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Workplace Holiday Parties by Thea Landen
Let’s talk about workplace holiday parties! These can range from low-key potlucks in the break room to extravagant affairs on board a yacht. (Or, if your office is like mine, your boss just sends you your holiday bonus without any fanfare. Can’t complain!) They can offer an opportunity to celebrate the year’s accomplishments with your colleagues or even air your grievances. Whether you love or hate the office parties, there’s a good chance of something interesting happening. Especially if there’s an open bar.
Technically, my book The Hummingbird and the Hawk is a workplace romance, as main character Gavin first meets love interest Olivia when she interviews for a position at his law firm. I’ll be honest with you—the plot-smut ratio in this book skews heavily toward the spicy scenes, so there’s not a whole lot going on while they’re actually working at the office. However, I needed to have some plot in there to help move the story along, so about halfway through, the characters attend one of the aforementioned swanky holiday parties.
If I’m making confessions, here’s another one: Gavin is, well, kind of a dick. Up until this point, he’s sort of been envisioning himself in some kind of My Fair Lady scenario, believing he’s molding his younger protégé into the woman he wants her to be, both in the office and in his bedroom. Olivia’s not thrilled with this interpretation of their relationship, and they argue during the lead-up to the party.
It’s hard to stay mad at your partner in such a festive setting, though. Even when your coworkers know what’s going on, and some exercise more discretion than others. Things start heating up between our featured couple before they can even get back home (in the company-provided limo, of course). I won’t spoil anything, but let’s just say Olivia starts hinting here that she’s no pushover and may have a few lessons of her own to teach Gavin.
It’s probably for the best when real-life holiday parties don’t involve any drama. (I won’t comment on real-life workplace romances. You do whatever makes you happy!) But when it comes to fiction like The Hummingbird and the Hawk, sometimes it’s fun to be on the naughty list for a change!
Gavin is known for two things: success as a criminal defense attorney and whirlwind romances. When former prosecutor Olivia enters his law firm to apply for a position, his attraction to her is instant. Despite their age difference, he has to have her.
Olivia may be the youngest employee at her new job, but she’s not going to let anyone push her around. Although Gavin is her much older superior at the office, she gives in to his advances and lets him believe he has control over her body as well as her career.
They embark on a tempestuous relationship, with Gavin testing her boundaries at every opportunity. When a stressful trial and a colleague’s criticisms rattle his confidence, however, Olivia jumps at the chance to change the dynamics between them. It’s her turn to dominate him, but will Gavin submit?
Thea Landen lives in New York with her husband and children. Though she’s dabbled in all romantic subgenres, she has a special love for sci-fi, fantasy, and adventure…anything that pushes the imagination beyond its usual limits. When she’s not writing, she’s either knitting or crocheting, playing video games, or pretending to enjoy cardio and squats.
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Yes, workplace parties can be very interesting for sure!