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Chesnie Cosgrove is overjoyed when she lands the job of senior secretary to handsome tycoon Joel Davenport. Joel may be demanding to work for, but it's the long line of women trying to date him that's driving Chesnie mad!
The tables are turned when Joel discovers Chesnie is casually dating his arch rival. The best way to deal with this "little problem," he decides, is to announce his own engagement -- to Chesnie! But is his proposal strictly professional...or more personal?
Nine to Five
The tables are turned when Joel discovers Chesnie is casually dating his arch rival. The best way to deal with this "little problem," he decides, is to announce his own engagement -- to Chesnie! But is his proposal strictly professional...or more personal?
Nine to Five
Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2002
17 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Steele
339 books113 followersJessica Steele was born on May 9, 1933 in the elegant Warwickshire town of Royal Leamington Spa. She has two super brothers, Colin and George, and a lovely sister, Elizabeth. She was a delicate child and missed a lot of school. In fact, she left school at aged 14, when she was diagnosed as having tuberculosis. At 16, she started work as a junior clerk. In 1967, Jessica married with her husband, Peter and within a very short space of time they had moved from her hometown to the lovely area where they now live. Their house is built into the side of a hill, and has beautiful views over more hills and valleys. Her brothers and her sister are very close and she has plenty of nephews and nieces to make up for the fact that she and her husband have no children of their own. Both she and her husband are more than a little dog-oriented, and their current dog is a Staffordshire bull terrier named Florence. Florence is gorgeous. She loves everybody but, since she is 40 pounds of dynamite and would hurl her boisterous self at everyone she meets - given half a chance - she has to be restrained (as much as possible). She is fun.
Her husband spurred Jessica on to her writing career, giving her every support while she did what she considers her five-year apprenticeship (the rejection years) while learning how to write. She published her first books in 1979. Jessica has tried using a typewriter, but it just doesn't work for her. She is much happier writing in longhand, and in actual fact has a dozen or so fountain pens filled and ready to go at the start of any one session. A friend has a secretarial agency and, after deciphering Jessica's writing, returns an immaculately typed manuscript. To gain authentic background for her books, she has travelled and researched in Greece, Russia, Egypt, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Hong Kong, China and Japan.
Her husband spurred Jessica on to her writing career, giving her every support while she did what she considers her five-year apprenticeship (the rejection years) while learning how to write. She published her first books in 1979. Jessica has tried using a typewriter, but it just doesn't work for her. She is much happier writing in longhand, and in actual fact has a dozen or so fountain pens filled and ready to go at the start of any one session. A friend has a secretarial agency and, after deciphering Jessica's writing, returns an immaculately typed manuscript. To gain authentic background for her books, she has travelled and researched in Greece, Russia, Egypt, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Hong Kong, China and Japan.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 27, 2020
"A Professional Marriage" is the story of Chesnie and Joel.
One word to describe this book- B O R I N G.
Young heroine is heavily disillusioned of marriage, thanks to the disaster everyone has had in their unhappy one. Gets job as the playboy, tyrannical hero's secretary. Is super efficient and starts being courted by his rival's manager. Suddenly, hero needs a convenient wife, and three guesses to what happens next.
Underwhelming characters, lukewarm chemistry, unsatisfactory plot. Dragged to reach 50% mark and then skimmed the rest.
SWE?
2/5
One word to describe this book- B O R I N G.
Young heroine is heavily disillusioned of marriage, thanks to the disaster everyone has had in their unhappy one. Gets job as the playboy, tyrannical hero's secretary. Is super efficient and starts being courted by his rival's manager. Suddenly, hero needs a convenient wife, and three guesses to what happens next.
Underwhelming characters, lukewarm chemistry, unsatisfactory plot. Dragged to reach 50% mark and then skimmed the rest.
SWE?
2/5
October 10, 2015
Okay. I found it entertaining, but the ending could have been stronger. I prefer her earlier work, written in the 80's and 70's. The heroes are more alpha and fit the genre better.
July 18, 2016
It was decent but kind of slow.
September 13, 2021
Another Jessica Steele's trademark. And what made it extra special was the plot, my two favorite plots, into one book. (boss-secretary and marriage of convenience)
Chesnie resigned from her previous job and went to work with Joel Davenport as his Personal Assistant. I liked Chesnie, the way she stood up against her boss. She's smart, feisty, sassy, smart-mouthed, but she was also utterly vulnerable and compassionate.
