Photo credits: Jose Aitor Pons Buigues (pixabay), Barbara A Lane (pixabay) Edited by Vaishali Title: Think Outside the Boss Series: New York Billionaires #1 Author: Olivia Hayle Publisher: Self published Year of Publication: 2021 Format: E-book/kindle app Genre/Themes: Contemporary romance, Adult fiction, workplace boss/employee romance Review... Frederica Bilson gets flung into the pastime of the super rich for a night tailored towards pleasure- seeking thrills in Think Outside the Boss. After receiving a suggestive invitation addressed to the previous tenant and after a quick online search of the elusive Gilded Room, she realises she's been mistakenly invited to an exclusive sex party... for the ultra rich. The thought to potter along and attend this forbidden pleasure-promising occasion definitely speaks of a seductive night to remember. And while curiosity is said to kill the cat, Freddie's all woman, and curiosities can lead to a lot more than meeting your maker, like meeting an unmasked stranger in a room where censorship is as foreign as leisure in a boardroom. While Freddie gatecrashes on a whim, a mystery guest educates her on the do's and don’ts of the Gilded Room, all of which promise consensual fun, secrecy and encourages true female faculty because in the Gilded Room, the woman always leads. For a story that opens up with a bit of luxe and lavish taboo that sees both protagonists having a sex party meet cute, Think Outside the Boss was surprisingly - very surprisingly - much more wholesome than I thought it would be; the talking point leans on the fact that I both appreciated the quotidian quality and struggled with it at the same time because for all its initial imagery, promise and opening galore, the bulk of the story thereafter felt unexpectedly pedestrian. While the story didn't particularly gather itself to galvanise, I did really enjoy its refreshing take on a modern romance. First point of call is the sexualised institution, the Gilded Room. It's completely female-safe and female friendly, a setting that allows women to explore sexual deviance without male coercion and/or manipulation. As soon as Tristan kindly laid out the Gilded Room guidelines, I appreciated the ownership in creating a safe place for women (rich women that is) to explore and advance their sexuality without damning the existence of such risque hidey-holes. It's a sex event that doesn't push the heroine into a disturbing situation she doesn't want to be in. It's all good fun, for everybody. And hopefully for the scantily-clad guards overseeing all manner of voyeurism too. As broached I can easily call the first book in Olivia Hayle's New York Billionaires series one that celebrates the flavour of modern, contemporised romance. Aside from the Gilded Room, the romance between Tristan and Freddie has a gentle, sympathetic development and the author takes the initiative to build a more slow and solid and respectful connection between them. Even as there are some obstacles, there's some solid relationship development in there. It was just a sweet thing to watch their mutual esteem lead a well-paced path towards something more lawfully life-like. Outside of being a moneyed man (wanted only for his money) with a secret membership to a sex circle, Tristan also plays at the unreachable CEO bossman, the involved father with a noticeable affinity for the non-verbal eyebrow raise. Commitments are his everyday, to his profession, to fatherhood, to his son and to his newest project. But he's a powerful man who won't risk the loss of his regiment by giving it over to a woman. This man's all about control. Initially I expected Tristan would be the distanced father and the alpha aggressor but it gradually became clear that his relationship with his son is an important part of his life and his relationship with Freddie shows him to be much more than a man enjoyed in the dark. Joshua almost becomes the vehicle for Tristan's current life choices, and as he intends for his son to see the world, so does he. The story also establishes the ambivalence of being the best father, and the author captures Tristan's struggle with sincerity. For a powerful man with a purpose who's considered upper management hell by almost everybody in his employ since the company takeover, his profile also fosters a softer, sympathetic side seen through his guardianship, who's he's shown to be outside of the workspace and in every way he shares and spares time with Freddie. And just the same with his heroine, Freddie's the hardworking go-getting career woman, determined to prove herself as an intern at a leading strategy division company but who, like Tristan, isn't void of vulnerability. All in all, there's an emotional element, a steamy component, coupled with the fact that Tristan and Freddie are really connectable as people with legitimate lives. The Gilded Room doesn't own a major role in this romance. It almost acts as rakish entrance involved for the sake of indecorous thrill, suggested through throughout to give the couple something to fret over as they straddle the line of professional/personal acceptability and propriety when the dynamic shifts. This isn't a story about a sexual awakening despite the inclusion of an amatory backyard designed for the libido. The real story establishes its own life outside of the sex event opening, using their time there as a come-hither seduction. Just a FYI for readers who like their protagonists monogamous to each others, - like myself - there aren't any multiple-partner situations. Freddie's adamant about not getting herself involved in an office tryst for the purpose of not sabotaging her professional credibility so it becomes a slow-build situation of bumping into each other and finding reasons to spend time together when the opportunity arises. The main tension comes from the ‘no crossing boundaries’ build-up. I'm always in favour of women holding their own against powerful men, and while there are different dynamics to travel, Tristan respects boundaries as much as Freddie pushes them. For all I spoke about the story's best bits, generally I wasn't overly entertained by what followed. Unfortunately, there's a lot of tell over show and the story pales where it should provide better explanations for what's going on. The corporate espionage angle (to me) felt incredibly pointless when it's not an interestingly involved part of the story. It's talked about on-page in short and unproblematically solved without attention or calculation. I wasn't a fan of Tristan's nickname for Freddie either. For all he comments on her lack of letting go and resisting relationships, his very reason for using the Gilded Room is to maintain his control for the same outcome… If Freddie was strait-laced, then in all fair reason, so was her structured hero who sticks to the same flavoured ice-cream without fail. To touch on a few inconsistencies, for a membership only accessible to the wealthy, it seemed strange that Freddie's residential predecessor could afford a pastime like the Gilded Room when she always describes her apartment as the size of a ‘shoebox’. And then there's absent follow-ups such as when Freddie briefly mentions her nonna in the beginning, but thereafter she's absent in all speech, dialogue or memory, even when she builds her mini-shrine and shares a bit about her parents and grandad with Tristan. I tried for the pull, the spark and the draw, and while I absolutely still recommend this to all who adore contemporary courtships, it didn't manage to have that influential hallmark that commands my attention In full. It was likeable if not exciting enough to strike a chord. There is, however, just something about the boss/employee romance that girds my loins for an irresistible workplace interplay. I couldn't stay away from it even if I tried and I'd resiliently find a way back to it should I be imperilled by a shortage of a trope that's just, in every way, a trusty temptation. Perhaps it's the taboo, forbidden nature of it, perhaps it's the close proximity or perhaps it's all of that blended with the inevitable. Olivia Hayle does navigate it a smidge differently In keeping with the wholesome theme. With an angst-free storyline, Think Outside the Boss becomes a hardship where perhaps all one can think about is the boss, and a fated 'we meet again' scenario turns a masquerade into a slice of life with no masks, no glamour, no walls and is nothing short of a wholemeal tryst. I gave this book 3 stars -Content Warning: since the Gilded Room is a steamy setting, there are some adult performances, public nudity and voyeurism within the place itself. A few bed bedroom scenes. Mentions a past death and deals with parenthood. Some profanity dotted throughout. --------------------------------------- M Y R A T I N G S Y S T E M: ★ - 1 star: I did not like the book ★★ - 2 stars: The book was okay ★★★ - 3 stars: It was a good, solid read ★★★★ - 4 stars: A great book ★★★★★ - 5: A phenomenal read --------------------------------------- I love interacting with fellow readers, reviewers, bloggers and writers. Hearing about reader opinion is the fuel to my reader appetite, so get in touch and comment below! SHARE ON FACEBOOK Leave a comment and let's talk about |
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