Neely Tubati-Alexander

This book is another fake dating story but it's the opposite of the usual books with fake dating as the main plot. In this book, the two main characters are dating but need to keep it quiet so that she can get her dream job... at a company that makes her promise not to get into a relationship or get married because it will affect her performance at her job. My initial question is why would anyone ever agree to this and really, isn't it against the law to put requirements like this on a job?

Sloane has just gotten an interview for her dream job as a designer for a one of the top video game companies. According to the book, this is a field that is predominately filled by men and when three men interview her, they ask her to remain single and fully dedicated to the job. It's not difficult for her to agree to this, she's just broken up with her boyfriend who cheated on her plus this is her dream job. Then she gets to know Charlie, who she refers to as the Hot Neighbor Guy. He and his girlfriend have just broken up and he has non refundable tickets to a resort in Turks and Caicos. He just wants to go as friends but when Charlie and Sloane spend time together at the resort, the sparks begin to fly between the two of them. She keeps reminding herself about her dream job and knows that if she gets involved with Charlie, she'll lose her chance at the job. She has to make a decision -- her dream job or a relationship with Charlie. What will she do?

Once I got past the job requirements to get her dream job, this was a cute fluffy story with two interesting main characters. There was a lot of discussion about gaming and writing computer games that didn't interest me at all (ok, I'm old) but overall it was a fun book.… (meer)

This debut novel was a great book. It's a coming of age story for a woman who is turning 30 and questioning everything about her life. She's trying to find a path in life that will make her happy and fulfilled and help her learn to love herself. There's some romance, a bit of mystery plus a lot of laughs as she takes life head-on.

Serena is about to turn 30. She's lived her 20s being comfortable with her life - she's an accountant because that's what she promised her mother before she died, her boyfriend is comfortable but there are no sparks left between then. When she meets Julian at a bar in New Orleans during a destination bachelorette party, she feels an instant connection and a lot of lust. She is thrilled when she finds out he also lives in Seattle. Their evening ends quickly and they leave without exchanging numbers. When she returns home, all she can think about is Julian. She has no idea how to find him but tries to find him on social media and by walking around his neighborhood. Her search causes her to question her relationship with her long term boyfriend. Are they in love with each other or are they just a comfortable habit? She then begins to question her career - does she really want to be an accountant taking care of rich people and their taxes or is there a job out in the world that will make her more fulfilled? She has to decide quickly whether to continue to pursue passion in her life before she manages to destroy the life that she always thought she wanted. Will she continue on her safe path in life - one that her mom wished for, or will she throw away her comfort to find the life that is fulfilling?

This book had some really great characters. Even though I'm much older than Serena was, I could totally understand pursing a path in life that makes you happy and fulfilled. She had some great friends and managed to get into some humorous situations thanks to their 'help' like when they signed her up for a dating site and she went on several dates with total losers. It's a fun story full of sarcasm from Serena and a lot of laughs while she faces the big changes in her life. After reading this debut, I look forward to future books from this author.… (meer)