Leader of the Pack

CATHERINE GEORGE

Synopsis from Goodreads: "I never resist a challenge."

And Matt Canning considered Ellis Worth a challenge.

So when Matt became the head of Colcraft Holdings, he wasn't content to simply oust Ellis's boss and control the company -- he wanted Ellis, too.

Ellis was having none of that. She was her own woman, and she didn't have to work for Colcraft or Matt Canning. Too bad Matt Canning wasn't willing to let her go without a struggle. But then, he was a man who also got what he wanted.

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, Harlequin Books, 1992.

How acquired: Through Book Mooch

First line: Ellis liked to arrive long before the rest of the workforce.

My thoughts: It took me a long time to get into this story, and even then I was never completely captivated. I'm not really sure why, but unlike Catherine George's books usually do, neither the plot nor the characters spoke to me. Ellis was likable enough, but maybe she was just too perfect. She was like super secretary. Though the fact that she'd harbored a secret love for her married cad of a boss for years certainly humanized, although still not earning points in her favor. Matt was alright, I liked him well enough, but I didn't fall head over heels for him. I usually like that Ms. George's older books are quite tame and quaint, but this time around I think I would also have to add boring, and maybe that was the biggest issue. However, I do quite like the cover.

Ms. George is one of my favorite category romance authors, but this one just didn't do it for me. However, it was still better than AN ENGAGEMENT OF CONVENIENCE, wherein I kept thinking "ew". The heroine in that book was masquerading as a friend, and falling for her friend's cousin. I'm not crazy about lookalike-and-can-pass-for-each-other plot lines to begin with, but the "ew" factor came from said cousin, the hero, having the hots for the heroine. Who he thought was his cousin. So, ew.