Not Quite As Advertised

I just finished Tanya Michaels' Not Quite As Advertised. It's from the Harlequin Flipside line, and while I liked it, I didn't love it: 3 out of 5.

Jocelyn (Joss) works at an advertising agency. Her ex-boyfriend Hugh works at a rival agency. Shortly after Hugh wins a presigious award for an advertising campaign, the two agencies merge, so Joss and Hugh must figure out how to work together. And how to avoid the attraction that still simmers between them.

The conflict in Not Quite As Advertised focuses on issues. Joss is a perfectionist, while Hugh has made a conscious decision to stop making work the focus of his life. I usually enjoy books with internal conflicts, but in this case there is so much talk about them and the resolution seems anticlimactic and a little too pat.

In addition, Hugh mentions several times that Joss brings out his competitive nature, so I couldn't quite believe that they would be a good couple. I liked both characters but wish their realizations had had more impact.

Alyssa