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Working Relationship
The most important thing in Madge’s life was her career as a photo-journalist, so she was thrilled at the prospect of going to Tibet to make a television documentary. But she was not quite so thrilled when she found she would be going with the brilliant Seton Chambers. True, she would learn a lot from him — but would it be worth it? For Madge had an uneasy feeling that the emotional problems involved in her relationship with Seton would take over — as indeed they did. For Seton just refused to see her as a woman, while she was only too aware of him as a man!
187 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 1984
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 14, 2021
"Working Relationship" is the story of Madge and Seton.
Heroine is a documentary filmmaker whose arch nemesis is her boss, and once idol hero. Daughter to famous celebrities, she has had her time in the limelight but loves her career behind the camera. Her dream project dedicated to Tibet is about to start, when her work partner falls ill and the hero steps in. Ofcourse he is ruthless in every way and they lock horns, but despite all his criticism to her and her work she falls for him. They go through trials, tribulations and spooky incidences in the Himalayas, he pushes her away, she weeps in frustration, they have sex and separate, come back and eventually decide to give a chance to their relationship.
It was OK. Didnt enjoy it. The hero was too cold for me.
SWE
1.5/5
Heroine is a documentary filmmaker whose arch nemesis is her boss, and once idol hero. Daughter to famous celebrities, she has had her time in the limelight but loves her career behind the camera. Her dream project dedicated to Tibet is about to start, when her work partner falls ill and the hero steps in. Ofcourse he is ruthless in every way and they lock horns, but despite all his criticism to her and her work she falls for him. They go through trials, tribulations and spooky incidences in the Himalayas, he pushes her away, she weeps in frustration, they have sex and separate, come back and eventually decide to give a chance to their relationship.
It was OK. Didnt enjoy it. The hero was too cold for me.
SWE
1.5/5
October 19, 2015
Re Working Relationship - this is a nice little gem by one of my favorite HP author's Madeleine Ker - ( I refused to believe MK was a guy for the longest time - I thought the h's were too well defined to have come from a man LOL :O)
The premise is that the h is a byproduct of two incredibly selfish Hollywood stars, she has been neglected and used as a pawn between them for all her life, with the exception of a brief fling at 17 where she was denounced as a Jezebel by another drugged out Hollywood actress for seducing her son, she has been painfully alone until she happens to see a documentary about whales made by the elusive H.
This gives her a goal in life and she wins a grant to film to school and then gets a job making documentaries for the H's company. She and her partner are scheduled to go to Tibet to shoot a documentary there (sorta like one of the big BBC natures series) but her partner gets jaundice and she has to go with the H instead.
The h isn't too happy about this as she had been verbally slammed by the H when she first started working for his company 18 months earlier. She and he have a somewhat antagonistic relationship as he is very critical of her work (kinda justly IMO, she has some bad filming habits that are hindering her talent) but there is no doubt the H is really harsh in her criticisms and very sparring in any praise.
They set off for Tibet and this is where the story really takes off, the descriptions of a Chinese occupied Tibet unknown to Westerners, as they hadn't been allowed in since the previous century, are very well done. (The descriptions and analysis of the trip portion was very interesting, it wasn't all pro-Tibet Dali Lama and neither was it pro- Chinese, MK does his very best to present both sides of view, but puts even more emphasis on the truly stunning Tibetian scenery and the people that have to keep on eeking out a living somehow.) While they are discovering the intricacies of Tibet, they are also discovering the intricate layers of each other.
The h isn't just some bubble headed ingenue with a bit of talent and the H isn't the ruthless, cold filming machine he appears either. The discoveries of the trip becomes a metaphor for the discoveries of each other and while there is plenty of subtle sexual tension and a few almost to bed scenes, they don't actually consummate the relationship. There is literally a landslide moment when we see just how much the h has begun to affect the H as he carries her four miles through the Himalayas as she was injured when the 4WD went over the mountainside.
