Jordan Stephens, the embodiment of perfection, was convinced early on that he deserves the best. From his dashing sex appeal to a successful career, he surrounds himself with the luxury, wearing tailor-made suits, flaunting his expensive Benz, and bedding women equally gorgeous. One thing remains off-limits—commitment. He can’t even commit to an assistant, cycling through one attractive, unqualified assistant after the next. Their beauty is all that matters... until their job performance makes him look bad.
Penelope Matthews, Jordan’s replacement assistant, is nothing like her predecessors. Forced to wear unfashionable clothing and hide behind makeup, Jordan’s looks won’t distract this full-figured woman. She knows her lane and stays in it. Experienced with demanding men, she’ll wow him with color-coded spreadsheets, and an exceptional work ethic. And wait until he tries her tea. As long as she stays under the radar, impervious to her boss, she’ll emerge unscathed.
After surviving her tumultuous probationary period, the pair forms an undeniable connection that flips their worlds upside-down. With secrets lingering between them, they must decide which path to the one they’ve been traveling, or the road that leads to each other.
This was my second time reading it. I cried as much as the first time. There are things about the book I dislike - like the way her family handled everything. But it’s still a 5 star read for me. Very low steam, I’d even say very little romance (until the end), it’s focused on working through prejudice and self esteem issues. My favorite scene:
“For years, John groomed me into believing no one would desire an overweight woman. Hell, if the man that claimed to love me hated the sight of me, what chance did I stand with someone else? He needed me weak, so I’d always be his hostage, relying on the limited love he would afford me until I believed that’s all I deserved. His physical abuse kept me in line. The mental abuse kept me here. He didn’t need to say the words to make me stay; he made me accept I had no other choice. John weaponized my hang-ups, using my low self-esteem against me. All that mental abuse I endured secured my position at home, cooking, cleaning, and picking up all his messes. That’s over now.”
I highly recommend this book, but if you’re sensitive to fat-phobia, I would stay away. The book is heavily focused on it and the MMC perpetuates it many times until his character starts to develop more.
I loved the book. Couldn’t put it down really. I think the author did a disservice to the relationship. The book would have been so much better with sexual tension. How can they love each other so deeply and yet have only shared one kiss? It was a great story and she did a good job of expanding the characters but without sexual tension…it lacked the greatness it could have been. I really didn’t feel any desire from him to her. She wrote a bit more of her feeling but not bear enough to make this book great.
From reading the blurb, I thought this would be about how a shallow guy falls for a larger woman. And it is but there is a lot more to the book. I thought mature themes would revolve around body image but instead it takes a darker turn. I liked the characters and loved how Penny and Jordan start as friends. I hope Josie will have a story so we can have more about how Jordan and Penny are later. I wish the book had been longer in that I wanted more ending/wrap up. I’m not saying the ending is bad at all just that I wish there had been more.
Jordan Stephens 37yr old, youngest partner at his firm, living his best life or so he thought. Living by the motto from his mothers sister "IF YOU'RE A TEN, EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE SHOULD MATCH". So that's how he lived, never wanting a girlfriend, marriage or children the had a carousel of women. His was just as bad at work, his assistants had to be model quality even if they were clueless at what the job entailed. As long as they came in looking to the nines because to him they represented him. Penelope Matthews 31yrs old, estranged from her family and stuck with fear in a very emotional and physically abusive relationship. Her family asked her to choose because they needed to keep her younger brother safe, she chose her HS Boyfriend. Only one friend in her life that refuses to allow John to chance her away. Penelope safe zone is work and she is getting moved up within the company. But is she ready to handle the egomaniac, GQ model worthy Partner. Book is filled with triggers, abuse, forced sexual relations, Stalking, hospital visits, attempted murder and suicide This story Is told mostly from Jordan's POV but split in 3 major parts where POV changes from Jordan to Penelope. I give this book 5 Star, from the first chapter a was drawn in and held shedding tear of fear, sadness and happiness. Laughed at the banter back and forth. Stefanie Stratton first of your books I read and it was good. Well developed characters and back story of them. I would like to know if Josey finds her forever or what about the last bachelor of the partners does he get reformed. 2 more books needed also an update on Penelope and Jordan's life
I don't know if I've ever hated an MMC quite as much as I hate Jordan Stephens. From the very beginning of the bookhe is exactly the opposite of what you want in a hero. He's shallow, cocky, rude, and a complete misogynist. Despite a large chunk of the book being from his point of view, I don't feel he really redeemed himself from the things that he said both internally and out loud in the 1st few chapters.
Penelope on the other hand is an absolutely wonderful character. Her depth and dimension from both other people's point of view and her own was fantastic.
