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A review by lynseyisreading
Temping Is Hell by Cathy Yardley
3.0
Light and fluffy
Office romances can be hell, and falling for your boss is rarely a good idea. Getting on the wrong side of the office bitch? Even worse. Throw in a basement full of demons and a complicated romance where your hunky fella is just as likely to have you killed as kiss you, and you've got a good idea of the kind of madcap story you'll be getting with TEMPING IS HELL.
Your main characters are Kate (the temp), Thomas (boss man big), Maggie (office tramp) and a few other tertiary characters including one particularly likeable demon called Slim. But really, for me, this was the Kate show. Her character made this book what is was, and I really enjoyed her narration and dialogue. She was witty, sarcastic and funny, but I also appreciated her showing her competence and ability within her job (her 'mad filing skills,' as she called them) and her willingness to work hard. The latter was enough to compensate for her smart mouth and unprofessional attitude.
TEMPING IS HELL was just a little too fluffy for my tastes. More Chick Lit + demons than true Urban Fantasy with any kind of worldbuilding of note. I also don't think the story is substantial enough to warrant a series. Most of the way through the book I'd assumed it would be a stand alone novel with a nice, if predictable, conclusion. As I got to the last 20% and realised it wasn't going to wrap up, I was disappointed.
Do I recommend TEMPING IS HELL? Well, if you're just dipping your toe into this genre for the first time and want something easy breezy to get you started, then yes. It's a quick, easy and entertaining way to spend a few hours. For true Urban Fantasy fans who prefer grittier stories with more substance, action and worldbuilding, then no. I think you will find it lacking.
2.5 Stars ★★1/2
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Office romances can be hell, and falling for your boss is rarely a good idea. Getting on the wrong side of the office bitch? Even worse. Throw in a basement full of demons and a complicated romance where your hunky fella is just as likely to have you killed as kiss you, and you've got a good idea of the kind of madcap story you'll be getting with TEMPING IS HELL.
Your main characters are Kate (the temp), Thomas (boss man big), Maggie (office tramp) and a few other tertiary characters including one particularly likeable demon called Slim. But really, for me, this was the Kate show. Her character made this book what is was, and I really enjoyed her narration and dialogue. She was witty, sarcastic and funny, but I also appreciated her showing her competence and ability within her job (her 'mad filing skills,' as she called them) and her willingness to work hard. The latter was enough to compensate for her smart mouth and unprofessional attitude.
TEMPING IS HELL was just a little too fluffy for my tastes. More Chick Lit + demons than true Urban Fantasy with any kind of worldbuilding of note. I also don't think the story is substantial enough to warrant a series. Most of the way through the book I'd assumed it would be a stand alone novel with a nice, if predictable, conclusion. As I got to the last 20% and realised it wasn't going to wrap up, I was disappointed.
Do I recommend TEMPING IS HELL? Well, if you're just dipping your toe into this genre for the first time and want something easy breezy to get you started, then yes. It's a quick, easy and entertaining way to spend a few hours. For true Urban Fantasy fans who prefer grittier stories with more substance, action and worldbuilding, then no. I think you will find it lacking.
2.5 Stars ★★1/2
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.