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Work for Hire
Tekla's law school career couldn't be any better. She has top grades. She's on Law Review. She's a frontrunner in a mock oral argument with a sweet a judicial clerkship. One problem, Tekla has no more money to pay for school. She needs a part-time job. Fast. Luckily, her roommate has just the help two uber-wealthy prep school teens, the twin son and daughter of a billionaire Wall Street short-seller and a world-renowned model turned fashion photographer, with their schoolwork, and earn $150 an hour. Plus, enjoy an additional perk on the job, in the form of a gorgeous photo assistant who happens to have his eye on Tekla. Easy money. Well, not so much. Within days, Tekla's job begins to unravel. In a world of super-wealth and high fashion, Tekla finds herself surrounded by a peculiar cast of two teens whose self-destructive behavior becomes ever more erratic, a father whose ambitions for his son constantly test Tekla's notions of what is fair and ethical and what is cheating, a mother whose emotional negligence borders on abuse, and a gorgeous man who may or may not be what he appears. As Tekla struggles to hold onto a job that takes more time and energy than she ever anticipated, her own school life begins to suffer. She makes an enemy of a professor who seems to want nothing more than to bring her down. And he's succeeding. Soon Tekla's life is a without her high paying part-time job, she can't afford law school; but with it, she'll surely flunk out of school.
324 pages, Paperback
First published May 24, 2012
21 people are currently reading
253 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 10, 2012
Wow. This is much better than I thought it would be. Was caught by the, if you like this maybe you'll like this, link that pops up on the Kindle. It turned out to be a really good choice. I did try out a sample before I bought it. It seemed up my alley. So, I clicked to buy.
Boy am I glad I did. Work for Hire is about a law student at NYU that is in need of some cash. She is hit with unexpected dorm costs, and who really wants to go back and live with their parents. Her roommate recommends becoming a tutor to help out.
Not a bad solution, unless you have the rich family from hell. The kids turn out to be a mess, parents absent, and everything falls into our heroines lap most of the time. Throw in one really cute photography assistant for distractions, and you get all the reasons to drive the suspense.
The writing has detail that tells you the author lived this. Yup. In her bio, it does mention she went to law school and tutored wealthy, do-well, students. You can tell. It's raw and edgy.
If you remember or still have to encounter that moment in your life where if you mess up, everything you work for will be over, this is the book for you. You live it all, moment for moment, until you cheer for the heroine in the end. Bravo.
When I was done I thought, is there more? I hope so. I'll be waiting for the sequel.
Boy am I glad I did. Work for Hire is about a law student at NYU that is in need of some cash. She is hit with unexpected dorm costs, and who really wants to go back and live with their parents. Her roommate recommends becoming a tutor to help out.
Not a bad solution, unless you have the rich family from hell. The kids turn out to be a mess, parents absent, and everything falls into our heroines lap most of the time. Throw in one really cute photography assistant for distractions, and you get all the reasons to drive the suspense.
The writing has detail that tells you the author lived this. Yup. In her bio, it does mention she went to law school and tutored wealthy, do-well, students. You can tell. It's raw and edgy.
If you remember or still have to encounter that moment in your life where if you mess up, everything you work for will be over, this is the book for you. You live it all, moment for moment, until you cheer for the heroine in the end. Bravo.
When I was done I thought, is there more? I hope so. I'll be waiting for the sequel.
April 26, 2018
I actually really enjoyed this book it only took me so long to read because it's on my kindle and I tend to neglect it all the time. I really enjoyed when Tekla's professor saw her as selfish as the Lamont's and she had to reflect on who she had become. The ending felt a little rushed but I enjoyed her verbal sparring with Markus. Overall I enjoyed it more than I thought it would the Lamont's put the func in dysfunctional.
February 18, 2013
I received this book as part of a book tour. The complete post can be found here: http://www.tobethode.com/2013/02/work...
(I don’t think there are any spoilers here, but just in case… I do talk about the story!)
