Dealing with your boss is never easy…falling in love with him is even harder. In the Eye of the StormHolly Abrams can’t believe her demanding…and unbelievably sexy…boss, Stephen Ballinger, called her to pick him up at 2 A.M. in the middle of a tropical storm. To make matters worse, the storm is too dangerous for her to make the trek home. Forced to stay at his place to wait it out, their … Forced to stay at his place to wait it out, their relationship quickly turns passionate…but will it last past the thunder and lightning?
Catering to the CEO
Millionaire CEO Adam Lawrence knows how to get what he wants—in business and in the bedroom. So when caterer Cassie Jacobs dares to best him on a deal, Adam vows revenge. But when they get life-changing news that could bind them together for years to come, Adam may have no choice but to change his ways…and open his heart.
What People Are Saying About Samantha Chase:
“A sweet romance: classic, thoughtful, and as lyrical as the stars.” —Kirkus for A Sky Full of Stars
“So much more than just a romance.” —Night Owl Reviews for Always My Girl
“A classic love story…a delight for readers.” —RT Book Reviews for This Is Our Song
more
In the Eye of the Storm: Another easy breezy story for ya. It’s a work place romance with very little angst. Stephen and Holly were both characters you’d root for. If you’ve seen the movie Two Week Notice and liked it, then you’ll love this little gem. It runs along similar lines. Very heartfelt and fun.
Catering to the CEO: OH, this story was such fun. First we have the push pull and add a a little sprinkle of wait, what? you’re dating his/her father/mother? Bwaaahahahahhaha THEN you add the bonus of Adam having to crawl back to Cassie and seriously, a good time was had by all! Not kidding you, this one is a great story! Sweet and sexy and full of heart.
I’d highly recommend either of these books but why not just buy the duo and read them both?! 🙂
loved these 2 books both are truly amazing. Samantha knows how to write and tell a story that i can picture as the scenes play out…
I haven’t read a Samantha Chase book that I haven’t liked. These two were good! They were a little less clean than I am used to with her work but that was okay. Both stories have to do with big shot bosses and employees of some sort. Usually I don’t like this kind of book but Samantha handled it well!
This is not just one but two highly entertaining, sweetly sexy, action packed and emotional romantic journeys filled with love, laughter and happily ever after… I really enjoyed reading both of these commentary romances both couples where fun to read and had me rooting for them from beginning to end. Read both stories straight through and was completely captured by both.
Two enjoyable reads in one! I wondered if the two books were connected in any way because they had some similarities but I’m pretty sure that they are not part of a series.
I enjoyed the stories even more because I live in North Carolina and that’s where they take place.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Mary Jo –
In the Eye of the Storm
Holly is tired of putting up with her boss’s crap. She’s a great personal assistant, working up to 12 hours a day, weekends, holidays, whatever he needs. Except on this particular night, being woken up at 2 a.m. just to pick him and drive him home has brought her feelings to the forefront. Stephen’s not sure what is wrong with Holly, doesn’t understand where all this animosity is coming from.
When the storm forces them to spend time together not working, they begin to realize just how attracted they are to each other. As their feelings for each other begin to grow, they resolve to keep this part of their lives separate from work.
I enjoyed this book and the way the characters were written.
Catering to the CEO
A small, close-knit family fights for each other against all odds, at least that’s how it’s been with Cassie and her family. That truly comes into play when her current nemesis, Adam Lawrence, threatens to fire her for not waiting to change the parameters of their contract. It’s made even more complicated when Cassie’s father announces he’s dating Adam’s mom.
Adam is irritated that Cassie refuses to do what he wants, when he wants. She’s so stubborn and he can’t help but think that she’s working an angle. He also wants her, in his life and in his bed. He just doesn’t know what he’s going to do about that.
Adam’s character is suspicious of everyone, including this own mother. He has a reason to be, after all, his father came out of the woodwork when he made his first million. Now he expects everyone to do the same.
Cassie is unlike anyone is Adam has ever met and that perplexes him as much as it intrigues him.
Veronica –
Samantha Chase gives us two stories about romance in the work place. The stories are what you’d expect for a contemporary romance and for me, made easy relaxing reading for my long weekend.
In the Eye of the Storm
At the start of the story, Stephen calls his personal assistant Holly at two in the morning to pick him up from a bar and take him home. My very favourite part of this story is Holly going off at him for his over the top demands on her time. As a PA, I’ve dreamed of doing this. But sometimes it is a case of be careful what you wish for.
The pair spend an amazing weekend together at Stephen’s place while a storm rages outside. But when they return to the workplace things don’t go so well.
Like many couples before them, Stephen and Holly could solve their problems with honest communication but taking a risk with your heart isn’t always easy. But all’s well that ends well as they say, and Eye of the Storm has a happy ending. 3 stars
Catering to the CEO
I don’t want to give the storyline away for this one because I found it had a few embarrassing and uncomfortable moments that were fun and surprising.
