Do Over by Dorien Kelly

I finished this book last night and for the most part I enjoyed it. I would grade it a B.

Cara Adams has been working at the same law firm for 6 years and is considered a grinder. A grinder is someone who will work all hours of a day to get the job done and yes, this includes weekends. These types, however, do not have connections to help bring in new clients. It's okay though, Cara has aligned herself with one of the partners who does bring in the clients. She figures after 6 long years she is 6 months away from partnership and has put down money for a very expensive condo.

To say the shit hits the fan when Mark Morgan shows up is putting it mildly. Cara and Mark attended the same law school and for some reason, Cara didn't try to outshine Mark in some sort of interview and Mark got the job. Apparently the person who gets this job in the school suddenly has every opportunity to have a fabulous career. I'm never really clear about the relationship that Mark and Cara had in school so I don't know if Cara is projecting her 'unhappiness with her career' onto an event that happened years ago or if it is really like that.

Anyways, Mark chooses to walk away from his unbelievably successful law career in New York when his mother has a stroke and his father decides to play possum so he ends up in Detroit in Cara's law firm. It's a no brainer for all players that Mark is a hot commodity and that he will definitely make partner next up. Not only that, the lawyer Cara was working with jumped ship and left her behind without even a backward wave. Cara is blindsided by all these changes and thus begins a very painful tailspin.

I'm really not sure why Mark fell for Cara. To say she is an overachiever and not exactly a great friend is understating the situation. Cara makes every mistake in the book. On top of all this, the associates in the firm are starting to circle having smelled fresh blood. Cara takes all this very personally and decides she will fight to get her partnership. Now, I'm no business wiz, but even I knew she wasn't going to do it and I'm not sure how she could have been in denial for so long. So Mark and Cara end up in a situation that only a woman can understand. Mark knows she isn't going to get the partnership, Mark shouldn't have to apologize for having a different career or for that matter, enjoying his career.

That said, I think seeing this from the woman's perspective is painful. I've been in the position of watching the 'old boys club' go out together and discuss business while being left out and I don't think most men *get* what it is like to be on the outside. (Yeah, this is why I don't work for anyone else now - just me ;)) The reader can empathize with Cara but I guess I got lost after a certain point.

The relationship side was not exactly front and centre but that may have been because business was where the author focused her attention. Even though I was eager to read about these characters I didn't feel the emotional pull that should have been there. Near the end there is a scene that I just don't understand and Cara pulls something I thought she had developed past. Also, the ending was fast. Very fast.

So in the long run, I am glad that I finally read Dorien Kelly because I have another book of hers in the TBR pile.

I have been extremely lucky in trying new authors this year! I'll have to do up a list of new to me authors for the blog.

I should also mention that I really like the cover of this book. If you are going to do cartoon, then this is the way it should be!

Next up? I've decided to try and read a book that no one is blogging about. Hey, I was going to read Dark Lover (which apparently rocks!) but thought others would appreciate a look at another book. Right, so I picked up Crazy Hot by Tara Janzen and have read the first chapter. I'm happy. Now, I just have to read and blog my thoughts about it before anyone else does. Hmmm, I'm thinking it may be Friday before I get the book finished because A - it's huge! and B - paint.