Working It: A Love by Design Novel (A Love by Design)

by Kendall Ryan

Straight-laced and well-mannered southerner Emmy Clarke is out of her depth in New York City's fashion world, but when she lands a job as an assistant at a modelling agency it seems like the perfect mix of business and pleasure. Working under the notoriously tyrannical Fiona Stone is a nightmare, but there's one distinct perk: ogling the ridiculously hot male models who parade through the office-particularly rising star Ben Shaw.

Ben is everything Emmy's not: exquisitely gorgeous, highly paid, and well-travelled. He's also got more issues than Vogue. Emmy looks after Ben on photo shoots, but she refuses to become another one of his lusting groupies. Ben finds Emmy's refreshingly real attitude to be surprisingly attractive.

Against a backdrop of the most fashionable cities in the world, casual flirting turns into an illicit affair, but when Ben's twisted past is revealed, and the bitter Fiona catches wind of their relationship, their careers and hearts are threatened.

• ISBN10: 1476764603
• ISBN13: 9781476764603
• Publish Date: 27 February 2014 (first published 11 November 2013)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 8 March 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Atria Books
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 416
• Language: English

Reviews

[Cocktails and Books]

Well, I guess first thing is first, I don’t really venture into erotica (although this is labeled new adult I would argue the sex scenes push that category) very often so I was pleasantly surprised that it had a simple yet readable plot line with enjoyable characters. The prologue starts at the end of the story and I really liked knowing where it was going but not quite how it would get there.

Emmy is easy to love. She is a good Southern girl just trying to make her way in the world. I can easily understand her need to leave the people and home she loves in Tennessee dearly to venture to the big city. She wants more for herself and is determined to succeed. She does her best not to let the city eat her alive and make her forget her roots which would be easy to do in the fashion industry.

Ben is sexy and conflicted exactly what we like to see in a male lead. I am definitely glad that I didn’t have his childhood of watching his mother drunk or high and watching the aftermath. No child should have to parent a parent. It makes it easy to see why he has so much baggage and isn’t a relationship guy. He has never really been taken care of or loved.

You can see where the story is going (almost predictable) but it’s hard not to keep reading. The chemistry between the two is fun to read. The sex scenes are absolutely steaming and some jaw dropping. I will definitely read book two but I am wondering how it is going to keep my interest when it is clear these two were meant to be!

Reviewed by Candace for Cocktails and Books