Another thing I struggled with reading this book was that no one said anything about what was so obviously going on. Maybe it's a woman's perspective or just a reader's perspective, but I feel like someone should have said something sooner. There were so many clues to what was going on in Pen's personal life and and no one seems to think about them.
Overall I think this book may have been marketed wrong and I would have rated it higher and enjoyed it more if I had not been hoping for a romance.I honestly wish that Pen and Jordan had ended up friends and not in a romantic relationship. There just wasn't enough connection or development for me to believe that they fell for eachother, and the ending fell flat.
For a book that was so long, it ended awfully abruptly. Really left me wanting more.
First I want to start by saying: I almost added this book to my “Did Not Finish” shelf on Goodreads. Jordan and his attitude and the way he treated others from the beginning of the book. It just frustrated me. I told myself that I would keep reading to see if his character grew in other facets. He did.
As for Penny, from the very start, she had a lot of layers. She was a mystery to Jordan and she was a mystery to the reader (myself). That is until I got to her part of the book and everything started to make a lot more sense where she was concerned.
The end of the book was a lot to take in. The abuse both physical and mental and emotional was a lot to take in. I am happy that they got their happily ever after. I will say that if abuse is triggering to you, this is not a book that I would recommend. It does what I believe to be a good job of portraying the struggle somebody suffering from domestic violence would go through in the process of leaving. The guilt, the shame, the terror, the attachment, and the fight within themselves.
There are so many feelings I had while reading this book. Not all of them warm and fuzzy. The storyline itself was good. That not warm and fuzzy feelings are a testament to I think how the author developed some of the characters.
This book is told in 3 parts and starts with Jordan. What an a$$. He knows he's a superficial jerk. It was easier to read from his POV as the first part went on because there is growth. But yikes! What a start. I didn't like him at all. I liked him more by the end, but he was sort of oblivious.
Penny is a great character overall. Lots of strength and a generally lovely person.
This book wasn't an easy read but I will say I read it in basically in one sitting. Probably a good idea to check into trigger warnongs. The ending felt a little rushed, but I'm going to sign up for the email to read the extra scene. Hoping it adds more of an ending.
I tend to avoid the first person narrative and books where each chapter is from a different characters perspective, but this was a surprising read. The plot was interesting and characters well written. I usually like a kick-ass heroine and although I didn’t initially get this with Penny, her character was layered enough that I liked her. The boss/assistant storyline and Jordan’s character development throughout the book kept me hooked too. I’m so glad there’s a 2nd book about Josie, I wanted to find out more about her and hopefully see her have a happy ending too. It didn’t end on a cliffhanger although it did feel like the story just cut off, like there needed to be another chapter. Maybe that was wishful thinking on my part. I enjoyed and would recommend.
Enjoyable workplace romance. Player Jordan is desperate to find an efficient assistant after recruiting a long line of inefficient 'bimbos' whom he has always picked for their looks. Enter curvy Penny with her frumpy large clothes and unflattering makeup; despite Jordan's attempts to get rid of her - she stays the course, immune to his treatment and completely reorganises and streamlines his business life. I really enjoyed this novel as right from the start the reader gets suspicions and there are red flags about secrets Penny is hiding. Jordan is a total shallow 'a$$hole' and totally unlikeable - but does redeem himself when the chips are down. Warning there are 'triggers' in this book so be prepared for them.
This book , blew my mind away. Simply blew me away.
Penny becomes Jordan's new secretary, not his normal. She knows how to type,work. But she wears to much makeup and badly fitted clothing and cuddly . I guessed why and when I knew I guessed right, my heart broke.
Jordan love Jordan , and loves everything perfect, as he believes he is. His women to look a certain way and people to see him in a certain way. Slowly Jordan just grows with Penny in his life. He starts to see more than looks , he finds he want to get to know this woman , does not fall over herself to get to him. Slowly you fall in love with him.
This is my first book for Stefanie Stratton. I enjoyed it, and liked the layout, being from Jordan’s POV for the first part of the book, then from Penny’s POV after, finishing the book with the final chapter being from Jordan’s POV again. The story wasn’t what I was expecting, and I did enjoy it but I couldn’t understand how Jordan missed all the obvious signs, and why the hell didn’t he question Penny’s dad whilst in the car with him???? So, apart from being a clueless male (🙄), he ended up being a thoroughly lovable guy. I’d have liked to have both sets of parents feature more but otherwise a good read.