Adam was a hard character to get to love but by the end of the story he’d won my heart even if he did some not so smart things. Cassie is a strong and loving woman with a successful business. Reading the parts of the story where Cassie was cooking up a storm made me want to cook and I hate cooking.
Catering to the CEO is a really good, entertaining story and I read it in less than a day. 4 stars.
Ruthie –
In the Eye of the Storm
This is a sweet and fun story – with boss Stephen pushing his PA Holly just too far and finding that he rather liked her standing up to him. And yet he hates it too, and certainly the feelings that he suddenly experiences cause him to behave badly. We get to understand both their concerns and desires, and I could not help but wish that they were a little more open with each other! I did not care for some of the overly descriptive passages, but I enjoyed the story overall.
Catering to the CEO
This story also revolves around another man who is damaged by his past and is not intending to ever get close to a woman. Adam is also rude to his employees and his caterer, Cassie. By an uncanny twist of fate, after they almost part ways professionally, they find that they will have to behave personally.
I found Adam to really be rather unbearable and found him to be beyond forgiveness for a significant amount of the book, which made it more difficult to understand what Cassie could see in him! But there were hints of how he could be, and one can only hope that the ending is the start of better things.
I am not sure that I would have chosen to read this immediately after the previous book if I hadn’t been reviewing it, as it has a similar theme. It has some quite serious issues in it, but there were some light moments too.
Lee’Anne –
In the Eye of the Storm
This book starts off with a bang, but unfortunately it quickly fell flat for me and I found myself skimming through the middle so that I could see the ending.
Holly’s boss knows no boundaries and is always working her to the bone. When he calls her, drunk, at 2am to pick him up, she’s had enough. Only before she can make her get-away a storm makes it so that she’s unable to leave his home. Holly has always found Stephen attractive but has never been willing to cross that line, until they’re locked up together.
I just didn’t find this story very fast-paced. It had such an intriguing start but Holly getting stuck at Stephen’s house just didn’t seem plausible. I wasn’t a huge fan of Stephen’s character, in my eyes, he’s not the lovable kind of a-hole I love to read. Holly’s character was great and the reason I’m giving three stars – I just didn’t want her to wind up with Stephen.
Catering to the CEO
I really enjoyed this book; in my opinion, it’s so much better than In the Eye of the Storm. Catering to the CEO is an interesting story that had me sucked in from the first chapter.
Adam is workaholic who doesn’t take no for an answer – he always gets his way. Until Cassie, the stubborn caterer, comes along. Cassie needs Adam’s business as he’s her biggest client but when he makes unreasonable demands she walks – less than 2 weeks before the big event. Adam winds up having to go crawling to Cassie and beg forgiveness and in the process, an unlikely romance forms.
The humor in this book is off the charts – I found myself laughing out loud throughout. Cassie is a strong lead character and the perfect match for Adam – I loved this short but humorous read!
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of In the Eye of the Storm & Catering to the CEO by Samantha Chase to read and review.
Two wonderful romances by Samantha Chase in one book allows for one happy and lucky reader. Both stories are employee-boss relationships and contain some heat, but are mainly sweet.
In the Eye of the Storm, an unexpected romance takes place during a storm on a weekend but afterwards, Stephen and Holly need to go back to work as if nothing had happened. Stephen is a workaholic while his assistant Holly has always been at his beck and call. With a little help from his friends they just might be able to weather out the storm. This story has a great premise and relatable characters.
In Catering to the CEO, Adam is all business and Cassie, a caterer, has finally had enough of his behavior and confronts him on it. Shortly after they discover they are going to be a family because their parents are going to get married. While Adam is not interested in finding love he struggles with the chemistry between him and Cassie. I loved seeing the changes in Adam as he grows throughout this story. A wonderful enemies who fall in love trope.
Ms. Chase is a wonderful story teller, making me feel as if I was right there watching the action unfold as she drew me in, making me forget the world around me. I highly recommend these stories to other readers.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
In The Eye of the Storm-Holly has gone above and beyond in her office duties working for Stephen but when she has to pick him up at 2am it’s the final straw. Stephen doesn’t know quite what to think of spiting fire Holly. They gave in to temptation and things forever change. Stephen’s work is all consuming. As with any relationship theirs has all kinds of twists and turns. I love Stephen’s friend Will but his friend Derek is a butt. Though I was pleasantly surprised that he owned up to what he did at the end. Love the justification that both Stephen and Holly gave him for his meddling.
Catering to the CEO-
Cassie owns her own catering company and Adam currently uses her catering services for his company. Adam is used to getting his own way and everyone basically kissing his butt and when Cassie stands up for herself/her company when Adam tries to make a last minute menu change he finds out she’s not so easy to replace last minute. Then life throws them an interesting twist with their parents being involved. I was set on hating Adam from the beginning but when Cassie became ill and he left a work function and took care of her…..that made my heart melt. Though throughout the book his assitude kept making appearances. Their HEA definetly was not an easy one to get to but was well worth it in the end.
Women go crazy for a sharp dressed man, but in the case of Holly and Cassie a sharp tongue cramps his style. There will be fireworks. Stephen and Adam are about to learn how to charm a woman by two fierce and fiery teachers. Passionate personalities, heartstopping attraction and that brand of Samantha Chase swag makes the duet of In the Eye of the Storm and Catering to the CEO the treat that keeps on giving.
This is a double feature with the first book being about Stephen, a workaholic, and Holly his assistant. When Holly tells him off about him forcing his work ethic on her he is suddenly attracted to the raging woman he actually knows very little about. A storm strands them together for the weekend and they come together as a couple but uncertain where this new turn of events will leave them professionally.
While I enjoyed Holly, I would’ve liked Stephen more had he been attracted to her from the beginning. They’d been working together for three years, every day, fourteen hours a day and he didn’t know the basics of her life. This had the potential to be a really cute, fun and steamy read for me but overall it just felt a bit tepid.
The second book did not include characters from the first. Cassie has been Adam’s caterer for the past two years. When he tries to make a change, again, she’s had enough. Seeing her in a new light, Adam makes plan to seduce her even as he’s planning to never hire her again.
I definitely enjoyed this one more even though Adam had several a-hole moments. Several. I wanted him to really have to grovel when the end came and although there was a tiny bit, it didn’t satisfy me enough. The secondary characters in this one were better developed and I actually liked them unlike the first.
These are both fast paced reads with a touch of humor and some steam. Overall, I wasn’t sold on these heroes. I never felt their driving need for the heroines except perhaps on a sexual level and even that was bit meh.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Dual POV although it switches erratically
Safe – no ow/om drama
No apparent triggers
ABOUT THE BOOK: In the Eye of the Storm
Holly Abrams can’t believe her demanding…and unbelievably sexy…boss, Stephen Ballinger, called her to pick him up at 2 A.M. in the middle of a tropical storm. To make matters worse, the storm is too dangerous for her to make the trek home. Forced to stay at his place to wait it out, their relationship quickly turns passionate…but will it last past the thunder and lightning?
••••••
REVIEW: Originally released in July 2013 IN THE EYE OF THE STORM follows overworked PA Holly Abrams as she once again finds herself answering to the demands of her exhausting but sexy boss Stephen Ballinger. A bar fight, a tropical storm, and an angry tirade against the man in charge finds our heroine locked down for the weekend with Stephen at his monstrous home. What ensues is a weekend of $ex and passion that is all too quickly to cool upon their return to reality and work.
IN THE EYE OF THE STORM is a quick and sassy read about two people whose attraction to one another is tempered by the potential work-place gossip, and Stephen’s friends who think they know what is best for our hero. Three years as employee and boss adds to the weekend insta lust/love, and emotional break down between head and heart. The premise is warm hearted, charming and cheeky; the characters are charismatic and engaging; the romance is passionate and seductive without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
Catering to the CEO
ABOUT THE BOOK: Millionaire CEO Adam Lawrence knows how to get what he wants–in business and in the bedroom. So when caterer Cassie Jacobs dares to best him on a deal, Adam vows revenge. But when they get life-changing news that could bind them together for years to come, Adam may have no choice but to change his ways…and open his heart.
••••••••
REVIEW: Originally released March 2013 CATERING TO THE CEO follows the building relationship between security specialist and businessman Adam Lawrence, and caterer Cassie Jacobs. For two years Cassie has been Adam’s go-to caterer for all of his corporate events but their latest plans are in a state of constant flux and Cassie struggles with the many changes Adams insists are necessary and real. Frustrated and tired, Cassie threatens legal action, and walks away from their latest contract. What ensues are Adams attempts to persuade Cassie to cater and host an important event; Adams seduction of our story line heroine; and the fall-out as Adam struggles with his attraction to Cassie, and a number of misunderstandings that threaten their relationship throughout the story.
CATERING TO THE CEO is a fast paced, sexy story line with plenty of angst, altercations, and a lack of communication leading to several heart breaking moments for our story line heroine. Adam battles between head and heart, refusing to accept that he may be falling in love. His combative attitude hurts the people at home and at work. The premise is energetic and startling ; the romance is spicy and passionate; the characters are lively and spirited.
Two great contemporary romances rolled into one! I really enjoyed both these stories! Both stories have lots of sexy times and loads of romance!
In The Eye of The Storm
Stephen is Holly’s boss and a workaholic until one night when out having drinks with friends he gets into a fight and is abandoned at the bar, in need of a ride home. He call Holly to pick him up during a tropical storm. From there the fun begins! I loved it when Holly stood up for herself and put Stephen in his place! This couple was fun to get to know and the angst at times between them was perfect.
Catering to the CEO
One of my favorite sub-genres is enemies to lovers and this story has all the angst needed along with loads of sexy and romantic times. Adam is stubborn and controlling and has a cynical view of people and trust. Cassie is a fun loving but strong, independent trusting woman who loves her family and believes in the good of people. I smiled all the way through this story! A beautiful HEA that had me sighing with happiness.