Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Temporary by Sarina Bowen and Sarah Mayberry

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The most beautiful man I've ever seen is the one who can ruin everything...

The first time I lay eyes on Callan Walker, I know he’ll be trouble. With his smug grin, hot Aussie accent and thousand dollar shoes, he’s just the kind of rich guy who always gets what he wants. 

And he wants two things: a night of sin, and my cooperation as he outmaneuvers his powerful mother to take control of his uncle’s estate.

I can’t afford either one. I’m the only thing standing between my little sister and the foster care system. He may have money and charm on his side, but I have something even more powerful -- pure desperation. This temp job at his mother’s company can become a full time job for me. It has to. 

But when Callan’s eyes rake over my body, sometimes I forget my obligations. His piercing gaze finds the fun, optimistic girl I used to be and not the tired person I’ve become.

And it works--if only for a moment. Our night together was a mistake. I can't afford to get sucked into his high-powered family’s treachery. But the closer I get to Callan, the more layers I find beneath those expensive clothes. Though I can’t forget this is temporary. He’s temporary. I have too much to lose. 

Too bad my foolish heart didn’t get the memo...



Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review


I'd been so distracted this summer that this latest title from Sarina Bowen and Sarah Mayberry kind of snuck up on me. All of a sudden here's this book and not going to lie, it made my day because it's no secret that I'll read anything that Sarina Bowen writes.

Told from alternating POVs, Temporary is about two people - Callan and Grace - who both have uncertain futures ahead of them that are tied to the company that Callan's mother runs. Grace, who's been raising her teenage sister on her own desperately needs for this temp job to become permanent so that she can continue to provide for the two of them. Callan has the opposite problem. He walked away from the family business years ago because he and his mother don't see eye-to-eye on many things. He took his disillusionment and drowned them in a playboy lifestyle that he's enjoyed so far though it's become less satisfying these day. Callan and Grace are thrown together upon the death of his beloved uncle whose property and holdings in the company are now up for grabs. Grace is assigned the task of inventorying those belongings, preparing them for auctioning, and also uncovering anything of interest and reporting directly to Callan's mother. Callan is certain that the plans his mother has for his late uncle's things are not what he would have wanted. He's now motivated to make sure that his uncle's legacy is fulfilled knowing full well that it goes against his mother's plans. That part he doesn't mind. In fact, it's a bonus to piss her off. What he's not keen on is that it means possibly undermining Grace's work and the job stability that she's hoping the completion of this assignment will bring. 

I liked this idea of two individuals with vastly different end goals who are forced to work side by side. It makes for an interesting and complicated scenario as they unexpectedly become friends and give in to their attraction. I was nervous about how it would end being that it's inevitable there'd be some fallout and one of them would be burned. I like to see characters grow and Callan does just that by shedding his playboy persona and taking on more responsibility. For someone who's been content drifting through life he becomes more focused and gains purpose. As for Grace, as much as you root for her as the underdog you still shake your head at some of her foolish decision. Yet it's hard to fault her too much because she's taken so much upon herself that it's nice when she does something that's just for her.

Temporary has been a fun pairing of an author I love with one who's new to me. It's a lovely frenemy-to-lovers romance that comes with the bonus of a sexy Australian accent and some sexy magic time. I mean, seriously, who's going to say no to that?

~ Bel


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