I loathed Jordan in the beginning of this book. Conceited, shallow, rude. And I didn't see how he could change. He did. Much to my surprise. I struggled some with the themes in this book. But I think it's because I gravitate towards books where the female heroine is the tough as nails type. Not the tough as nails but brittle at the same time type. Penny genuinely surprised me. The growth in both characters interested me more than the few typos and glaring errors that slowed me down from time to time. Not my usual read, but certainly a journey of hardship and the tenacity of the human spirit.
In all honesty, when I started reading this story, I assumed it was going to be a run of the mill, easy, fun romance. What I discovered were characters revealed in slow and steady pace of complexity. Characters relatable one moment, but hard to read the next.
This roller coaster of a read infused me with all the feelings of riding an actual coaster. I immediately related to Penny's inner self-assessment as it was similar to my very own.
The development of Jordan and Penny's friendship was refreshing and enduring. And, it provided an extra level of depth to their relationship.
Wow this book was read in less than 24 hours, I could not put it down. I was trying to figure what was up with Penny. I wasn't sure if it was self-image or something worse. I never understood why some women would stay with assholes but reading this story opened my eyes and heart for them. I'm glad she found her self- worth. At first Jordan's attitude was almost too much, I'm so glad he changed and self redeemed himself. Great story. The IPod music....wipes eyes because that was so much!!
‼️DNF‼️Again - to each their own, everyone has opinions and this is mine.
Y’all for the first time in over half a year, I DNF’d (did not finish) a book. I only got to chapter 3 and I just couldn’t do it. This man was a egotistical douchebag. He looked at women like they were trash, I just couldn’t. Then introduce the FMC and he was such a jackass about her looks and her body image. I mean if you like degrading books without the kink with a side of narcissism go ahead and read it. But this is a no from me.
I finished this book in one day and didn’t want to put it down! In the beginning I kinda disliked Jordan’s personality because of how his so called “mantra’ that his aunt instilled on him. I was ecstatic to see how Penny was oblivious to anything he tried to do to get her attention.
Penny on the other hand was so strong and had humor even though everything she was going through in her home. I swear the ending had me on the verge of tears and I just wanted to get to the HEA already. All in all, it was a great read and definitely recommend to read.
What got my attention was the fact Penelope was overweight. Watching a shallow, egotistical, hottie fall for the overweight girl was amazing. I wish we were judged on our personality instead of our looks. This book put Jordan in a place where he had no choice but to get to know the real her. This is my new favorite book! It's worth reading over and over again. The banter, the characters...everything about this book is worth a read at least once!
I usually don't write reviews, but for this book to be so long which I don't mind and the character seem to be so in depth, even the supporting roles. For this book to end the way it did, without the main characters relationship developing no more than what it did, was a huge disappointment for me.
This book was by far one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. From the beginning you could tell the Jordan was stuck up and so into himself, but as the book continues you can actually feel the change within him as he works with penny and gets to know her. I laughed and cried. It’s was unbelievably amazing.
Penny becomes Jordans new secretary, now his normal. She knows how to type,work. But she wears to much makeup and badly fitted clothing. I guess why and when I knew I guessed right, my heart broke.
Jordan just grows with Penny in his life. You fall in love with him.
Not gonna lie, I almost stopped reading this because I thought it was one I had read before cause it sounded familiar. But then it didn't and I'm glad I kept reading. I enjoyed the story and character growth. It was lacking something but I can't quite put my finger on what that would be.
I like that the author did not shy away from the realities of domestic violence and obsession. The story is honest and bleak. Jordan is shown to grow into the love he feels for Penny and her inner voice reflects the pain of low self-esteem. The writing is not great and the editing could use a lot of work but the story is good.
Holy crap! None of that was what I was expecting going into this book. Worth every word. It starts off superficial and not expecting what happened the more and more I read. I am in awe! READ IT NOW!
This was a good book that was well written, but it was definitely not a romance. It would’ve been better if the ending had been smoother as well. It was a good read though, just not what I was expecting.
This book was everything and more. What Penny went with that awful is terrible. Despite it all, she remained strong. Domestic violence is something no one should go through. So glad she finally found her HEA in Jordan.
I confess that I, when I started this book, I was going to give up. I really disliked the male lead so much. But I continued and I am so glad that I did. Watching him change, and the female leads situation, was really satisfying.
This book was so good! I could not put it down. You really like the characters and this book is not the cookie cutter story you think it is. It also makes you think about how powerful shame can be. I would put this book on your must read list.
Lovely story. But for those wanting steam, this will disappoint it has none. However, it is well written, though it may trigger. Loved the characters and would love an epilogue.
Love the book. Like others did not like Jordan at first but he matured under Pennys guidance but the end seems incomplete. Great story but would love an epilogue to say how she got on with both families and if they got married had kids etc. sorry just like an all round hea