Book Review: Weekends Required by Sydney Landon

Weekends Required
A Danvers Novel #1
Author: Sydney Landon
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Released: December 31st 2012 (Reprint)
Review Source: Signet
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Claire Walters has worked for Jason Danvers as his assistant at Danvers International for three years, and he has never thought of her as a woman until the day she jumps out of a cake at his friend's bachelor party.

Claire is forced to work a second job at a party planning company to support her ailing mother. She is horrified when Jason not only finds out, but has a front-row seat to the action. With Danvers in the process of merging with another company, Claire is forced to travel with Jason as well as work weekends. Suddenly all the fantasies she has entertained for years about her boss seem to be coming true. Her outspoken best friend Suzy thinks that just getting laid will solve everything. The problem is, Claire sees much more in Jason than just sex.

Jason is determined to know how the beautiful, sexy woman in the cake could also be his Plain Jane assistant who tries her best to blend into the background from 8-5 every day. Now not only does Jason see her as a woman, he fully intends to give her the fairy-tale ending that she deserves!

I first read this book as an ebook last year. I didn't mind rereading it to give a review. Author, Sydney Landon, does a great job creating a work environment at Danver's International that many of us dream about. Single, gorgeous, professional Jason Danver's has employed Claire Walters as his assistant for 3 years. Claire is a subdued, efficient, and responsible person making her the perfect assistant. She values her job and keeps an impersonal work environment, just as Jason seems to prefer. Uptight Claire believes Suzy, her lunch cohort, is the only breath of fresh air she can handle. She secretly works a second job at Partiez Plus to aid her ailing mother's medical and household expenses. Things would be more affordable if they combined residences, but a sense of duty doesn't negate Claire's need for a place to escape. It just requires her to work twice as hard.

Claire's secret second job has never been an issue, but now her boss is requesting she work out of town with him for the weekend. Jason must be in Columbia for the weekend for his best friend's wedding, but with Claire in tow, he can continue to work on the important Mericom merger. It all makes perfect sense to him, until his assistant jumps out from a cake at a bachelor party for Jason's friend. Jason is left asking himself how his demure, mostly genderless assistant was actually a gorgeous bombshell. How could he have been so blind to her all this time? How did he not know she jumped out of cakes after work hours and why did she need to do that? And what the hell was going on with his awakened sense of protection and desire for her?

As Jason sets out to answer his questions regarding Claire Walters, he finds it hard not to fall deeply for this devoted enigmatic girl. He has spent his life making problems go away. Now he wants to do the same for Claire. But is Claire ready to give control f her life to someone else again. She may not have easy but what she has is hers. Can business and pleasure mix successfully or will it affect the looming merger?

I really enjoyed this contemporary romance story. It flows well and is an easy read. The characters are likable and intriguing. I also like that the secondary characters will be revealed more in subsequent books. If you like the Cinderella style story, this modern day version is sure to be a hit.