The splayed open honest communication in this book was so refreshing that I had to make sure I mentioned it. There was no “saving face” or long breaks due to miscommunication. Rachel Lynn Solomon did what every romance reader begs authors to do, she made the characters talk to each other, not just about the easy things but the hard, embarrassing, vulnerable truths we have a tendency to avoid. Add in the humor, sultry scenes, and (as always) fantastic writing and Business or Pleasure will be yet another book by Rachel that you simply can’t put down.
“Reach for the moon. Even if you fail, you will land amongst the stars!” What a load of crap! Chandler had reached for the stars when she graduated with her journalism degree and landed her dream job. She reached for the stars when her unrequited love for Wyatt finally lead somewhere. Where has all of that gotten her! Sitting in the back of a bookstore watching yet another author take full credit for her ghostwriting work, nursing a broken heart. All she ever wanted to be when she was a child was an author. Cozy mysteries were her passion and her family loved the ones she would share. Now, sans a real job since the company she worked for folded, making do in the land of freelance writing, Chandler doesn’t know which way is up and she is drowning. Seeking refuge from her spinning thoughts and quickly recognized rock bottom, Chandler meets a gorgeous man at the bar and hits it off instantly. Never one to be a risk taker, Chandler decides to throw caution to the wind as Drew invites her to enjoy the evening with him. Mind blowing connection, sparks everywhere, this night looks all kinds of promising until it ends with the worst sex she has ever had in her life! How?! How could a connection so strong go south so fast! Mortified on his behalf, Chandler sneaks out to survive yet another day only to receive a call from her agent that a potential ghostwriting job is up for grabs and she has minutes to make it to the interview. Not what she pictures but a fan of job security and paying her bills, Chandler walks in to find no other than her one night stand sitting at the table. Turns out the illustrious “Drew” is no other than Finn Walsh from the hit show “The Nocturnals”. Realizing she definitely did something to warrant this level of bad luck, Chandler pretends to not know Drew/Finn until the agent leaves the table. Frustration, confusion, and hushed whispers aside, Chandler knows she can’t possibly take this job but can’t argue against Finn’s reasoning for wanting her talent. She concedes but quickly regrets her decision when a truce to forget the past reveals how she truly felt about their night together. Hoping that brief moment of confession is forgotten, once they reconnect to work – Finn shares that he did some “research” to validate her claim and finds out it is absolutely true! Simply making a joke to lighten the mood, Chandler offers to give Finn a few pointers to improve his bedroom etiquette. She can’t believe her surprise (and excitement?) when he agrees. As if her life wasn’t a mess before, now she has been tasked with not only writing a memoir, but helping Finn become a rockstar between the sheets. What is happening?!
While this was not a dual POV book, it almost felt like it as Finn was so transparent with everything – what he was thinking, how he was feeling, what was going on his life. Yes, Chandler was writing his memoir so that setup was perfect for the reader but the way Rachel presented it just seemed so natural. I loved how they were from different walks of life but were able to relate on the same level.
I loved Chandler’s spiraling as a character. She didn’t just look at that world and say “Here I am, take me or leave me”. She felt like her life was a dumpster fire but she was doing what she could to just stay above water and be happy. She didn’t want to rock the boat and her safety net had become her lifeline. She had no problem saying what needed to be said, speaking her truth, and being honest with others. It was being honest with herself, facing her fears, believing in her own capabilities that always tripped her up. Again, I applaud the communication throughout the story – it was so open and freeing. Her discussions with Noemie, her parents, no one sugar-coated in this story and it was never taken as an insult when someone said what “needed” to be said instead of what someone wanted to hear. The characters Rachel created were thoughtful, well-rounded, relatable, and simply the best.
As for Finn’s character, I don’t think it is possible to talk about him without hearts in my eyes. He was sweet, dorky, kind, loving, and very self-aware.
Seeing the fact that part of Finn and Chandler’s time together was spent giving intimacy lessons, yes – yes it was steamy and educational. With Chandler’s gender and sexuality educational background, Rachel had a chance to provide knowledge as well as heat to the reader. Asides for the initial mishap that will have you peeking through your fingers and cringing on Chandler’s behalf, their spicy moments could melt the pages but the communication factor between knowing one’s desires and feeling empowered to share them was invaluable. I did appreciate that all of this started because Finn put his ego aside and actually reached out to prior partners to see how he was in bed. Who does that?! Just one more reason why his character quickly became a personal favorite.
If the review hasn’t reveal it by now, communication, as well as acceptance, was the cornerstone of this book. Whether it was accepting who you are despite what others believed, communicating the good as well as the bad and being open to speaking and listening – without judgement, or simply trusting your own inner voice – Rachel reminds us that the journey of finding ourselves and following our hearts can be arduous but worth it in the end.