Blog Tour: Working It by Kendall Ryan

Title: Working It

Author: Kendall Ryan

Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult,

Publication Date: November 11, 2013

A story of heart-stopping, toe-curling passion by the beloved bestselling author of Hard to Love, Resisting Her, and The Impact of You.


Straight-laced and well-mannered southerner 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 notoriously tyrannical 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.

The photographer only prompted Ben very little. He knew how to move on camera, holding each pose for a few clicks, then turning, tilting his jaw just slightly, pouting his mouth, placing his hands on his hips, in his hair. He knew how to work the camera. The one thing that remained constant despite his movements was his intense stare, looking straight into the camera. Those dark hazel eyes burning so brilliantly. A shiver raced up my spine remembering how dark and hungry his eyes looked when he rubbed the toy against my panties last night.

The photographer clicked away, in obvious joy at getting to work with such a talent. “Chin up,” he directed. “Beautiful.” Click, click. “Relax your shoulders.” Click. “Stunning. Just like that.” Click, click.

The ads for the designer denim jeans hugging Ben in all the right places would be on billboards and in magazines that fall. I felt like a cool kid that I got to sneak a peak of the behind the scenes action.

“Great, now look off camera. Pick something to focus on,” the photographer told Ben.

His eyes found mine.

“Good, stay there,” the photographer said.

Ben’s pouty lips parted and his gaze slipped lower, settling over my chest. His jaw twitched. Desire raced through my system. My breasts felt so full and heavy, they practically throbbed for his touch.

Every tilt of his jaw, each flex of his arms felt sexual to me, a silent beckoning me with his eyes. I suppressed a hot shiver. The things he could do to my body without laying a finger on me scared me. This man was devastating to my system.

 “Smoldering!” the photographer called out, continuing to click away.

If he only knew…my panties were about to ignite. Honest to God, I was a fire hazard. Ben needed to stop looking at me like that. His eyes wandered the length of my body, and I lost any interest I had in keeping us apart. My body wanted this too bad. Craved it. Like a junkie needing a fix. 

Well fuck me running…. Talk about a hot little read!! It’s all here….. Including a threesome with a happy APA piercing!

Emmy is from a small town in Tennessee; she finishes college and moves to the Big Apple to get involved in the fashion industry. She lands an awesome job with the boss from hell. Fiona is Anna Wintour for sure. It has a bit of “The Devil Wears Prada” feel.

Ben, the agency’s golden boy sees the small town Emmy with her down-home ways, regular K-Mart clothes, and the need to feed him and take care of him and is immediately smitten with the curvy real girl that saves him from the green drinks and feeds him beer and blueberry muffins.

These two have a chemistry that burns up the pages. No two ways about it, Ms. Ryan knows her smut.

Ben is jaded by the business. He has never had a girlfriend, just a girl in every city. He has been exposed to the fashion world since he was a child and has never had anyone want him for him. The man under the chiseled features and what is seen on the glossy magazine covers. For all of his fighting he isn’t boyfriend material, he needs to possess Emmy in every way. Not only in the bedroom (and he does that very well.)

Fiona has had her hooks in Ben from before he signed with the Agency. She “owns” him. Fiona is really a piece of work. She keeps Ben to herself and the growing relationship between Emmy and Ben could cause major problems for Emmy. Fiona’s possessiveness could cost Emmy her job if the secret gets out.

Fiona makes Ben keep secrets. Emmy has no tolerance for that. She finds out that Ben has kept the worst secret possible from her about his relationship with Fiona. When Emmy finds out, she can’t deal and it looks like the end.

Will Ben win her back? Will Fiona get her way and keep Ben to herself? Can Emmy forgive Ben’s secrets? I’m not going to tell you…… you’ll have to read this hot little number for yourself.

There is a “hanging thread” at the end that leads me to believe there will be a book two for this book. There is also a wonderful story in the book that includes Ben’s model buddy Bray. Trust me; you don’t want to miss that……. (Hint, enter the APA piercing)

A great little story with a lot of hot sex that is worth the read.
My only issues with the book are that there is a little too much given away in the beginning. I didn’t think that was necessary. Also, the story line could have been a little deeper. I would have liked to spend more time with Ben and Emmy’s relationship and where it is going and how it all develops.

Truly looking forward to the next!

3.5 to 4 stars

Kendall Ryan’s “Working It” is a quick, very erotic read.

Emmy left her home in Tennessee, headed to New York, and started a new life and career.  Now, she’s working as an assistant in a modeling agency, for a first-class witch. Her job has its challenges and does nothing for her self esteem.  Fiona, a wicked shrew, takes great pleasure tormenting Emmy day in and day out.  Emmy’s bright side in all this drama is meeting super model Ben Shaw.

Ben, the agency’s top model, rules the runway.  Gorgeous women constantly flock to him, but it is Emmy that catches his eye and he is smitten.  Ben needs to have her, possess her, and sexually claim her.  However, he has major obstacles. For one, Ben and Fiona have a complicated relationship and a murky past. Secondly, he has commitment issues.  A naïve country girl like Emmy is not one nightstand material, but that does not stop Ben from perusing her. Ben’s plan of attack is enticing Emmy through overtly sexual texts. Oh yes, these two are really good at sexting.

It is in Paris that these two start their steamy love affair.  Ben is off the charts HOT and extremely talented in the boudoir....Oh là là! Emmy falls fast and hard, but fears she will end up broken hearted.  Ben develops feeling for Emmy, but the two struggle under the scrutiny of the nefarious Fiona. (Fiona, hope someone drops a house on you).

Emmy and Ben

I liked Ben’s character. Aside from his hotness factor, he is a sweetheart.  Despite his proclamations denying he is not boy friend material, he proves otherwise.  In my opinion, Ben is the victim in the tale.  Fiona’s scheming affects Ben’s happiness and love life.  She saw an opportunity and took advantage of him.  I can sympathize with Emmy’s heartache, but Ben is the injured party here.  I preferred reading the story from his point of view. He’s sensual, humorous and straightforward.  What’s not to love?

Emmy was a bit of a challenging character for me.   She tends to be flighty at times, not giving Ben a chance to explain his circumstances, and jumps to conclusions too easily.  It was difficult for Emmy to deal with Ben and his celebrity status, but she needed to be stronger.  She constantly suffered from “weak-knees” and “trembling hands”.  She spent too much time inside of her head and I wish she were less judgmental towards Ben’s past. I would have preferred less of her thoughts and more interaction between the two. More time dedicated to their burgeoning relationship. That being said, these two were involved in some hot and heavy situations.

My favorite character was Braydon, Ben’s buddy and fellow runway model.  He’s gorgeous, sexy, funny and sports an apa…wow! Hmm....warning, there’s some hanky panky going on between these three. For me, Braydon’s was the highlight of the story. Would like to read about his escapades...more of Braydon AND his special piercing ;)

Sexy Braydon

The story ends is a bit of a cliffy with some loose ends dangling.  I’m eagerly waiting for the next installment to see how Ben and Emmy’s relationship grows.

 

• Ebook copy of Working It
• Signed copy of Hard to Love
• $25 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

     

 

 

 

Kendall Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the contemporary romance novels HARD TO LOVE, RESISTING HER, UNRAVEL ME and MAKE ME YOURS.

She's a sassy, yet polite Midwestern gal with a deep love of books, and a slight addiction to lipgloss! She has a bachelor's degree in marketing, a few too many book boyfriends and two very naughty puppies.