Book Summary

From the moment Andy starts working for Lex, their lives spiral into a chaos of heated arguments and forbidden desires. Soon, they must decide if their budding relationship is worth risking their careers.

When Andrea "Andy" Walker lands her dream job at a tech company, her new colleagues welcome her with open arms. It would be nothing short of perfect if it weren't for her new boss. Obnoxious, curt, and aloof, he seems determined to make her life difficult. He's everything she shouldn't want, and yet Andy soon finds herself helplessly drawn to his striking looks and razor-sharp mind.

Alexander "Lex" Coleman likes having every aspect of his life meticulously planned and organized. That goes flying out the window the moment he meets Andrea, the feisty new programmer who challenges him at every turn. Not only is she far from the compliant employee he expected, she also triggers a plethora of confusing emotions with her sharp tongue, strong mind, and tempting curves.

Review

The Desire Variable took an unexpected turn that I’m still processing. First, it ends on a cliffhanger. I thought the second book was going to be about another couple; however, it feels like Lex and Andrea’s story will be continuing.

Secondly, I had expected this book to be a fun workplace romance. The story is that for the most part. Andy is a complete and totally lovable nerd. Sometimes her dialogue would feel a bit much, but it really added to her character, and I appreciated most of her friends. More on that later. The author abandons Andy’s creation in the latter half of the story, which is a bummer.

I enjoyed her romance with Lex. The romance started to shine when they finally got together. They had some great moments that I specifically loved.

Around the 90 percent mark, the book took an unexpected turn, and it felt like a completely different type of story. Throughout the book, Andy has developed a friendship with a co-worker named Oliver. From the beginning, it’s very clear that Oliver likes Andy more than him. I wish the author would have furthered that plot thread differently. The whole situation causes Lex to seem overly jealous which I didn’t care for. Especially, with what he does in the end. Andy and Lex have a fight, and instead of him begging for her forgiveness, she comes back to his office and says that she might have “overreacted.” I found her reaction to be justified. Although the author attempted to allow Lex to internally justify his behavior, something felt off. The chapter felt like an information dump, instead of the emotional musings of a sad character.

Final Thoughts

The Desire Variable struggled in the final quarter. The story completely shifted from a fun, contemporary story to something a little greyer. My only hope is that for the second book, the author returns to focus back on Andy’s creation, and makes Lex gravel to earn Andy’s trust again.

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