Tekla really bothered me in this story. She doesn’t seem to “get it” until the very end. Everything she complains her students do, she does the same. She seems to be a bit immature to me. I wanted to just yell at her from time to time throughout the story; asking her “what is wrong with you?!?” I needed her to open her eyes to the reality in which she had herself. I was happy that she finally got a clue near the end. I have to admit though that I was irritated that she comes through at the end. I know it is selfish, but I wanted her to not have it all work out. I felt she didn’t deserve it. I know, that is mean. I just wanted a little dose of reality to hit her in the face.
Markus, on the other hand, is my idea of a dream man. He is kind, compassionate, and generous to a fault. I was rooting for him from the beginning. Julian, not so much. As far as the Lamont’s… well, ugh. The parents had me cringing and the children made me want to cry. I hate that they were so entitled. I felt horrible for Gemma (which, by the way, made me smile to say in my head thanks to my baby Jemma). I wanted her mom to wake up and see her for the beautiful person, inside and out, she really was. Xander seemed to be the spoiled rich kid to a T. I hated that I didn’t like them. I wanted them to have some magical epiphany that never happened… but likely wouldn’t in real life either.
I really did enjoy the book. As is often the case with me, I have issues with certain characters, but enjoy the storyline. I read this book in a very short amount of time and it kept me involved with the story throughout. I loved that Tekla was more than a “tutor” she was hired to be. I loved that she did, in fact, work to get herself through law school. I loved that she finally saw herself for all she was and is capable of. My only complaint is that I would have liked to see some conclusion to the children’s story. I know that Tekla’s employment ending in the story the way it did wouldn’t give us that information. But, with Gemma’s circumstances, I would have liked to know how she turned out. Call me a bleeding heart.
I will also admit that I had some trouble following during the law talk. With Tekla’s version it was easier for me but still found the cases to be more than I could keep track of. I don’t think it takes away from the story though. It is very obvious reading that the author is well-versed in law. She most certainly is very intelligent and this is something she knows and knows well.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a book with a different story than what they are used to. I read a lot and this is not anything like I have read. It talked about some serious issues, had a bit of romance, and kept you guessing about what was to come. Be sure to check it out for yourself and let me know what you think!
(I don’t think there are any spoilers here, but just in case… I do talk about the story!)
Tekla really bothered me in this story. She doesn’t seem to “get it” until the very end. Everything she complains her students do, she does the same. She seems to be a bit immature to me. I wanted to just yell at her from time to time throughout the story; asking her “what is wrong with you?!?” I needed her to open her eyes to the reality in which she had herself. I was happy that she finally got a clue near the end. I have to admit though that I was irritated that she comes through at the end. I know it is selfish, but I wanted her to not have it all work out. I felt she didn’t deserve it. I know, that is mean. I just wanted a little dose of reality to hit her in the face.
Markus, on the other hand, is my idea of a dream man. He is kind, compassionate, and generous to a fault. I was rooting for him from the beginning. Julian, not so much. As far as the Lamont’s… well, ugh. The parents had me cringing and the children made me want to cry. I hate that they were so entitled. I felt horrible for Gemma (which, by the way, made me smile to say in my head thanks to my baby Jemma). I wanted her mom to wake up and see her for the beautiful person, inside and out, she really was. Xander seemed to be the spoiled rich kid to a T. I hated that I didn’t like them. I wanted them to have some magical epiphany that never happened… but likely wouldn’t in real life either.
I really did enjoy the book. As is often the case with me, I have issues with certain characters, but enjoy the storyline. I read this book in a very short amount of time and it kept me involved with the story throughout. I loved that Tekla was more than a “tutor” she was hired to be. I loved that she did, in fact, work to get herself through law school. I loved that she finally saw herself for all she was and is capable of. My only complaint is that I would have liked to see some conclusion to the children’s story. I know that Tekla’s employment ending in the story the way it did wouldn’t give us that information. But, with Gemma’s circumstances, I would have liked to know how she turned out. Call me a bleeding heart.
