Summary
Tim Stag has it all under control. He’s taken charge of his family ever since his mother’s death, raising his brothers while finishing college and law school early. Now he runs an empire, and nothing will stand in his way as he looks to expand Stag Law.
Until Alice Peterson comes along.
The new corporate chef is supposed to give his company an edge, but Alice Peterson is anything but corporate. Wild and spicy as her food, Alice sweeps into Stag Law and drives Tim to distraction. He’s not used to distraction.
Excerpt
I’m not sure why I keep trying to get things accomplished in the office. When I’m here, I’m interrupted constantly. Everyone has questions and apparently I’m the only one with any answers. I’m trying to review the notes from our top clients, but my email chimes every few seconds and I’ve already had to put my cell on silent because my family evidently needs me to manage them, too.
When my intercom buzzes, I’m in the middle of re-reading a sentence I’ve started about ten times, so I’m impatient with my admin. “What, Donna? What??”
“I apologize, Mr. Stag. It can wait.”
I exhale. Inhale again, exhale. What did that corporate meditation expert tell me I should do? Three long deep breaths before speaking? Who has time?? “No, I’m the one who should apologize for my tone, Donna. What’s up?”
“It’s just that Ms. Peterson is here to meet with you.”
“Peterson?” A glance at my calendar shows only “busy” for the next half hour. It’s not like Donna to be vague when scheduling. Who the hell is Ms. Peterson?
I hate feeling caught off guard. This never happens, and I don’t tolerate it. But I have no idea what Donna is talking about, and that makes me nervous. I’m always prepared for meetings. That’s what I do. I prepare for things, explore every possible avenue, make a plan for each contingency. That’s how I steered my family through crisis and how I managed to run my own multi-million dollar company before I hit 30.
“Remember, Mr. Stag?” Donna’s voice is calm. “Your grandmother suggested we bring on a chef and when I asked at the culinary school, they said–”
“Oh! The chef! Ms. Peterson is the chef. Right.” As usual, my grandmother has been inserting herself into my affairs and, as usual, she’s probably right. But I can’t have her interfering with my work. I make a mental note to speak with my grandmother about making arrangements with Donna without my consent. “Donna, can you take her for some coffee or something while I prepare for our discussion?”
“She says that she’s already had coffee today and that–”
“Give me five minutes, Donna. Then send her in.”
“Yes, sir.”
What kinds of questions should I even be asking a chef? I should have just left this interview up to Donna. My grandmother took one look at me last weekend and decided I’m pale because I don’t eat properly. She’s not wrong–I work 18-hour days and usually don’t remember to eat until every place is closed. When I get here in the morning, nothing is open yet. I know my staff works hard for me, too, and I actually really like my grandmother’s idea to have a chef come in so they can feel appreciated at lunch and maybe eat something good in the afternoon. I click through my research. A lot of big companies are bringing in a chef, having lunch together as a team every day. My competitors aren’t–it’s mostly tech companies. But the research seems sound. A small investment toward food and the chef’s salary for greater retention and improved morale. Who says you can’t buy loyalty with pie?
When Donna knocks at my office door, I look up from my monitor and, for the second time today, I’m caught totally off guard.
Review
(audiobook + ebook) Another book I wasn’t prepared for. Because of the cover, I assumed it would be another story about a billionaire asshole who somehow manages to seduce the girl. It was anything but that.
Stag is more or less the perfect (book) boyfriend–reliable, passionate, sexy, smart. His only major flaw: he lives for his job. Until Alice comes to work as a chef at his law firm. Though they share the loss of a mother, they couldn’t have had a more different up-bringing. Cocooned by a very close family, Alice is more carefree than Tim, who had to become a father for his brothers at an early age.
You’ll find the usual cliché of insta-lust–Alice and Tim want to jump each other’s bones by page 5–followed by the expected denial. But it’s quickly resolved. The best part of the book begins when they accept they could be an item. Their relationship changes them slowly.
The writing isn’t exactly good, and some sentences are cringe-worthy. But I really enjoyed the characters and their story. Also, the narrator did an excellent job. The sexy parts are sexy, the emotions are all there, and he did well with the female voices. Maybe if I had read the book instead of listening to it, I wouldn’t have been as enthusiastic. We’ll never know.
Not a perfect book. Certainly room for improvement. But really enjoyable.
Quickie
- Series: Stag brothers #1 (but it can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #office romance #lawyer #chef #insta-love #surprise pregnancy
- Triggers: N/A
- Main couple: Alice Peterson & Tim Stag
- Hotness: 5/5
- Romance: 4/5
- + protective alpha male with a sweet and tender side, who gives up his control = win
- – that’s one horny lawyer, if I can say so (beating off in his office, seriously?)
Stalker mode
You can follow Lainey Davis on her Goodreads page.
You can also follow her on Facebook.
Vero Ticker 