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When Ryan interviews at Prestige Events, he reminds Sofie, his soon-to-be coworker, of herself but better. Her perception proves correct; they become an efficient and mutually beneficial pair. Ryan brings order to Sofie's chaos and anxiety, and Sofie helps Ryan put people before data. Due to their joint efforts, Prestige excels to the point of needing another teammate. Trevor is hired, despite Sofie's warnings about having previously worked with him. As he had done with Sofie, Trevor takes credit for rescuing Ryan from a series of failed events that suspiciously started after Trevor arrived. In exposing Trevor, Sofie and Ryan also expose their devotion to one another.
Like Tierney's three previous novels, this romance is set in a shared pursuit of justice and explores themes relevant to its time period. The narrative is about today's young men and women who are burdened by anxiety and obsessions. Reflecting one another, what might be considered personality turn-offs in the protagonists become complementary features in a progressive twist on love. In tune with Ryan's meticulousness, which is also known as neurodivergence, and Sofie's Type-A personality, the book is organized and predictable without being reduced to a formula. Tierney's short chapters, each devoted to a singular event or scene, reveal traits emerging in real time. The pace is swift and flowing. Through a litany of innocent activities at work and pastimes (such as event planning and execution, bowling, sipping a few beers, and singing karaoke), they learn to love each other as they learn about themselves through their shared experiences. The staff's antics and levity provide a fitting backdrop to the playful character development.
The attention to individuals' acceptance and self-love widens the book's appeal beyond mere romance to a portrait of wholesome living at a time of cultural upheaval. A major turning point comes when Ryan fails to impress Sofie with his conscientiousness by "improving" her computer systems without her consent. The balance of their dialogue with solo reflection creates momentum. After this, the narrative shifts from burgeoning attraction and friendship to uniting against a common enemy. Their fight and reconciliation throw Sofie back on her values. She realizes Trevor is just a symptom of a larger problem that Prestige perpetuates: prioritizing profit and using people as pawns for greed. Ryan comes to agree in his own time. The stage is set for a shift toward the seriousness of the book's message.
Until Trevor mocks them, Prestige's clients and staff are sources of harmless humor. Ryan's spreadsheets and pattern studies prompt Sofie to pat him on the arm as helpful, but they miss the target of client satisfaction. Co-workers furnish puns and positive vibes. The mash-up of Prestige's conferences is funny enough, with its Lincoln impersonators and Confederates, futurists and Luddites, Jesus freaks and kink-positive sexologists, to name a few. While the mishaps Sofie and Ryan confront here show a theatrical and healthy enjoyment of people coming together around similarities, as well as overcoming differences, Trevor's presence casts aspersions on the project of celebrating diversity. Trevor works as a contemporary villain, charming yet conniving, personally offending the main characters and representing what they morally oppose: prioritizing profit over people.
Ryan's and Sofie's operation to channel their anger by catching Trevor mid-crime ramps up the pace toward a triumphant good-over-evil finish. The narrative's slow-burning love story builds suspense every step of the way. The series of sitcom-like chapters about conference screw-ups, which seem like innocuous halftime interludes, turn out to be effective, thanks to their colorful and specific descriptions of personality types, costumes, and verbal repartee—the very fighting spirit that counters the evil money-grubber. Ryan and Sofie, together, developed to the beat of their own quirky drums, embody an unstoppable dynamic duo readers will want to hire and befriend. The ending is as happy as expected and includes a surprise. Along with love comes an endeavor that pushes the limits of Ryan and Sofie. In their combined strength, built episode by episode with perfect literary planning, they're able to take risks and thrive, concluding the story with an inspiring lesson about the transformative power of friendship to make a difference in a greedy world.