The man cocked his head, his blue eyes dancing. “I hate to disappoint you, but I’m not Chris Hemsworth.” ~ Bargaining with the Boss
This book had me hooked from the first paragraph. The story opens with Kinsley, a quirky woman, dressed in a puffy pink bridesmaid dress. Her best friend nudges her to make the way across the reception hall to introduce herself to a Chris Hemsworth look-alike. Kinsley, determined to step out of her “boring and predictable” persona, finally musters up the courage. Kinsley is far from boring, but her ex-fiancé really slammed on the brakes of her self-esteem eight months prior.
So…back to the reception. Hemsworth dude is named Damon. Their initial conversation is giggle-worthy. (As above quote implies.) They end up sharing several shots of tequila. Their banter is witty. (Plethora of giggles from this reader.) The morning after, Kinsley awakes in Damon’s hotel room, dress and memory askew. She slams into full-blown panic mode. (She even shoves her fist in her mouth to keep from screaming. I loved this visual!)
A call from her brother Wade has her hiding in Damon’s bathroom begging Wade to push an important meeting up an hour so she can … well, at least change out of a disheveled bridesmaid dress. The dreaded meeting is with the new owner of the family business—the hotel that has been her birthright until now. Hungover, confused and dismayed, she had to collect her wits and sit across the table with the damn owner. Great. Could things get worse?
In a word, YES.
Before she can attempt a sneaky getaway, Damon’s phone dings moments after she ends the call with her brother.
She peeks at the text on Damon’s phone—a request to push up the meeting up an hour.
Kinsley just woke up in her new boss’s bed.
What a great hook. I adore how Kinsley meets this and many more obstacles head on. She may waver at times, but she does not back down once. She tries everything possible to better the run-down hotel, and in the process, redeems her self-doubt.
Damon, on the other hand, does not have the confidence to follow through, and at times seems downright broken inside. His long-held guilt over his brother’s death is heartbreaking. His mind deems Kinsley remain on a professional basis, but his heart slowly realizes how he needs so much more from her.
Kinsley, an open soul with her heart on the proverbial sleeve, does her best to uphold the friendship agreement, which was hard when he keeps kissing her…and she keeps kissing him back.
While Kinsley was diligent in the quest to improve both herself and the hotel, Damon is stuck in the past. And right when Kinsley’s hopes are within reach—Damon basically disappears. Yeah, he had other business to tend to, but the way he distanced himself personally was disheartening to say the least. I wanted to hate him, but like Kinsley, I couldn’t.
This left me asking several questions. Why, when Kinsley finally trusts him, does he let her down? What the hell is Damon thinking? Will Damon allow the hotel to go to the highest bidder? How will Kinsley survive losing everything, including him? Does she even have him? Is it all a game to pull the hotel out from under her?
This book is full of twists, turns and, tribulations. It’s also filled with giggles, grit and growth. The author, Jennifer Shirk, does a wonderful job of storytelling. I don’t want to divulge any more about this book, because I want readers to enjoy the surprise ending yourself. But let me assure everyone, Bargaining with the Boss is well worth the read.
(Book provided by author)