UNFINISHED BUSINESS – Cat Schield
Harlequin Desire #2153
ISBN: 978-0-373-73166-4
April 2012
Series Romance

Houston , Texas – Present Day

Rachel Lansing and Max Case literally have UNFINISHED BUSINESS between them. Five years ago they had a torrid weekend affair that ended when he found out she was married. Max hasn't forgiven Rachel for not telling him until after they'd made love, so when she walks into his office one day, he's still furious. She's there as the head of an employment agency he's hired to find an executive assistant to replace the one who went on maternity leave. Max puts Rachel on the spot—he needs an assistant now—and demands that she be the temporary replacement, though he doesn't tell her that he plans to make her life miserable in the process.

While Rachel balks at the idea of working closely with Max, she knows if she refuses she can kiss the big commission from his company goodbye. Max knows being around Rachel will be hard, because as much as he tries to deny it, he can't stop being attracted to her. Is he tempting fate by being this close to a woman he hates and yet suddenly realizes he can't live without?

Rachel can't tell Max the truth behind her marriage. In fact, she hasn't even told her own sister the real reason she stayed with a man she didn't love all those years. But now she's divorced and started a new life that includes owning an employment agency that is starting to do well. If she loses the Case contract, it will be a big loss, so she will do whatever it takes to keep Max happy. Even if it means falling under his spell again. Max is the one man she finds hard to resist, and the forced closeness soon has them unable to deny the attraction is still there. Rachel isn't expecting any future with Max since he's made it clear he isn't into marriage after watching his own parents' fairytale marriage end up with a few cracks in it.

Slowly and surely, a relationship develops between Rachel and Max. However, she refuses to disclose much about her marriage, even as Max begins to pick up hints. When her ex comes back into her life, demanding money, Rachel is forced to lie to both Max and her sister. But is she just leaving herself open for more trouble? Max wants to get to the bottom of things, though he is still having trust issues. He may finally have to face the truth about his parents' marriage before he can move on to any kind of a future with Rachel.

This is an emotional and complicated tale about a couple who connected from the moment they met years ago, but had too much baggage in their lives to get past. Rachel and Max are used to not trusting anyone, yet it ends up saddling their chance for potential happiness. Loosely connected to Cat Shield's prior books, MEDDLING WITH A MILLIONAIRE and A WIN-WIN PROPOSITION, readers can read UNFINISHED BUSINESS pretty much as a standalone.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS is an enjoyable tale of a couple getting the chance to find each other again.

Patti Fischer