Andrea “Andy” Walker is starting her new job as a full-stack developer at the assistive-tech company, Kelex. She’s in a new town but ready to hit the ground running at her dream job. As a woman in STEM, she anticipates that her coworkers might underestimate her. What she didn’t expect was that her ridiculously good-looking boss would be the first one to doubt her abilities. She quickly proves him wrong and becomes an asset to the team. Her boss, Alexander “Lex” Coleman is a meticulously organized genius and co-owner of Kelex. As he becomes accustomed to his newest hire, he also can’t help his intense desire for her. And the attraction goes both ways. As they continue to work together, they continue to butt heads with Lex’s asocial personality and Andy’s feisty wit. But they also can’t ignore the undeniable chemistry between them. They decide to give in and “get it out of their systems”. But as one may expect, one time isn’t enough. And soon they’re risking their careers for their intimate affair. The Desire Variable by Ana D’Arcy is an adult contemporary romance novel that explores an employee-boss forbidden relationship that pulls the characters in deeper than they could have expected.
Book
Andy’s mouth is as sharp as her mind. She can’t help but stand up for herself and always has a witty comeback for every encounter. Which makes her relationship with Lex rocky from the start. He didn’t think that someone as young as her could be highly proficient at what she does. Even after he accepts her competence, they continue to butt heads at every turn. She challenges his no-nonsense personality. And while their banter is entertaining for readers, Lex knows he has to clear the air with her if they are to have a successful professional relationship. Especially once she introduces her personal project, an app that translates American Sign Language into text. Eager to get ahead of the game, Lex helps her to negotiate a proper sale and insists that they work in close proximity to get the app up-to-speed for a possible launch. And as you may guess, this only ensures that sparks will continue to fly.
Once Lex and Andy cross that line, there’s no holding back in The Desire Variable. At first, they both fight their attraction and make excuses. However, once Andy goes on date with her coworker, Oliver, she clearly realizes that no other man will quite compare to her boss. So they both agree to sleep together in hopes that it will squash the tension. As one might expect, it doesn’t. So they continue their physical relationship, agreeing to keep it casual and a complete secret from their coworkers. Because if their arrangement were ever discovered, they both risk their professional reputations and their future.
Review
D’Arcy proves her ability to combine steamy scenes, unexpected humor, and multidimensional characters in The Desire Variable. I absolutely loved her first book, Up the Ladder. And after reading this one, she is quickly becoming one of my favorite romance authors. Andy has charmed her way into my heart with her brains and geeky personality. I love how Lex can’t comprehend the effect she has on him, as he’s never felt these things before. We also get insight into her family life and why she’s so passionate about assistive technology – not to mention her female friendships, proving she has a life outside of work and love. And while Lex is intimidating and straightforward, through Andy we see there’s more to him than good looks and a high IQ. The author delivers a well-paced story, lovable secondary characters, and solid representation of the deaf community that adds a depth unlike most romances.
While The Desire Variable is a must-read, readers should be prepared for a cliffhanger at the end. This book is the first in a series, which I haven’t encountered in a contemporary romance before. But seeing as Lex’s past was a mystery, I can only assume that we will get more of his background in the second book. Either way, I need to know what happens next. I won’t be able to stop thinking about them until then.