I will also admit that I had some trouble following during the law talk. With Tekla’s version it was easier for me but still found the cases to be more than I could keep track of. I don’t think it takes away from the story though. It is very obvious reading that the author is well-versed in law. She most certainly is very intelligent and this is something she knows and knows well.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a book with a different story than what they are used to. I read a lot and this is not anything like I have read. It talked about some serious issues, had a bit of romance, and kept you guessing about what was to come. Be sure to check it out for yourself and let me know what you think!
February 27, 2013
Work For Hire Work is the story about a young law school student named Tekla, who is faced with a financial dilemma ... she needs money to pay for law school expenses and dorm rent. With an extremely tight budget, Tekla finds herself unable to afford any added expenses. Her friend Ann suggests that she move back home with her parents and commute to school. Tekla doesn't want to move back in with her parents because of her overbearing mother. Tekla's roommate Lauren suggests that she get a part-time job tutoring, she gives Tekla the name of her aunt, Patricia Jacobs, who owns a tutoring business. After interviewing with Ms. Jacobs, Tekla is placed with the very wealthy Lamont family. The Lamont's have two troublesome teenage twins named Xander and Gemma. Tekla finds her integrity constantly being put on the line when the Lamont children and their parents make it clear that they expect a lot more from her than just tutoring. Tekla finds it hard to turn down some of the demands placed upon her. She doesn't always make the right decisions or choices, which puts everything she aspires to be at risk for a family that seems to take advantage of her at every opportunity. Tekla's world is turned upside down: her school work is suffering; she's having a hard time with a professor; and a cute guy is attracted to her ... can she get her life back on track before she flunks out of law school?
Work For Hire is a fast-paced entertaining story written in the first person narrative and set in New York City. The reader follows Tekla's trials and tribulations of trying to attend law school while working as a part-time tutor to a wealthy family's troublesome teenage children. Tekla is constantly battling one crisis after another, she is pulled in so many different directions, it's a wonder that she doesn't lose her mind!
This is the debut novel for author Margo Karasek, who weaves a charming tale loosely based on her own personal experience of attending law school and working part-time as a tutor.
This humorous story has a lot of law school, job and romance drama that Tekla has to deal with as she travels down the crazy path of life. With a quirky cast of characters, engaging dialogue and interactions, Work For Hire is an enjoyable read that will tickle your funny bone.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
Work For Hire is a fast-paced entertaining story written in the first person narrative and set in New York City. The reader follows Tekla's trials and tribulations of trying to attend law school while working as a part-time tutor to a wealthy family's troublesome teenage children. Tekla is constantly battling one crisis after another, she is pulled in so many different directions, it's a wonder that she doesn't lose her mind!
This is the debut novel for author Margo Karasek, who weaves a charming tale loosely based on her own personal experience of attending law school and working part-time as a tutor.
This humorous story has a lot of law school, job and romance drama that Tekla has to deal with as she travels down the crazy path of life. With a quirky cast of characters, engaging dialogue and interactions, Work For Hire is an enjoyable read that will tickle your funny bone.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
March 4, 2013
3.5 stars
Did I enjoy this book: I did enjoy this book for the most part. It had some good moments and kept me interested until the end.
Once a law student and a law clerk for a judge, I could relate to a lot of what Tekla was going through and experiencing at school while trying to make the grade and ends meet. Law school is extremely competitive...more so at the big, well-known schools than at the smaller schools like the one I attended. Students will hide books, materials, try to sabotage you, and do whatever it takes to come out on top because being on top means having better job prospects. I both enjoyed and disliked hearing about her brief and oral argument. It was exciting and nerve-racking. Those who went through this will understand that love-hate relationship.
I thought Tekla was very naive though. For someone who grew up in a borough of New York City, she wasn't very street smart. A lot of the situations she found herself in seemed typical and something she should have expected to some degree. I was surprised by how she reacted to most of those situations. My favorite was at the end of the book...all I did was shake my head and say to myself, "I can't believe she didn't know that." LOL I really did laugh out loud at what she thought was true. (I would say more but I don't want to giveaway the ending.)
