Good book. After reading the beginning of this book, I wasn't sure how Axel would redeem himself. He is a Hollywood heartthrob who is all about what he wants, no matter if it inconveniences someone else. The person he most inconveniences is his personal assistant, Maddie. Both characters frustrated me at the start.

Alex thinks nothing of dragging Maddie into whatever he thinks he needs, from mattress shopping to buying gifts. She was hired to manage his schedule and other career-related activities, yet he always manages to make any request about his career to get around her objections. She is on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Maddie lost any romantic ideas about Axel early in her career with him. She's frustrated by his thoughtlessness and lack of respect for her time. She is ready to leave on a long-planned and awaited vacation, during which he's promised not to contact her. When he gets into trouble, the next thing Maddie knows, he is on her doorstep, begging to stay with her, completely blowing off his promise. Maddie did what she always does - caved in and gave him what he wanted.

After a few days, Maddie finally has enough. I loved seeing her stand up to Axel and tell him she quit. He has two weeks to find another assistant. In the meantime, his brother Lynx (Rivals at Love Creek) asks Axel to fill in as the drama teacher at his school for a couple of weeks. I enjoyed this segment. Axel and Maddie are great with the kids, and Axel gets a taste of "normal" life. He also begins to see Maddie in a new light after hearing his brothers talk about her. At the same time, Maddie sees a different side of Axel, one that she likes. I liked seeing them grow closer, though both fought against putting a name to their feelings.

Maddie has some self-esteem issues because of what she perceives as her model mother's disappointment in her "plain, ordinary" daughter. There is no way she can believe that Axel would be interested in her. But Axel has deep-seated fears about committed relationships, thanks to his birth father. Maddie and Axel move on when the two weeks are up, each pursuing new career opportunities after sharing a fantastic night. I loved seeing Maddie come into her own, doing what she loves with a boss/mentor who appreciates her. I loved the boost to her confidence and what came out of it.

Meanwhile, Axel gets caught in the manipulative claws of his ex-girlfriend. I understood why he caved in to her blackmail, but the effect on Maddie was devastating. I liked the support Maddie received from her friends, family, and Axel's family. I rooted for Axel to find a way to free himself. The ending was well done. Axel's emotional conversation with his adoptive father opened his eyes to the truth of his feelings for Maddie. I loved seeing them find their way back together. I look forward to seeing more of them in later books.

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