Review: Working It by Kendall Ryan

Working It

(Love by Design # 1)

By: Kendall Ryan

Pub. Date: November 11, 2013

Publisher: Atria Books

Source: Netgalley

Emmy Clarke is out of her depth in New York City’s fashion world, but when she lands a job as an assistant at a modeling agency it seems like the perfect mix of business and pleasure. Working under the notorious Fiona Stone is a nightmare, but there’s one distinct perk: ogling the ridiculously hot male models who parade through the office—particularly rising star Ben Shaw.

Ben is everything Emmy’s not: exquisitely gorgeous, highly paid, and well-traveled. He’s also got more issues than Vogue. Emmy looks after Ben on photo shoots, but she refuses to become another one of his lusting groupies. Ben finds Emmy’s refreshingly real attitude to be surprisingly attractive.

Against a backdrop of the most fashionable cities in the world, casual flirting turns into an illicit affair, but when Ben’s twisted past is revealed, and the bitter Fiona catches wind of their relationship, their careers and hearts are threatened.

I've waited so long to read this book, and was so excited when I received a review copy. Unfortunately, what started off on a extremely high note, ended up disappointing me. The whole story just seemed unbelievable to me, the writing, especially all the one liner comparisons, dragged on for me, and I didn't feel a connection to the characters that I was hoping I would.

Emmy is the personal assistant to Fiona Stone and works for one of the biggest modeling agencies in the world. It is here that Emmy meets Ben, the agencies highest paid model. Ben is gorgeous, but also sweet and caring. Turns out, Ben also finds the sweet, shy, Southern girl Emmy attractive too, and they instantly start a very dirty flirtatious text conversation. I definitely felt that the two of them had a connection with each other, I just didn't like them. Emmy annoyed me to no end. I wish she would have stopped complaining about how there is no way Ben could be attracted to her. He would just finish saying how hot she is, or they just finished hooking up, and then she would start with her never ending monologue about how he has sex with models, and there is no way he could be attractive to her. Shut up already!! He just had sex with you, he obviously finds you attractive! Ben on the other hand is described as someone who has "more issues than Vogue", but really he has one issue that I found a little ridiculous. Also, I didn't like how he was so forceful with Emmy. Emmy would say that something makes her uncomfortable, but then the next night he forces her to do. Yes, overall it would be her choice, but if he really cared about her, he wouldn't have been so domineering. He just rubbed me the wrong way. Don't get me wrong, I love when characters can be forceful with each other, but I just didn't like the way that Ben handled it. I also found the plot twist with Fiona absolutely ridiculous. I can't say anything without giving the spoilers away, but I just couldn't handle how stupid the whole thing was.

I am a huge fan of Kendall Ryan and the other stories I have read from her I absolutely loved. Working It just didn't work for me, but I will still read her other books. I am still a fan!