The story was good. I liked that she cared so much about the kids she was hired to tutor. Tekla could have just did her job and not worried about the kids. I liked Tekla even though she was naive. I didn't like Julian all that much. He seemed to care too much about himself and getting ahead. I know there are people like that in the world, but he just rubbed me the wrong way. Markus was a good guy...one of the few. I wanted Tekla to be with him. Anne was a typical law student...every class has at least four or five like her.
Will there be another book about Tekla? I would be interested in reading it. I'd love to know what she thinks of her position. (This refers to the ending that I won't give details on.)
Would I recommend it: It was a good read. If you like chick lit, you will like it. If you have any experience with law school, you may enjoy this...or it may give you horrible flashbacks.
Will I read it again: I will not.
http://everyfreechancebookreviews.blo...
Did I enjoy this book: I did enjoy this book for the most part. It had some good moments and kept me interested until the end.
Once a law student and a law clerk for a judge, I could relate to a lot of what Tekla was going through and experiencing at school while trying to make the grade and ends meet. Law school is extremely competitive...more so at the big, well-known schools than at the smaller schools like the one I attended. Students will hide books, materials, try to sabotage you, and do whatever it takes to come out on top because being on top means having better job prospects. I both enjoyed and disliked hearing about her brief and oral argument. It was exciting and nerve-racking. Those who went through this will understand that love-hate relationship.
I thought Tekla was very naive though. For someone who grew up in a borough of New York City, she wasn't very street smart. A lot of the situations she found herself in seemed typical and something she should have expected to some degree. I was surprised by how she reacted to most of those situations. My favorite was at the end of the book...all I did was shake my head and say to myself, "I can't believe she didn't know that." LOL I really did laugh out loud at what she thought was true. (I would say more but I don't want to giveaway the ending.)
The story was good. I liked that she cared so much about the kids she was hired to tutor. Tekla could have just did her job and not worried about the kids. I liked Tekla even though she was naive. I didn't like Julian all that much. He seemed to care too much about himself and getting ahead. I know there are people like that in the world, but he just rubbed me the wrong way. Markus was a good guy...one of the few. I wanted Tekla to be with him. Anne was a typical law student...every class has at least four or five like her.
Will there be another book about Tekla? I would be interested in reading it. I'd love to know what she thinks of her position. (This refers to the ending that I won't give details on.)
Would I recommend it: It was a good read. If you like chick lit, you will like it. If you have any experience with law school, you may enjoy this...or it may give you horrible flashbacks.
Will I read it again: I will not.
http://everyfreechancebookreviews.blo...
February 27, 2013
Margo Karasek is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours and Work For Hire. This novel is full of hard questions, tough conundrums, and I often thought to myself what would I do? Our heroine is Tekla, a law student who is getting top grades and is on the right track to having much success upon graduation. But when she needs more money to keep her up with her rent, a job offer poses a threat to her carefully-planned out life. She gets a job as a tutor for two young children of extremely wealthy – and absent – parents. But tutor is stretching it, and soon Tekla finds herself running into the ground trying to please not only the kids, but the parents as well. While her grades and perfect attendance starts to suffer, Tekla has moral dilemmas about her job – and begins to question herself.
I really enjoyed Work For Hire, and the main message is actually pretty similar to my second novel, so that probably helped me connect with the plot. Tekla has a great high-paying job, but at what cost? The situations that happen throughout the novel will frustrate you, anger you, and make you sad. Karasek did a great job building up her supporting cast, and it was easy for me to become immersed in the story. The ending left me with a bit of a question mark, which I found to be the only downside of the whole book. I was highly entertained throughout, and it was tough to put down. One I recommend!
**4.5 stars**
I really enjoyed Work For Hire, and the main message is actually pretty similar to my second novel, so that probably helped me connect with the plot. Tekla has a great high-paying job, but at what cost? The situations that happen throughout the novel will frustrate you, anger you, and make you sad. Karasek did a great job building up her supporting cast, and it was easy for me to become immersed in the story. The ending left me with a bit of a question mark, which I found to be the only downside of the whole book. I was highly entertained throughout, and it was tough to put down. One I recommend!