Joel Davenport, aw. I really liked him. He's a bit different from Ms. Steele's other heroes. Yes, he was still ruthless but not with the heroine. He was actually nice to her. He told her that she was the best secretary he ever had.
I actually liked that they started as friends. There was an easy camaraderie between them. But everything changes when Chesnie begins dating Joel's rival, and there's the need for an image of stability for Joel if he wants to get the position. So they get married for the sake of securing that position, but along the way, it became real.
A Professional Marriage was an enjoyable read. It will give you a very cheesy grin, and a few laugh-out-loud scenes, and a giddy feeling.
Chesnie resigned from her previous job and went to work with Joel Davenport as his Personal Assistant. I liked Chesnie, the way she stood up against her boss. She's smart, feisty, sassy, smart-mouthed, but she was also utterly vulnerable and compassionate.
Joel Davenport, aw. I really liked him. He's a bit different from Ms. Steele's other heroes. Yes, he was still ruthless but not with the heroine. He was actually nice to her. He told her that she was the best secretary he ever had.
I actually liked that they started as friends. There was an easy camaraderie between them. But everything changes when Chesnie begins dating Joel's rival, and there's the need for an image of stability for Joel if he wants to get the position. So they get married for the sake of securing that position, but along the way, it became real.
A Professional Marriage was an enjoyable read. It will give you a very cheesy grin, and a few laugh-out-loud scenes, and a giddy feeling.
November 22, 2013
Every now and then I want an innocent, nonsensational, nonsexualized love story. This book fit the bill. Many of Jessica Steele's books are similar, but enjoyable nonetheless.
July 10, 2019
3+
My tear through Steele's catalog continues apace. I'm gonna put this in the Greater Steele box.
A bit of a departure: the leads actually have developed opportunity and time to fall in love with each other.
I like them both. I like how in this book you can tell the hero is falling desperately in love while the heroine fights her own battles trying not to do the same. I believe they've earned and secured a HEA.
There's good sense of humor at turns, good ongoing spark, they spar but not the clanging type, the hero isn't quite the brusque brute from Steeles past and the heroine is conflicted but holds her own. When she has her dawning realization it actually fits & makes sense -- there's been ample reason for it -- and you can read between the lines that the hero's been smacked with his own realizations.
The good-grovel ending is intact but doesn't require quite as much explaining, making up for, or groveling. It's more how-it-was-for-me divulging with a hearty swoon or three.
This one also has a tad gentler, slower build than other Steeles. Is it still kind of preposterous? naturally! Part of what makes it good. Crack open a category romance and I don't know what else you'd expect, so.
-- I wonder if an editor added in the more modern mentions of computers and being a PA and such. It should be more modern, given its pub date. But when Steele started, secretaries were secretaries and banged on their typewriters after taking dictation. When the top-notch job you could get as a woman was a secretary to a driven & powerful man. And a career-minded woman was undesirable, not smart and able to impress her driven & powerful boss, as the heroine does here. It's interesting to see the slight shifts in tone for this book. Interesting and welcome.
Although Tethered Liberty is my lingering 'fave' of hers, this one reminds me of Turbulent Covenant and also reminds me that's a Steele I read early on, keep forgetting is a Steele, and one I also enjoy.
My tear through Steele's catalog continues apace. I'm gonna put this in the Greater Steele box.
A bit of a departure: the leads actually have developed opportunity and time to fall in love with each other.
I like them both. I like how in this book you can tell the hero is falling desperately in love while the heroine fights her own battles trying not to do the same. I believe they've earned and secured a HEA.
There's good sense of humor at turns, good ongoing spark, they spar but not the clanging type, the hero isn't quite the brusque brute from Steeles past and the heroine is conflicted but holds her own. When she has her dawning realization it actually fits & makes sense -- there's been ample reason for it -- and you can read between the lines that the hero's been smacked with his own realizations.
The good-grovel ending is intact but doesn't require quite as much explaining, making up for, or groveling. It's more how-it-was-for-me divulging with a hearty swoon or three.
This one also has a tad gentler, slower build than other Steeles. Is it still kind of preposterous? naturally! Part of what makes it good. Crack open a category romance and I don't know what else you'd expect, so.
