REVIEW: The Assignment by Penelope Ward
5 SMOOCHES!
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SYNOPSIS:
From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward, comes a new standalone novel.
Reasons why I should not be drawn to Troy Serrano.
Number one: He’s obnoxious.
Number two: He and I were enemies over a decade ago in high school.
Number three: He’s my friend’s ex-boyfriend.
I could go on and on, really.
When my boss gives me an unwanted assignment and tells me it involves spending time with the grandson of one of our residents—the grandson turns out to be Troy. He’s now as successful as he is undeniably handsome.
Lucky me. Four hours a week of having to deal with his insufferable personality and unsolicited advice.
The only consolation is getting to stare at his annoyingly gorgeous face in between our many arguments.
Eventually, though, we slowly warm to each other and our outings become something I actually look forward to.
What’s happening to me?
Apparently, I misunderstood the assignment, because it certainly didn’t include thinking about Troy when I close my eyes at night, imagining what it would be like with him—just once. All the while hating myself for fantasizing about a guy who’s all wrong for me. A guy whose car I keyed back in the day. (Long story, but he deserved it.)
That’s all this is—a fantasy.
Well, until that one night at the bar.
The night Troy and I run into each other, and all of our pent-up frustration comes barreling out.
Still, I refuse to accept that it means anything.
There’s no way the guy I’m supposed to hate is also the one I can’t live without.
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REVIEW:
The Assignment by Penelope Ward was a hard-fought and emotional enemies-to-lovers romance with a bit of a second-chance vibe. From the start, Troy and Aspyn’s story drew me in with a hard-to-put-down story and a heart-tugging, steamy romance.
Aspyn and Troy have a bit of a complex history dating back to their high school days. Troy was her best friend’s boyfriend, and he wronged her. After they broke up, Aspyn reacted out of loyalty to her friend and exacted revenge on Troy. Her out-of-character behavior prompted retaliation in kind from Troy, and thus began an epic teenage battle of enemies.
Troy is back in town to be close to his grandfather, a resident at the assisted living facility where Aspyn works, while his dad takes an extended European vacation with his girlfriend. The first half of the story is all about Troy’s redemption as he worked diligently to show Aspyn that he’s not the guy she remembers. Their confusing, but genuine connection and all of that sizzling attraction takes Aspyn by surprise, and she really struggles with her own baggage as she tries to accept this new version of the guy she’s despised all these years.
While their chemistry is explosive, and the feelings they’ve developed are very real, Aspyn had a hard time trusting not only Troy but also herself. Troy worked hard to win her trust, but he was grappling with his issues related to his worthiness. I really loved the relationship Troy formed with Kiki, Aspyn’s niece, and the moments with his grandfather were heartwarming and sweet. These two really had a lot to deal with both as a couple and independently between the pain they’d caused each other and the big secrets they hid. But Ward took readers on a heart-wrenching journey as this couple found forgiveness and love.
Sexy, heartfelt and full of redemption, The Assignment was a poignant, passionate romance that I devoured in a day. Five smooches from me for The Assignment by Penelope Ward!
~Danielle Palumbo
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