I'm someone who tends to take "the L word" pretty seriously, and I was a bit startled by how rapidly the two decided to commit their lives to one another.
Devin, at least, has a reason for wanting to rush the marriage - but the emotional arc doesn't have much to do with that pressure. He just falls for Scarlett, hard and fast. If that's your preference in a romance, this one definitely delivers!
FAITH ELEMENTS
I have to admit, with a title like "Saving the CEO," I was really curious what this Christian romance would turn out to be! Would it be a conversion story focused on salvation? What is he being saved from? How would the faith elements connect to the romance?
In the end, I was pleasantly surprised by the way the faith weaves in to the story without being too didactic (or otherwise problematic from my perspective). Scarlett is strong in her faith, while Devin drifted away from God due to not wanting to feel dependent on anyone. Their "oldest brother, youngest sister" dynamic plays into this as well, meaning that the faith elements of the story are connected to the characters' motives and development.
Like the romance, Devin's reversion happens fast. He's initially resistant to the notion of praying, but Scarlett asks him to, and so he does. Then he experiences the transformative power of prayer and becomes a prayerful person himself. There isn't much struggle beyond that. It fits with the rest of the story, though, and the way Scarlett has such a strong, rapid impact on Devin's heart.
MY THOUGHTS
First off, I loved that this book was set in Silicon Valley, with specific places and a story very grounded in the setting. Fancy dinners at Santana Row, mini golf in Sunnyvale - the author is either a local, or really did her research!
I also really enjoyed the way sibling dynamics and birth order play into the story. It's something I think about a lot and have really seen it impact my friendships and relationships, and I think it was captured really well here. The side characters are fleshed out in fun ways, and I'm super excited to continue reading romances set in this world!
The plot, I thought, was well paced and balanced. The stakes are consistent throughout, and the characters come together to solve problems as they pop up. There were lots of great moments where I was predicting or rooting for something to happen, and then was delighted to see just how things unfolded.
It is a bit of a pet peeve of mine, especially in billionaire/CEO or workplace stories, when a character's job is really vague. I call it "working at the business factory." Here, Devin absolutely works at the business factory. He has meetings and gets emails, but we never actually see what he does, how he does it, or why it's important. Since him remaining CEO of the company and his workaholism are critical to the plot and to his character, I wish we'd have gotten to see more him actually doing the work and leading the company.
On the flip side, we see a lot of Scarlett's work as a matchmaker. She sends questionnaires, holds interviews, schedules dates, provides advice, and tailors the experience to each client. We get to see her be excellent at her job, and we understand why she's invested it in both professionally and personally. It's excellent, I just wish Devin had been given a bit more space for the same.
Overall, I thought this was an awesome introduction to the matchmaking business and the two families that definitely has me hooked and wanting more. If you like your romances on the whirlwind side, check out Saving the CEO!