Fortunately they are taken in by kindly monks in a forbidden monastery and the H confesses he has some deep feelings for the h that they will resolve when they get back to London. They do make it back to Western civilization and the H decides that he can only offer a filming partnership to the h after he arranges for her current partner to get a really good new job in the US. This irks the h to no end and she does a magnificent telling off of the H before rejecting his partnership offer, quitting his film company and even better quitting him. She winds up with her parents, who tell her that they are reconciling and she is hopeful that they may form some kind of family bond yet.
The H manages to track her down, apologize profusely and humbly ( a pretty good, if short grovel,) and beg her to be his partner not only in films but in life, as he has been in love with her ever since he met her.
Needless to say, I liked this one (but admittedly I like most MK's with the exception of Duel of Passion, where I prayed for the H to have an alien abduction before the end). It is a solid, pretty decently researched (for the time period) romance. The H isn't too uber Alpha and the h isn't too much an idiot and she is no doormat. She does go through a visible maturing process as she discovers she is in love with the H, and the whole story is entirely believable IMO. This isn't a wrecky angstfest but it is a good story with interesting characters and worth a read if you run into it.
The premise is that the h is a byproduct of two incredibly selfish Hollywood stars, she has been neglected and used as a pawn between them for all her life, with the exception of a brief fling at 17 where she was denounced as a Jezebel by another drugged out Hollywood actress for seducing her son, she has been painfully alone until she happens to see a documentary about whales made by the elusive H.
This gives her a goal in life and she wins a grant to film to school and then gets a job making documentaries for the H's company. She and her partner are scheduled to go to Tibet to shoot a documentary there (sorta like one of the big BBC natures series) but her partner gets jaundice and she has to go with the H instead.
The h isn't too happy about this as she had been verbally slammed by the H when she first started working for his company 18 months earlier. She and he have a somewhat antagonistic relationship as he is very critical of her work (kinda justly IMO, she has some bad filming habits that are hindering her talent) but there is no doubt the H is really harsh in her criticisms and very sparring in any praise.
They set off for Tibet and this is where the story really takes off, the descriptions of a Chinese occupied Tibet unknown to Westerners, as they hadn't been allowed in since the previous century, are very well done. (The descriptions and analysis of the trip portion was very interesting, it wasn't all pro-Tibet Dali Lama and neither was it pro- Chinese, MK does his very best to present both sides of view, but puts even more emphasis on the truly stunning Tibetian scenery and the people that have to keep on eeking out a living somehow.) While they are discovering the intricacies of Tibet, they are also discovering the intricate layers of each other.
The h isn't just some bubble headed ingenue with a bit of talent and the H isn't the ruthless, cold filming machine he appears either. The discoveries of the trip becomes a metaphor for the discoveries of each other and while there is plenty of subtle sexual tension and a few almost to bed scenes, they don't actually consummate the relationship. There is literally a landslide moment when we see just how much the h has begun to affect the H as he carries her four miles through the Himalayas as she was injured when the 4WD went over the mountainside.
Fortunately they are taken in by kindly monks in a forbidden monastery and the H confesses he has some deep feelings for the h that they will resolve when they get back to London. They do make it back to Western civilization and the H decides that he can only offer a filming partnership to the h after he arranges for her current partner to get a really good new job in the US. This irks the h to no end and she does a magnificent telling off of the H before rejecting his partnership offer, quitting his film company and even better quitting him. She winds up with her parents, who tell her that they are reconciling and she is hopeful that they may form some kind of family bond yet.
The H manages to track her down, apologize profusely and humbly ( a pretty good, if short grovel,) and beg her to be his partner not only in films but in life, as he has been in love with her ever since he met her.
Needless to say, I liked this one (but admittedly I like most MK's with the exception of Duel of Passion, where I prayed for the H to have an alien abduction before the end). It is a solid, pretty decently researched (for the time period) romance. The H isn't too uber Alpha and the h isn't too much an idiot and she is no doormat. She does go through a visible maturing process as she discovers she is in love with the H, and the whole story is entirely believable IMO. This isn't a wrecky angstfest but it is a good story with interesting characters and worth a read if you run into it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2021
I loved the travelogue of Tibet – especially while reading on a sweltering hot day.
Heroine is great. She is much younger than the hero and has hero-worshiped his film directing skills since she was a teenager.
