Not Quite as Advertised

Not Quite as Advertised
Tanya Michaels

Perfectionist (n.)–someone doomed to disappointmentFor a person convinced second best simply won't do, all of a sudden Jocelyn "Joss" McBride can't seem to win. Not in the battles with her snippy Siamese or skirmishes with the fire-breathing dragon who's her mother. Or even more annoying, losing advertising awards and clients to the infuriating Hugh Brannon, her not-quite-perfect ex-lover whom she, um, sort of lost, too.Well, enough already.Like any overachiever, Joss is determined to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat–meaning beating Hugh, of course. Unfortunately, her attempts at evening the score bounce right off the Teflon man and a new suspicion dawns–if life was absolutely perfect, wouldn't it be a bore?

Dear Reader,

I’ve been living a double life. Oh sure, on the surface, I might seem low-key. The people who’ve seen my office—and weren’t too traumatized to speak afterward—would say I lean more toward chaos theory than perfectionism. But they just don’t know the sleep I’ve lost agonizing over the best way to phrase a single sentence. Or about that one Thanksgiving when, admittedly, I became a tad uptight in my attempts to mash the perfect potatoes. Hey, there is such a thing as smoothing out too many lumps.

I’ve learned the hard way that there’s a fine line between trying your best and trying too hard. But Jocelyn McBride, my alter-ego heroine, was raised to be a perfectionist and is convinced that she can solve all her problems by giving one hundred and ten percent—even when Joss’s newest problem is her ex-lover Hugh Brannon. When Joss and Hugh are made co-workers through an unexpected business merger, her well-choreographed life spins out of control like a drunken dance troupe. But through it all, she and Hugh learn that the secret to life and love, as with mashed potatoes, is balance.

If you enjoy Joss’s story, please check out my Web site at www.tanyamichaels.com (http://www.tanyamichaels.com) for excerpts of upcoming books, reader giveaways and other fun information.

Happy Reading!

Tanya

“Joss, I don’t want anything to drink. I want—”

“There’s no good way to end that sentence, Hugh,” she said softly. “Except possibly ‘the Cowboys to get to the Super Bowl this year.’ But then, I’d probably be offended that you’re thinking about football right now.”

“Trust me, I’m not.”

Trust him? Easier said than done.

“I’ve missed you,” he told her.

“We work together,” Joss reminded him.

“That didn’t stop us before.”

As arguments went, it wasn’t his most convincing. “Yes, and didn’t that turn out swimmingly?”

Hugh wisely dropped the issue, choosing to return his dishes to the kitchen, then hovered in the hallway. “I guess I should go?”

As opposed to stay and have delicious sex? “I’d see you out, but…”

“You need to stay off that ankle.”

True. But what she’d really been thinking was that her knees might still be too weak from his kisses for her to stand.

Not Quite as Advertised

Tanya Michaels

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

RITA® Award-nominated author Tanya Michaels has been reading books all her life, and romances have always been her favorite. She is thrilled to be writing for Harlequin—and even more thrilled that the stories she makes up now qualify as “work” and exempt her from doing the dishes after dinner. The 2001 Maggie Award winner lives in Georgia with her two wonderful children and a loving husband whose displays of support include reminding her to quit writing and eat something. Thankfully, between her husband’s thoughtfulness and that stash of chocolate she keeps at her desk, Tanya can continue writing her books in no danger of wasting away.

For more information on Tanya, her upcoming releases and periodic giveaways, please visit her Web site at www.tanyamichaels.com (http://www.tanyamichaels.com).

Books by Tanya Michaels

HARLEQUIN FLIPSIDE

6—WHO NEEDS DECAF?

HARLEQUIN DUETS

96—THE MAID OF DISHONOR

HARLEQUIN TEMPTATION

968—HERS FOR THE WEEKEND

986—SHEER DECADENCE

With heartfelt thanks to that loopy group of women who’ve given me unfailing friendship and support, advice on everything from babies to food to grammar, and more laughs than classic SNL and Python combined. Bless you guys for always being there.

Contents

Chapter 1 (#ucd708eb8-f801-502e-a12a-dd3caf1fb036)

Chapter 2 (#ubce8fd55-714d-5c2f-9603-d9405d57d19d)

Chapter 3 (#u912ea482-8919-516d-a9e5-bc0879fd4389)

Chapter 4 (#u9c95356e-8a30-5f8b-84e1-ae391499a5f7)

Chapter 5 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 6 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 7 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 8 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 9 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 14 (#litres_trial_promo)