Latte Girl by Katia Rose
Contemporary Romance
August 17, 2017
Self Published
Reviewed by Helyce
From Goodreads: Hot coffee is a regular fixture in Hailey Warren’s life. Hot guys? Not so much.
Her grueling shifts at a cafe in the heart of the city’s business sector are rarely punctuated by anything special, so when the gorgeous heir to the security company next door strides into Hailey’s life, it feels like punctuation with a capital P (or D, depending on your preferred terminology).
Jordan Knox is enough to send her heart racing faster than a triple shot of espresso, and when the attraction proves to be mutual, no hidden corners or empty offices are safe from their game of cat and mouse.
But when she’s ready to drop the pretenses, Jordan continues to hold back, and Hailey realizes he’s been hiding secrets that could make whatever’s brewing between them boil over and burn.
Jordan and Hailey meet by chance when she caters a meeting at the big security firm next to the coffee shop she works at. Hailey is thrown into the new position when a co-worker has an accident. The security firm is an important client so there is really no choice but to send Hailey to set up for the meeting. When her catering cart goes a little wonky in the lobby of the building, Jordan comes to her rescue. Later he shows up in the meeting that she’s catering and the connection there is definitely the beginnings of a spark.
I liked Hailey. She has made quite a bit of sacrifice growing up with a single mom and a younger sister that she now helps to care for. Her mom’s job has long hours, so she has carved her schedule and life around helping to care for her little sister. What is amazing about that, is that Hailey just does it because it’s the right thing to do. She doesn’t bitch about what she’s missing out on, she helps because her mom needs her to. She works to save for school. She has plans, but she is okay with delaying it for a bit.
I liked Jordan as well. His situation is much more complicated. His father has, for years, laid a heavy dose of guilt onto Jordan shoulders, using it to get Jordan to toe the line and follow what he wanted for Jordan’s future, not considering what Jordan wanted at all. And Jordan, wanting to please his father and mother, did what was demanded of him. Jordan’s mother is ill, and in a special care facility, and Jordan hasn’t seen her for years. Jordan’s father refuses to disclose her location telling Jordan that she is too fragile. He tells Jordan that if he continues to show promise at the company, as he has so far, he’s sure that a visit with his mother would be in order.
Hailey and Jordan have both put their dreams on hold because of family needs, but though that seems to be something they have in common, Jordan’s situation is entirely not by choice. He is so unhappy and uncomfortable in his position at his father’s company. His life becomes much more tolerable when Hailey comes into his life. But then that starts a rumor among the men at work and Jordan is forced to pretend that he is some sort of player and Hailey is simply a conquest.
Which brings me to the one thing that I didn’t like about this book and which made no sense to me. When Jordan begins working at his father’s firm, there is this very strange code amongst the men that women are playthings. They talk about them very disrespectfully. Jordan hate this, but feels the need to play along to stay in his father’s good graces. He also stays in good standing with his co-workers by acting the part. I have no idea where this comes from or what exactly the author hoped to convey by making the men at Jordan’s workplace complete and utter chauvinist pigs.
This debut by Katia Rose is a story I like to classify as a “feel good” story. It’s not too deep, not too much angst, some drama, but it doesn’t drag along. The conflict was expected, but we didn’t need to wait too long for it all to be resolved. All in all a nice story about a boy and a girl who have to get over a few obstacles before they can be together.
Grade: C
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