Better Than Chocolate . . .

This seems to be a weekend in which I blog about books with weird punctuation. I read Better Than Chocolate . . . by Jennifer LaBrecque and loved it: 5 out of 5.

Last year, I read LaBrecque's Barely Behaving; it was OK, but I didn't feel inclined to buy anything else. I picked up Better Than Chocolate . . . at the library, and now it looks like I need to get a copy for myself.

Eve Carmichael and Jack LaRoux are up for the same vice-president position at Hendley and Wells Advertising. The one who creates the campaign for a certain client will get the position. Jack and Eve haven't met; she works in the New York office, while he works in San Francisco. Both go to Chicago to have an initial meeting with the client to discuss ideas. Before that, though, Eve and Jack meet in the hotel, and go out for a drink.

I'll state right now that Jack finds out who Eve is, but he doesn't reciprocate. In most cases, I'd think that was a rotten thing to do. And it is. LaBrecque, however, shows talent in creating complex characters. Jack is likable even though his actions in this situation aren't. When Eve discovers the deception, she handles it much differently than I expected. She's a woman who gives as good as she gets. And I love the fact that she's attractive but not gorgeous.

Complexity is perhaps the best word for this story. The characters are complex, the situations are complex, and the sex is complex. I simply couldn't put this book down. (But again, what's up with the punctuation? No ellipsis is needed.)

On a reading note, I'm seeing a trend here. Better Than Chocolate . . . isn't the first book I've liked with a coworkers-who-don't-know-each-other plot. Jacquie D'Alessandro's We've Got Tonight also uses this storyline. Different execution, of course, but I loved it, too. I wonder why I seem to be drawn to this scenario? Must give this some thought.

Alyssa