How To Save A Life by P. DangelicoMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Three and a half stars.
I liked this, but I didn't love it.
Riley James is working 24/7 to make a living. She owns her own construction/renovation business and works as a waitress to cover expenses because her mother has been in a depression since Riley's father died and struggles to keep a job. Riley owns three properties, the one she lives in with her mother, a rental property and one she is in the process of renovating.
One night in the restaurant she encounters one of those stand-offish, blank-eyed, rude, billionaires; literally walking into her, and then later that night she rescues him from being mugged and beaten up by a couple of guys. In return the billionaire, Jordan West, offers her a job as his personal assistant.
Riley has no intention of taking up Jordan's offer, even for $4,000 a week, until a childhood friend gets into trouble and needs money fast. So Riley accepts the offer, only to discover that being Jordan's personal assistant involves acting as nanny to a two-year old toddler called Maisie.
I generally love Paola Dangelico's novels, sexy heroes and sassy heroines with loads of sarky banter but this felt a little too much by the numbers. First off, I had trouble remembering whether Riley was a man or a woman (so very binary of me) and ditto Jordan - why choose androgynous names for both characters? Then Jordan and Riley both had things in their past which made them behave the way they did, and I guess you could say we all do, but it was all very NA/YA (you know everyone has been raped/is an orphan/killed their best friend/has some incurable disease yadda yadda). Finally I thought there were two very large plot holes/inconsistencies. First, the job offer as a PA and then as a nanny. Why? And who in their right mind can just leave a small business and not come back for months? Did Riley even consider how she would rebuild her business or what her crew would do for money while she was swanning around in Manhattan? Clearly the waitressing job was just a plot device to get the two of them to meet because it is never mentioned again. The second issue occurs right near the end (view spoiler)
So, I read it in a single day and I enjoyed the Billionaire and the Nanny vibe, but I have loved some of Paola Dangelico's other books, like Wrecking Ball more.
And what's with the cover? It's set in Manhattan.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
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