BEAUTY AND THE BOSS by Diane Alberts is Book 1 in the Modern Fairytales series. A villainess of epic proportions, and one worthy of any fairytale, forces researcher Maggie Donovan to be in an engagement of convenience with her sexy boss. Benjamin Gale III isn't so much The Beast some people call him, so much as a workaholic who has had to scrape his way to the top and fight for his position because of his horrid mother. I like how Diane Alberts does eventually offer an insight into Ben's mother and what motivates her cruelty. It is no excuse for her behavior, but is interesting information for the reader anyway. There had already been a little bit of an attraction on both sides before Maggie felt compelled to act as Ben's guardian angel and rescue him from being verbally flayed alive by his mother. The engagement of convenience is created to thwart mamma bear and preserve Ben's image as a stable and mature businessman, rather than the carefree and slightly wild playboy he was.

Diane Alberts does an excellent job of creating sexual tension between Ben and Maggie. I like that Maggie pushes Ben to expand his view of romance and to get real with her. The flirty scenes when they're hanging out, having fun, and just enjoying their own company, make the romance irresistible. Ben and Maggie both carry financial family burdens but the nature of those burdens varies wildly. Maggie puts pressure on herself and has parents who love her. Ben's pressure is partly put on by himself out of guilt and partly by his wicked mother. I love how Ben and Maggie are able to connect on an emotional level, and that Ben let his emotions get involved so early in the relationship.

Diane Alberts bucks tradition by having the billionaire hero long for and idealize the cozy, family-centered, simple life that is the reality for his girlfriend. Typically, in these "billionaire boss" stories, the glamorous world of the wealthy is envisioned as being part of the happy ending. Diane Alberts reimagines the traditional happily-ever-after in a refreshing way. Knowing Maggie changes Ben's life and way of looking at the world for the better, and provides the love he never felt from his family. The scenes near the end with Maggie's family provide a nice counterpoint to the toxicity of Ben's.

BEAUTY AND THE BOSS is a mix of sexy fun and family drama, with a unique twist. BEAUTY AND THE BOSS made me curious about Ben's brother and his story. I look forward to reading other stories by Diane Alberts as well as the next Modern Fairytales romance.

Book Summary

Beauty is about to tame her beast...

Researcher Maggie Donovan has no luck with men, and it doesn't help that she can't keep her eyes off of her sexy boss - the one everyone else in the office calls The Beast. Relationships in the office are forbidden. So no one is more surprised than Maggie when she pretends to be his fiancée to save him during a difficult situation. Not only has she put her job on the line, but the future of the company.

Billionaire Benjamin Gale III doesn't believe in love or romance, but the look on his mother's face when Maggie tells her that she's his fiancée is worth millions. Instead of firing her for her insubordination, he goes along with the ruse. In his arms-and in his bed-she'd be everything he could ever want…which is why he can't have her.

But if he doesn't let her go, they'll lose everything…