The Executive’s Decision by Bernadette Marie
Publisher & Release Date: 5 Prince Publishing, May 17, 2011
Time and setting: Present day, Nashville, Tennessee
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 275 pages
Heat Level: 2 Flames
Rating: 5 Gold Crowns
Book Description:
Regan Keller fell in love with a wealthy and powerful man once. He was her boss. When that turbulent relationship ended, she swore she’d never again date someone she worked with. That was before she literally fell into her new boss’s lap.
Zachary Benson is the head of a successful empire and used to getting what he wants in the boardroom and outside of it – and what he wants is Regan Keller. He’s determined to convince Regan that even though he’s her boss, they can share a life together.
However, when Regan’s past threatens to destroy the architectural firm Zach has invested his entire career in, he has to make an executive decision whether to choose his business or fight for the woman he loves.
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Vikki’s Musings
While browsing for contemporary romances, I came upon this book. Since the book was free and offered the audio version for $1.99, I immediately downloaded both. I barely looked at the book description because how could I go wrong with a deal like that. I am so glad I found this fantastic book!
Regan Keller is starting a new job. Her car has broken down, and she has to take the bus. When she can’t find a seat, she’s forced to stand. The bus jolts to a sudden stop and she ends up in the lap of a gorgeous man. While she’s very cautious of men after a horrific experience with her last boyfriend, she doesn’t feel threatened by the stranger. When he asks her to meet him at a hot dog stand for lunch, she impulsively agrees.
Zachary Benson is CEO of Benson, Benson and Hart. What Regan doesn’t know, it’s her new boss’ lap she’s sitting in. When she later discovers her charming stranger is the man she’s working for, she refuses to consider a relationship with him that’s not work-related.
Can Zach break through the thick wall protecting Regan’s heart, or will the demons of her past keep her from letting him in?
I thoroughly enjoyed this engaging tale of love. The story is fast paced and kept me entertained from the first scene to the last. I really wanted couple to find their happy ending. The story line is compelling and the characters are well-developed.
Regan’s character is actually quite complex. In the beginning I thought Ms. Marie was giving more information from her past than normal and I wondered if it was too much, but as the story unfolds, it soon became apparent that was just the tip of the iceberg. As I got further in the story and learned what had actually happened to her, it brought a few tears to my eyes. No wonder she was so mistrusting of men.
Zachary is a much more forthcoming character. He doesn’t have any hidden agendas or traumas, other than attending boarding school as a young child. He’s driven to succeed as CEO of the firm his grandfather and father started. He really didn’t have time to have a relationship, or so he thought. When he’s immediately captivated by Regan, he turns his drive toward capturing her heart. I loved how protective he is and his patience with Regan, giving her the time she needed to open up to him.
Now, I listened to the audio version. I’ll admit at the beginning I didn’t care for the narrator. Most of time her voice tone remains the same from one character to another, but the story is so engrossing that by the end I grew used to the narration. While Gale Cruz isn’t the type of narrator I normally enjoy, her reading doesn’t intrude on my reading enjoyment, so by the end I barely noticed the lack of variation in her voice tone.
I highly recommend The Executive’s Decision, and I’m glad I took a chance on this book. It’s a riveting story that I found it very enthralling. I’m sure you will enjoy this book as much as I did. I can’t wait to read the next one in this series. Happy reading!