When she went to work with him, she was disappointed he was cranky and not at all friendly. When they are forced to work together on a new project, they fall in love.
Boogenhagen has all the details.
Heroine is great. She is much younger than the hero and has hero-worshiped his film directing skills since she was a teenager.
When she went to work with him, she was disappointed he was cranky and not at all friendly. When they are forced to work together on a new project, they fall in love.
Boogenhagen has all the details.
May 27, 2019
This one started off well. It an enemies to lovers trope although most of the antipathy in the start is from the heroine. The hero basically ignores her. The heroine is a young film maker, in fact she was so inspired by one of the films of the Hero, which is what led her to take film and after graduation to apply at his film company.
She is a bit antagonistic towards her idol, because when she was a new hire, and first meets him, she starts off gushing about his film that inspired her and he cuts her off and basically snubs her. Since then she has harbored hurt and antagonistic feelings towards him.
She and her partner are about to embark on a much coveted assignment to film in Tibet, however, at the last minute, the partner gets sick so the Hero steps in. The story soon progresses from this point. It’s a good story and generally I would have liked it, except for some points that irritated me, thus the 3-star rating.
The heroine had actually had a crush on the Hero and soon after their trip starts, she gets over her her feelings of antagonism and she is basically infatuated with the Hero from this point on. She makes a pass at him on their first night, and though the Hero responds, he has to push her away. Then it’s basically her throwing herself at his feet and pining for him for the rest of the book.
The Hero is not necessarily mean, but he keeps trying to keep their relationship on a professional level. Baring that, he tries to explain to her that he doesn’t want any emotional relationships. The heroine has a lot of mopey moments because of this.
Since the author is really a man, I couldn’t help but think, this is more a male fantasy. A beautiful young girl throwing herself at the man of her dreams; unable to control her lust; the hero having to push her away despite extreme temptation only to give in to her at the end. Which is exactly what happens.
She is a bit antagonistic towards her idol, because when she was a new hire, and first meets him, she starts off gushing about his film that inspired her and he cuts her off and basically snubs her. Since then she has harbored hurt and antagonistic feelings towards him.
She and her partner are about to embark on a much coveted assignment to film in Tibet, however, at the last minute, the partner gets sick so the Hero steps in. The story soon progresses from this point. It’s a good story and generally I would have liked it, except for some points that irritated me, thus the 3-star rating.
The heroine had actually had a crush on the Hero and soon after their trip starts, she gets over her her feelings of antagonism and she is basically infatuated with the Hero from this point on. She makes a pass at him on their first night, and though the Hero responds, he has to push her away. Then it’s basically her throwing herself at his feet and pining for him for the rest of the book.
The Hero is not necessarily mean, but he keeps trying to keep their relationship on a professional level. Baring that, he tries to explain to her that he doesn’t want any emotional relationships. The heroine has a lot of mopey moments because of this.
Since the author is really a man, I couldn’t help but think, this is more a male fantasy. A beautiful young girl throwing herself at the man of her dreams; unable to control her lust; the hero having to push her away despite extreme temptation only to give in to her at the end. Which is exactly what happens.
August 15, 2021
Most of the setting takes place in Tibet and has some very beautiful visual descriptions. I have noticed that with this author before. I believe he has been many places in the world.
Hero-Seton is about 40 years old and is widowed. He is famous for filming documentaries. His marriage has basically made him shy away from any commitments that go beyond the bedroom. He is brilliant at what he does, and can sometimes come off as uncaring.
Heroine-Madge(24) is the daughter of two actors who love her, but not as much as they love themselves. They divorced years earlier and this made the h feel even lonelier and vulnerable. She had as very disastrous relationship at 17 and hasn’t wanted to go that route again. In her darkest hour as a teen she watched one of the hero’s documentaries and decided that she wanted to do this as a career. At 20, she ends up working at the same studio as the H and 18 months prior to the opening of our story she meets the H and goes to tell him about how life changing his movie was for her. He basically cuts her off and decides she is just another hero worshipping groupie. This interaction has soured the h on the H and she isn’t so keen on him as a human being(just a movie maker).
