Whatever you do, keep it professional…

Synopsis

Sometimes it’s fun to kiss and tell!

Sensible journalist Jess is not a rule breaker, especially where her career is involved. But trying to extract a tell-all interview from notorious art dealer and bad boy Xander Heaton is going to test her patience… and self-control. Because she must, at all costs remain professional, respectable and stay focused on the job at hand.

But it’s not long before Jess realizes that Xander spells trouble with a capital T and is living up to his tempting reputation! Trying to keep her distance, Jess decides that maybe she could break her golden rule, just this once to get Xander out of her system and her job back on track. But one night is never enough! And she learns that actually breaking her rules once in a while can lead to more fun than sticking to them!

My review

Jess feels that as a journalist, she needs a big interview, to show her talent. Because her boss for sure has given her several signals to step up in the game. So her task now is to get a real in – depth interview with artist Xander Heaton. Easier said than done, as Xander has a reputation for not only being elusive, but with his bad boy attitude, Jess not only has to show a lot of patience, but also she has to try to resist Xander. Xander, who not only is a recipe for Trouble, but is also in search for a new muse, as he wants to create art with a capital A. Yet he cannot keep his attraction towards Jess hidden… just like Jess… And what bad could one night of giving in do? As long as it just stays with one night of fun…

Whenever I start a new book, I begin with putting that book on my reading pile on Goodreads. And with this book, I was a bit surprised that seeing those first visible reviews, that there were a lot of people that had some difficulties with it.

But I have to say, that when I started to read, I found myself disagreeing with those reviews. Of course everyone has the right to his/her own opinion, and not every book is for everyone. So I was happy that I *did* enjoy reading the story of Jess and Xander.

I felt sorry for Jess, as it’s clear that at the beginning of the story she is under a lot of stress. Being a journalist alone is already difficult enough, but as she feels that her job may be at risk and she hasn’t had the chance to show her worth yet.

It’s obvious that Jess has a great work – ethic. When she accepts a job, she wants to do it well, she wants to paint the right picture of the subject of her interview. She wants to get to the bottom but without crossing any lines, or even getting too close.

And it saddened me to read how closed – up she always is in a way. Her past relationships weren’t all that great, in any aspect, and that made her even more insecure than before. While in fact it has been just a matter of not meeting someone who knows what is needed.

I liked her resolution to write a great article, no matter how difficult her subject is, no matter what his reputation is. She doesn’t take up his b*llsh*t.

It wasn’t always easy to like Xander, especially at the beginning of the book, as he clearly shows his playboy – attitude, thinking mostly about only himself. And not taking in account other people and their feelings.

Yet once in Italy, there is a shift in their relationship. A shift that made me see Xander in a complete different light. Because yes, he is still this flirty man, but he also shows a Xander that not many people see. The way he doesn’t let Jess stay in a terrifying hotel, the way he gives her the space she needs, but also breaks down her walls. The way he shows patience with her, in several different occasions and ways.

But especially the way he is able to open up himself, to show his own vulnerabilities with Jess, like he never could with anyone else…

And I liked it how Jess is able to let go too, once again, in more than just one way 😊. How she slowly lets Xander in, showing her own insecurities and is able to tell him where they come from.

Of course, Xander is a man, and often men just don’t get women. And so while he thinks he is doing something amazing, he doesn’t seem to understand how that is exactly the opposite of what Jess truly wants.

Yes, there is a lot of friction in this book, yes there is a lot of spice in this book. But there is also a real journey in this book, for both main characters. Both Jess and Xander have a lot of unresolved issues, and with their unconventional time spending together, there is an opportunity to get closure from those issues.

But they also grow in the sense of opening up, letting people in, and finding perhaps the most terrifying feeling of them all, love…

I enjoyed reading this story, seeing two complete opposites taking important bits from each other, learning from each other, and allowing to let go in front of each other. A story that has much more depth than I initially expected and I loved reading every bit of it!