Pattern of Deceit
1989
- fiction, romance, contemporary
The story
'If you start fancying yourself in love with me, you're out.' Matt Fielding might be impossibly arrogant, but his stipulation suited Ann just fine. Bitter experience had taught her to steer clear of the limelight - all she wanted was to concentrate on the prestigious job he was offering. But he needn't think he could walk all over her, either...so perhaps it was inevitable that sparks would fly!
What it’s like
Brisk, glossy and sparring, with the snap of a 1980s category romance: a sharp-tongued office setting where pride and wariness do most of the work. The voice is light and quick, built on banter and guarded glances rather than lush scenery, so the sensory world stays mostly in boardrooms, offices and the charged small talk between two people who would rather not admit they are interested. The tone is a warm, playful tension that tips toward heat as the characters' resistance wears thin. The heroine's past hurt gives the story a quieter undertow, and the arc follows two stubborn people slowly dropping their guard. Emotional stakes stay personal rather than dramatic, and the story is romantic and sensual in its build-up, with no violence or gore in its premise. It suits a lazy afternoon read, a comfort pick for fans of enemies-to-lovers workplace romance, or anyone who wants an easy, escapist story where the friction is the fun.
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