4.5 Smooches!

Synopsis

I hate his cocky, overconfident smirk and the way every woman in the office drools over him. I hate the irresistible way he fills out his suit and his manwhore ways. I hate his tempting touch and the way he makes me want to break all the rules. His Clark Kent Glasses, his cheesy sense of humor, his animalistic desire to have me—on my desk, against the filing cabinet, spread out across the conference table.

I hate that he’s my number one competition and if we’re caught, I lose it all. And most of all, I hate that he’s off-limits and I just can’t stay away.

REVIEW

“This is the kind of case than can…point out who might be…Partner material, some day.”

Imagine you’re a workaholic young female attorney with your eyes set on becoming a partner in the firm you’ve given so many hours of your non-existent outside of work life to. Now picture your mentor, one of the partners who you think is grooming you for his position, pulls you off your current case and gives you a high-profile, career-building case to prove your mettle. Then imagine he drops a bomb on you by telling you that you’re going to be paired up on this case with, if the rumors are true, the office’s resident manwhore.

“You two are the most promising young litigators we have here…”

Max Davis is every bit the cocky, sexy, arrogant lawyer Chloe MacIntyre expected he would be based on his playboy reputation. Despite the office gossip, though, he is not working his way through the secretarial pool, one conquest at a time. His mentor has paired him up with Chloe on a career-making case, and he’s looking forward to it. He’s seen her in action, and he’s impressed. It doesn’t hurt that she’s gorgeous, confident, smart and sexy all wrapped up in her too-well-fitting pencil skirts and sky-high heels.

“…and just like that, I feel doom closing in on me.”

Their quirky and flirty self-made fitness mogul client demands their presence at her home, and under the guise of a working getaway, Max and Chloe get to know each other. Color Chloe surprised, though, when she discovers that there is more to Max than meets the eye, and well, the ear. Oh, the sparks are flying and these two are having a hard time not acting on it. Not only do they work well together, Chloe and Max have that whole easygoing banter thing totally going on.

“You know, I’m not who you think I am…”

Chloe is trying really hard to keep it professional and keep the effortlessly sexy Max at arm’s length. The thing is, this guy, this funny, charming, surprising guy that she’s just now seeing for the first time is not at all the guy she thought he was. And that unrelenting attraction simmering between them is becoming increasingly hard to ignore. In fact, Chloe can just barely hear the voice of reason in the back of her mind reminding her about the firm’s no fraternization policy anymore. What’s even more surprising to Chloe is that Max, while not at all hiding his attraction to her, has the same concerns as she does and is respectful of her boundaries. The sparking chemistry between them has practically taken on a life of its own, though, and it does not care that first little bit about the firm’s policies.

“Maybe next time we can talk about the case instead of spending the whole time in provocative banter.”

“That wasn’t provocative.” His grin sharpens. “You’ll know when I’m really provoking you.”

It isn’t long before they succumb to it, though. Just as they work well together everywhere else, Chloe and Max are well matched in the bedroom as well. It’s no surprise, though, that back in the real world of their office, Chloe buckles under the pressure. It takes some well-timed, life-changing, sage advice from a trusted source for her to see that not only is there more to life than the firm, but she should also be pursuing a full life outside of the office. It’s her lightbulb, ‘a-ha!’ moment. But is it too late? Has she driven Max away with her hot and cold behavior?

“…if the way this case went is any indication, you and I make quite a team, Max…”

This was my first book by Lola Darling, and I really loved it. Her writing style is quick-witted, fast paced and seriously sexy. Darling’s spin on the office romance was fresh, fun and smart. Off Limits gave me everything I love about romantic comedies in a smart and steamy package. Chloe and Max positively sizzled together, both in court and out and, boy, did they ever give fantastic banter! Lola Darling’s Off Limits gets 4.5 smooches from me!

~ Danielle Palumbo

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