-- I wonder if an editor added in the more modern mentions of computers and being a PA and such. It should be more modern, given its pub date. But when Steele started, secretaries were secretaries and banged on their typewriters after taking dictation. When the top-notch job you could get as a woman was a secretary to a driven & powerful man. And a career-minded woman was undesirable, not smart and able to impress her driven & powerful boss, as the heroine does here. It's interesting to see the slight shifts in tone for this book. Interesting and welcome.
Although Tethered Liberty is my lingering 'fave' of hers, this one reminds me of Turbulent Covenant and also reminds me that's a Steele I read early on, keep forgetting is a Steele, and one I also enjoy.
December 5, 2013
well this one has a humor mixed in with a virgin secretary,hard working boss and their marriage of convenience.. they are cute,bickering is entertaining sweet story and I want to adopt them both ;)
August 26, 2014
جيسكا ستيل نوعا تكتب بأحداث واحدة وتحس بالملل عندما تقرأ لها روايات كثيرة فأول كتاب قرأته لها
فتاة الاحلام واعجبتني كثيرا واتوقع انها افضل ماكتبت جيسكا ستيل..
فتاة الاحلام واعجبتني كثيرا واتوقع انها افضل ماكتبت جيسكا ستيل..
May 26, 2022
Chesnie Cosgrove and Joel Davenport are the main lead of the story. Joel is a handsome and hard-working business tycoon who wants to be the company's Chairman. Chesnie, who loves her work, was overjoyed when she became the senior secretary to Joel.
Though both committed to their work, they started falling for each other. However, they were determined not to let each other know about their true feelings.
Things took a turn when Joel suddenly announced that he was engaged to Chesnie, and they ended up in a marriage of convenience. Later, their feelings towards each other keep augmenting, and they confessed what they truly feel.
There are some laugh-out-loud scenes in the story. However, the progress in the story was a bit sluggish.
Though both committed to their work, they started falling for each other. However, they were determined not to let each other know about their true feelings.
Things took a turn when Joel suddenly announced that he was engaged to Chesnie, and they ended up in a marriage of convenience. Later, their feelings towards each other keep augmenting, and they confessed what they truly feel.
There are some laugh-out-loud scenes in the story. However, the progress in the story was a bit sluggish.
December 23, 2017
332 ـ زوجة تحت الطلب :
جيسيكا ستيل
عم السرور قلب تشيزني موسغروف عندما بدأت العمل لدى الثري الوسيم جويل دافنبورت وقامت بعملها على أكمل وجه رغم أن سلسلة النساء التي كان يواعدهن كادت تقودها إلى الجنون
لكن الأوضاع تغيرت رأسا على عقب عندما اكتشف جويل أن تشيزني تواعد منافسه الألد وكان الحل الأمثل ليعالج هذه المشكلة البسيطة أن يعلن خطوبته عليها هي تشيزني ولكن هل اقتراحه هذا محض مهني أم هناك دوافع خفية ؟
جيسيكا ستيل
عم السرور قلب تشيزني موسغروف عندما بدأت العمل لدى الثري الوسيم جويل دافنبورت وقامت بعملها على أكمل وجه رغم أن سلسلة النساء التي كان يواعدهن كادت تقودها إلى الجنون
لكن الأوضاع تغيرت رأسا على عقب عندما اكتشف جويل أن تشيزني تواعد منافسه الألد وكان الحل الأمثل ليعالج هذه المشكلة البسيطة أن يعلن خطوبته عليها هي تشيزني ولكن هل اقتراحه هذا محض مهني أم هناك دوافع خفية ؟
December 27, 2020
Cute - nice - perfect past time
April 18, 2022
This didn't have enough angst and the H was nothing like the old JS heroes! This was definitely modern Jessica Steele 🥲
May 23, 2023
Chesnie Cosgrove is overjoyed when she lands the job of senior secretary to handsome tycoon Joel Davenport. Joel may be demanding to work for, but it's the long line of women trying to date him that's driving Chesnie mad!
The tables are turned when Joel discovers Chesnie is casually dating his arch rival. The best way to deal with this "little problem," he decides, is to announce his own engagement -- to Chesnie! But is his proposal strictly professional...or more personal?
The tables are turned when Joel discovers Chesnie is casually dating his arch rival. The best way to deal with this "little problem," he decides, is to announce his own engagement -- to Chesnie! But is his proposal strictly professional...or more personal?
July 10, 2014
I did not quite understand how the characters seem suddenly to realise they love each other and the way they tried their very best to keep the cool surface and determine not to let the other know about their true feelings seem unnecessary.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews