The Plan
<— Fan-freakin-tastic!! It was almost everything I was in the mood for, especially that “hard-to-get” guy that was finally NOT doing the chasing.
Ahhhhh how I love a book where the girl has been pining for awhile (in this case, almost a year) and where the guy shows absolutely no interest. Truly. No interest. And I mean none.
Mind you it would seems he shows NO interest in anyone, and he’s notoriously unapproachable. A higher up in the firm she works at, known to be a demanding, no-nonsense, intolerant ass…
I see his jaw is set. Tense. What have I done? Not done? He was as personable as he gets until…
Oh, sh!t… is this guy thinking I’m going to address him as “sir” or “Mr. Canon” every blessed time I speak? That I’m going to subjugate myself at every turn? That I’m mousy and meek and mild-mannered? I bet he gets off on… Oh, great dandelions and unicorns – the son of a b!tch might be one of those guys.
His jaw is still tense. You are gonna chip a molar at this rate, buddy.
And he can’t keep an assistant longer than a month, but more like a week. And they usually leave in tears.
Canon is particular and demanding. He’s busy and paid to think. The few times I have heard him dress down to someone – and, let’s face it, if he is speaking to someone, he is insulting them – it’s all centered on talk of “impacted productivity” and “wasting” his time.
But he’s awesome at what he does, and the firm just keeps trying.
And for some reason, it would seem Emma is a sucker for punishment and let’s her crushing heart rule her logic. She knows alllll about the gorgeous yet unapproachable “Mr. Canon”, has studied his every like and dislike, and in fact, practically wins the office pool every time one of his new PA’s lose their job. It’s what’s funding her shoe addiction, in fact. 
But even with all of his obvious negatives… her crush on him is ruling her to play a dangerous game, by becoming a blip on his radar
That’s the plan anyway. 
Sometimes, she thinks logically:
“Clara, I’m putting it behind me, because as you well know, that man pays me no heed. And furthermore, I’m probably lucky for it as he is the hugest of jerks. This situation doesn’t feel good, and as a rule, things that cause pain should be avoided.”
And yet sometimes, her crush gets the best of her…
She wears her hottest new heels and purposely strides towards… errrr… okay now… past him. He doesn’t even glance her way. Drops her keys in front of him and strategically bends over. He continues to stare intently at his phone.
In a last ditch effort to generate a blip, I let my keys hit the floor and fail to bend fully at the knees while retrieving them.
I will chastise myself later for stooping to such adolescent, second-string cheerleader tactics.
And by chastise, I mean snarf a Reese’s.
Tee hee!!!!!!!! OMG YES!!!! I get this. I totally do.
She even dresses like a super-model for the company party (eyelashes and all) walks up to him and says “hi!” only to have him *spoiler* (sorry… I wanted to tell you, but I figure it’ll be more fun for you to read this part yourself), so I just backspaced it out. Just know that my reaction was —> GAH!!!! Ugggggghhhhh HOW DARE…? WHAT!? Ohhhh no he did NOT! <— and… OMG THIS WAS SOOOOOO FOR ME!!!!
This crap is fast getting on my reserve nerve.
Yep… I get that, too! And I was in. In with a grin! 
And I LOVED her. She had me in giggling fits, witty as anything, confident, determined, smart and well… I kind of wanna be her. And the fact that she was so down to earth (so solidly grounded even with her pitiful crush and her obviously thwarted attempts), that just made me love her more.
And I have been thinking about them non-stop. In fact, I haven’t stopped chattering about it to my husband since I finished it, following him around… driving him crazy.
Maryse: Okay so this book… She’s been working for a firm and she’s crushing on this guy and he wants nothing to do with her!!
Husband: *eyeroll*
Maryse: No wait!! So like, and then… she does all of this stuff to get his attention, and he’s not at all like how the guys usually are in my books, you know? “I’m into you but I can’t…” for whatever reason, you know? Nope. He doesn’t even look at her. ‘Cause he’s really not into her. And if he looks at her, it’s like he looks right THROUGH her. Tee hee!!
Husband: Uh huh. *tries to sidestep to get away*
Maryse: *blocks his way* Yah ’cause he’s hard to get!!! Like, I mean, she even bends over drops her keys and doesn’t even bend her knees so her butt’s in the air!!! And!!! He doesn’t even look at her!! *cackles with glee*
Husband: *blink blink*
Maryse: And then, and here’s the kicker!!! She get’s called in one day, by her boss… and she’s been ASSIGNED TO HIM as his new PA for a month while a merger goes through, and now she has to WORK for him and he makes everyone cry!!!
Husband: Okay….
Maryse: No wait. Okay, let me read you one of my favorite parts… *scrolls through a ton of highlights… practically the whole book*. Oh!! Here’s one! *chooses the airplane scene ’cause knows husband is fascinated and scared of planes*
Husband: *huff*
Maryse: You’ll laugh. You totally will. Okay listen: Our seats are in the front of the plane. I have heard this not the safest place to sit. But it occurs to me Canon would simply tell the plane it could not crash, and it would begin to flap it’s wings like a great, metal bird.
Husband: *chuckles*
Maryse: Seeeeeee!!?? The whole book is like that!!! You’d totally love this. It’s could totally be one of those funny but awesome Lifetime movies. Or maybe Katherine Heigl romantic comedies. (He likes those kinds…)
Husband: Yah… I’d probably watch it.
OMG you guys. Seriously. I’m not usually THAT into “romantic comedies” but this one just did it for me. It made me work for the “potential” romance (’cause you know… maybe HE’S not the one… I won’t say, you never know… *lips sealed*), but it had me laughing so often, and had me feeling so often, that it just felt like fun. The perfect Sunday afternoon read. The perfect anytime read.
Witty, intelligent modern woman but with a serious vice that was causing her all sorts of roadblocks (and us, all sorts of giggles, but even the emotional “feels”). Whether I was embarrassed (and loving it), or jealous (and loving it) or furious (and loving it), this one had a bit of everything. Even romantic angst (which of course, I need in my potential love stories).
Maryse’s Book Blog: CURRENTLY READING —> “The Plan” by Qwen Salsbury (and so far so good!! – I linked it up in the first comment below). It’s got that funny/witty Alice Clayton, Emma Chase vibe and what drew me to it? “They” work in a firm, and she’s been pining over him for a year and he won’t even glance at her… no matter what. She’s not even a blip on his radar. Plus. He’s a no-nonsense meanie! And… he hands her his drink at an office party thinking she’s waitstaff—> Yep. He’s THAT kind of an ass. YAY ME!!! So far, this is exactly what I was in the mood for.
Colleen: Just finished this yesterday – I really liked it
Polly: I think people either love or hate this one. I wasnt a fan.
Maryse’s Book Blog: Ahhh… did you like the beginning? The sample hooked me so I bought it and am really into it so far…
Polly: I did like the sample. I know a lot of my friends liked it but I struggled.
Sarah: I liked it so much I stayed up 2 hours late last night to finish it!
Colleen: I was a little confused in the beginning because of the jump but it becomes clearer as you go on. I liked that the “format” was different then I’ve ever read. Plus it was hysterical and really sexy
LeAnn: I really liked how it started then it kind of fizzled for me
Maria: i enjoyed this book . one love scene went on too long though. but i liked how it was written in the days of employment. good read.
Maryse’s Book Blog: Uggghhh but he’s such an ass! That’s why I’m so into it. I mean, he’s not in the least but gentlemanly. Polite, oh yessss but a rude-polite. I just gotta know where this goes. Or should I say… how it “gets” there.
Summer: I am 20% in and liking it so far!
Komal: I loved it! I could almost see it as a rom-com movie
Maryse’s Book Blog: Consider me in the group that loved it! it was delightful, funny and quite the tease.
Sandra: did you like the ending? A lot of people are complaining about the ending? Makes me nervous to read it
Maryse’s Book Blog: Yah I thought the ending was fine… great, actually. I especially liked one extra scene that was a “cherry on top” if you will. I didn’t think it was missing anything other than it was a bit “loose-ish” in the last quarter (it was much tighter in the first half) but not enough to ruin it for me as a whole. The whole first half to first 65 percent (maybe even 70%?) rocked my world!
Okay so let’s talk about the *issues*. Admittedly, it wasn’t perfect. As “tight” and awesome as I found the whole first half, even the first 65 to 70%, after 70% it kind of lost a bit of it’s momentum. Not for the whole last quarter, mind you. Personally I couldn’t wait to get to that “ending” and I thoroughly enjoyed it – although some say it ended abruptly, I was good with it.
But for me… where I lost myself a bit was in the last quarter. While I was reading the more steamy scenes in detail at first (vs. skimming them which I’ve been known to do with other books), the steam sort of… lost it’s steam for me at times, towards the end. They had a convoluted, descriptively poetic… feel to them but to me, after awhile felt a bit drawn out. Even some of the dialogue in the last third of the book had that convoluted feel to it. I couldn’t always tell exactly what was going on, or what was trying to be said, or what wasn’t being said that SHOULD have been said… and found myself backtracking a few times to make sure I didn’t miss something, or accidentally skim something that I shouldn’t have skimmed.
And that’s about it in the realm of what I didn’t love.
But overall? Going over my many highlights and giggle-notes, and it just being exactly what I was in the mood for today and considering just how witty and flow-ey the writing was? I’m fluctuating between a 4 star and a 4.5 star rating.
It’s an absolutely EASY 4-star read for me (and the fact that it got “loose” a little towards the last third of the book makes me wanna settle on a 4-star).