Circumstances throw these two together to work on the H’s ground breaking movie in Tibet. They end up working closely together often times sleeping a cot away from each other. Our h, who has always been a little secretly in love with him, rediscovers her passion for him. She makes more than 1 pass at the H and although he responds for 1/2 a second he lets her know that nothing can happen with them. She will want forever, and he is just a one time guy. So there is lots of tension between them, but there is also lots of deep conversations between them. Each of them sharing things that they have never shared with others. They also work very well together.
I think this is what sets this apart from some of the other books in the genre. You really get to see the relationship developing, and yet our hero despite his wanting keeps the h at arms length as much as he can. I really wanted them to succumb to their attraction, but they never do. When they do, I am pretty sure it will be hearts and souls coming together. The HEA reveals some of the thoughts the H had that we were not privy to during the story. It is a believable HEA, and I believe that these two, after marriage, will continue to work together and travel around the world with any future children giving them a real life education along the way.
Hero-Seton is about 40 years old and is widowed. He is famous for filming documentaries. His marriage has basically made him shy away from any commitments that go beyond the bedroom. He is brilliant at what he does, and can sometimes come off as uncaring.
Heroine-Madge(24) is the daughter of two actors who love her, but not as much as they love themselves. They divorced years earlier and this made the h feel even lonelier and vulnerable. She had as very disastrous relationship at 17 and hasn’t wanted to go that route again. In her darkest hour as a teen she watched one of the hero’s documentaries and decided that she wanted to do this as a career. At 20, she ends up working at the same studio as the H and 18 months prior to the opening of our story she meets the H and goes to tell him about how life changing his movie was for her. He basically cuts her off and decides she is just another hero worshipping groupie. This interaction has soured the h on the H and she isn’t so keen on him as a human being(just a movie maker).
Circumstances throw these two together to work on the H’s ground breaking movie in Tibet. They end up working closely together often times sleeping a cot away from each other. Our h, who has always been a little secretly in love with him, rediscovers her passion for him. She makes more than 1 pass at the H and although he responds for 1/2 a second he lets her know that nothing can happen with them. She will want forever, and he is just a one time guy. So there is lots of tension between them, but there is also lots of deep conversations between them. Each of them sharing things that they have never shared with others. They also work very well together.
I think this is what sets this apart from some of the other books in the genre. You really get to see the relationship developing, and yet our hero despite his wanting keeps the h at arms length as much as he can. I really wanted them to succumb to their attraction, but they never do. When they do, I am pretty sure it will be hearts and souls coming together. The HEA reveals some of the thoughts the H had that we were not privy to during the story. It is a believable HEA, and I believe that these two, after marriage, will continue to work together and travel around the world with any future children giving them a real life education along the way.
May 31, 2026
Madge's partner had jaundice a week before their scheduled trip to Tibet for a once a life chance to film the place which forced Madge to accept Seton Champers, the cruel director of the station and a former genius war then nature photo-journalist, as a new partner. Madge admired Seton when was 17, but after his callous way of treating her when she first met him, she became one of his anti-fans among a sea of admirers. But, to her horror, the closer their trip together, the more her initial love for him emerged from deep within her, which really terrified and shocked her to the core. What is worse, her feeling intensified in Tibet instead of diminishing.
It started really interesting and strong, but somehow it lost part of its spark in the middle for me. Maybe, it was too hard to accept a hard-feeling hero. Maybe.
It started really interesting and strong, but somehow it lost part of its spark in the middle for me. Maybe, it was too hard to accept a hard-feeling hero. Maybe.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2024
Quite liked this although I found the ending a bit too much of a volte face. She (Madge. Is anyone born after 1950 called Madge?) is a film photographer and offspring of two Hollywood stars. He, Seton, is an aloof, award winning documentary film maker. She was inspired by his work but he basically cuts her dead and/or criticizes her in the 18 months she works in his company. When they go off alone on location to Tibet their relationship really starts to develop. There's some decent dialogue and sexual tension although ultimately no consummation.
February 26, 2024
I've already written a review for this (Tibet based) romance and it's disappeared. Effing GR.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews