The P.U.R.E. by Claire Gillian
Release Date: April 16, 2012
Publisher: J. Taylor Publishing
Page Count: 294
Source: ARC provided by the publisher

No one ever said Gayle Lindley’s first job would be a killer.

Fresh out of college, Gayle’s career path should follow the yellow brick road straight to the top. Thanks to a menial errand gone wrong, a wayward tongue, and a randy supervisor who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer, Gayle’s stuck in corporate hell.

Discovering a company secret only turns up the heat.

The one part of her life not going down in flames is her friendship with the gorgeous, but intensely private, Jon Cripps. Jon would make the perfect consolation prize for Gayle’s pity party if dating a co-worker wasn’t career suicide. Then again, with all Gayle has been through, maybe falling in love is the lucky break she needs.

Hitting the cool sheets with Jon soothes her mind and body, but it also enrages whoever’s behind the smokescreen she’s uncovered at work. Someone is willing to kill to protect their secrets, and Gayle and Jon are the targets.

With both her heart and livelihood at stake, Gayle’s early career-limiting moves could turn into life-terminating ones.

Review:  I loved this book from start to finish. I did not want it to end. I would love to hear more about these characters in more books. Gayle is the kind of character that I love. She’s super strong, independent, smart and so witty that she has you laughing out loud so much. Jon is the perfect specimen of the perfect man: tall, dark, and smart. Gayle was open and talkative whereas Jon was more quiet and reserved. They were a perfect yin and yan that their characters worked so well together.

The book opens up to both characters getting in trouble for mistakes they made accounting in their first big job. They fast become friends. Gayle wants more of a relationship with Jon but knows it would be the end of her career. After their reprimand Gayle suspects that there is something fishy going on. She doesn’t know who is involved or what is involved but she wants to find out. While working at her job Gayle has become amateur sleuth trying to find all she can on the inconsistencies she is finding. Along the way she drags a reluctant Jon with her. They become closer and romance ensues.

I kept trying to guess who did what and what their motives were but I was never right. I was surprised how well the mystery was written with just enough suspense to keep you on your toes. Once you add in Gayle’s superb wit you have a great tale of mystery and intrigue. It was a story in an arena that is not often talked about. Corporate America tends to be stuffy and not the backdrop for a suspenseful romantic comedy. This is definitely an author to watch for; one that I have put on my must read author’s list.

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