But I’m thinking I want to give it 4.5 stars ’cause I couldn’t put it down, it gave me an excited adrenaline rush for the whole first half (and more), it made my grinny-cheeks hurt (a lot), and my heart hurt a bit, too.
4.5 stars!
I am happily addicted to reading but I need to expend my book energy (especially when one puts me in an emotional frenzy - SO fun!). So, I release my feelings about the stories, by writing them down here. It's my book therapy. 
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Ok you have sold me on The Plan! It will be my next read! Thanks Maryse!
Dang! I love seeing what you’re reading, but these last two I read as Fanfiction years ago so I can’t get all fangirl with you. Yes, they were fab good reads at the time but with so many books to read I can’t reread them again unless they were absolute favorites! I’m dying for Clipped Wings to come out in March. That’s one I can’t wait to share with my friends and read again!
Ohhh I’m gonna read that one too!!
What were the last two fanfics of, Heather? I couldn’t tell at all…
Just finished! Really enjoyed this one
laughed out loud a few times too!
So funny I got on your blog and read your review. I started this book on Saturday night and finished it this afternoon. I felt almost the exact same way you did…strangely similar. I loved this book and was looking for something to really get into…I struggled through Alice Clayton’s first redhead book and needed something to grab me and this one did. I giggled out loud and loved the style of the writing and the way everything developed. I am a fan! Thanks by the way for eloquently expressing how I felt about this one! Heehee
Oh, I saw this last week and wanted to read it! One quick question, is this a law firm she works for?? Just curious, because I work for a law firm and I know a lot “jerks” like this……haha! I was hesitant to download because of the price but after your review, I am on it!! Thanks Maryse!
I loved it !!
I read this last night after reading your review. I feel the same way – I really enjoyed the first half or so of this book, but then it kind of seemed to get away from her. There were too many loose ends, I think which makes me think is she planning on a second book? Overall, definitely a page turner! Thanks again!
Good golly!! LOVED this book! Read it in one day (would have been in one sitting if I didnt have to work – silly work and all that hoohah getting in the way on my reading time! Pfft!)!
Thanks for another great recommendation Maryse. You are forever my book guru! x
Read this book today and loved it-need more like it! Thanks for the recommendation, Maryse! Also read Typist yesterday, which was great and kind of reminded me of Night Owl! Need some more recs along this line-now into the one and done books, but still love all of my series!!!
Yay! I’m glad you guys had as much fun with it as I did.
Ashley, I am working on a list of more like this as we speak.
I started this book this morning and I am literally trying to read it while at work hiding my phone under a bunch of paperwork…pathetic I know, but I can’t put it down!
SPOILER ALERT!
I really enjoyed the first 75% of the book, thanks Maryse. Once again, you’re da bomb because I couldn’t have described the last 25% better. It was repetitive, almost annoying…and just seems like a different author wrote it. I wasn’t too satisfied. I didn’t find the flow perfect. He goes from ignoring her for a whole year (and that wasn’t really explained except for “I heard you talk about another guy”..). Another thing that gets me, all the steamy scenes, no mention of condoms until the end when supposedly they ran out? ha? when did they use the first few times? I don’t know. It just seems like if you’re going go with scenes that have the characters use protection, then do it right.
All in all, I truly loved the first 75%. Skimmed the rest and ended in a slow death…
I am only 12% in, but the thing that jumps out at me is the pop culture references that she uses. Robin Leach…Marlin Perkins…it’s like you can tell that the author is probably in her 50′s. I can’t imagine a 20-something having those thoughts running around in her head.
I just finished the book this morning. It had me laughing really hard at times. The dialogue was jsut nuts, but I liked how her mind worked. She was going to see it to the very end. No excuses. It was heart felt but not too heavy. It was fun reading all around. Thanks Maryse … you ROCK!
Betty, I completely agree with you! The first half was great, then it got a little slow, but I did LOVE the ending in Alaric’s POV!
I loved this book so much, it was very sweet.
Thanks for this recommendation. I am always looking for a Rom-Com that I will love as much as Can You Keep a Secret, and this was right up my alley. Such smart writing–she comically referenced everything from Pride and Prejudice to Lord of the Rings…. My favorite is when one woman kept pulling pens etc. out of her bra and the narrator likens her bra to the room of requirement from Harry Potter. Hilarious! If you love Can You Keep a Secret you should try Paige Toon’s Chasing Daisy–funny, romantic, heart warming, love triangle….
I couldn’t put this one down. I laughed out loud (usually don’t); stayed up too late because I couldn’t put it down; loved Emma and eventually loved Canon. I thought the diary style format worked in this one – a little bit Bridget Jones Diary but much better because the laughs were not all at Emma’s expense (so I didn’t cringe.) I had a good time reading this one and enjoyed it
I can’t find this book anywhere online ,help !!!!
Hi Marcia! I just clicked on the book cover and it brought me to Amazon where I can order the book. What are you seeing when you click on it?