**4.5 stars**
August 17, 2012
This book is terrific, but to some readers it can also be misleading. Because it's a fast, smooth read some can assume it's just cute "fluff." But it's not. The book has things simmering underneath it that should make you stop and think. To those who get that, the book's arc is amazing and the ending is just right. To those who don't, well, too bad. But for those who don't get the ending, that's a reflection of the reader, not the book.
September 23, 2012
Who knew that law could be so interesting? It is a well written story of a smart, middle income young lady who has to fight her way not just thru law school but from her own preconceived ideas about people and parenting, and yes-- even her professors. It is something I think all of us struggle with, but with in her case more awareness of the choices she is making, both good and bad and how she comes to terms with those choices decides who she really is.
January 29, 2015
I really would give this a 3.5 star rating. Debut novel for this author, which was well written, with strong, amusing characters. Trkla is a law student, trying to make ends meet, she takes on a tutoring job for a wealthy family & runs into much more than she ever expected. Story shows what money & power can buy way beyond reality & how the children of this wealthy family suffer for it.. really a great read, interesting story.
August 16, 2012
Could I chose less than one star???? The characters were unlikeable and the author seemed to have gotten so bored with the story that she just ended it, without tying up any of the stories. The book ends leaving you to wonder what happened with every single character. Books need a beginning, middle and end. This one forgot to include an end.
September 14, 2012
More like one and a half stars to me
The story started out great- then it got confusing and the pace was rushed with most parts left hanging. I wish it did not lean more towards the Nanny Diaries plot and instead was full on Chick Lit because then the main character's life (Tekla) would have made sense and been a good read.
The story started out great- then it got confusing and the pace was rushed with most parts left hanging. I wish it did not lean more towards the Nanny Diaries plot and instead was full on Chick Lit because then the main character's life (Tekla) would have made sense and been a good read.
September 16, 2012
I am now convinced it is not real people writing these books. It's simply algorithms cleverly guarded by the publishing world: one that created the original story (see Devil Wears Prada or maybe The Nanny Diaries), one for modeling the variations, one for generating the author's name, and one, finally, for generating the real-to-story bio.
October 25, 2012
I originally chose this book because it was free and it sounded like something that would be a slight distraction from my everyday life. I ended up liking the book more than I thought I would. The main character needed to stand up for herself more...especially when she was doing the job she was hired to do! I also would have liked more character development.
September 19, 2012
This book was an enjoyable read. It was witty and had character. There isn't another story that I can compare it to. It was fun as well as dramatic. I could see how Tekla's work experience was going to influence and in ways enhance her schooling. I look forward to reading more by this author.
April 20, 2013
This book was just a lot of fun! Who hasn't been through school and had to make some hard choices and work hard? There are some great characters and real struggles. My only complaint is that I'm honestly not totally clear on the ending...
November 2, 2012
At 16% - Drags on and on about the interviews for the tutoring position. Snore.
Okay, I read a bit more and frankly, I can't take any more.
Okay, I read a bit more and frankly, I can't take any more.
July 15, 2012
Pretty good. Slow at parts, and at time I wished the main character would stand up for herself!
September 20, 2012
Pretty good and realistic. Quick and easy read that I enjoyed.
September 26, 2012
Very much liked this story. Had a hard time putting the book down!
February 11, 2013
review to come.
January 3, 2013
Law student tutor does homework for rich kids.
January 20, 2013
Cute book. Found it free for my kindle and thought I'd give it a shot. I really enjoyed it
March 4, 2013
http://www.chicklitcentral.com/2013/0...
Thanks to Samantha at Chick Lit Plus for the book in exchange for an honest review.)
Thanks to Samantha at Chick Lit Plus for the book in exchange for an honest review.)
May 6, 2013
The book is a fun and easy read; perfect for the beach.
January 15, 2015
Great Read!
I'm loved the story line and it kept me wanting to NOT put it down, just so I could see what happened next!!
I'm loved the story line and it kept me wanting to NOT put it down, just so I could see what happened next!!
December 22, 2012
Reminding me of Nanny Diaries!
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews