Help Wanted

Assignment: Romance, Book 2

De: Barbara Valentin

Narrado por: Wendy Rich Stetson

When Claire Nelson decided that her happily-ever-after lay not in marriage but in a spot on the New York Times best seller list, she vowed never to tie the knot. But that was before she met Paul Mendez, handsome and charming enough to have her breaking said vow and marrying him shortly after college.

Almost 15 years and four sons later, Claire is now a burned out breadwinner ready to ditch her quest for happily-ever-after, and Paul has traded his dream of chairing corporate board meetings for volunteering at PTA meetings as a stay-at-home dad. Feeling trapped in a demanding job, Claire's repeated attempts to get Paul to return to work fall flat. Contemplating divorce, she drafts a letter to the Plate Spinner, a popular advice columnist, asking for help.

But when the reply contains an offer that may just put her best-selling author dreams back on track, Claire's only question is: will Paul be on board? Or does her charming husband make a surprise move of his own?

©2015 Barbara Valentin (P)2017 Barbara Valentin

worth the read...

Interesting role reversal. had it's laughable moments! married couple living their lives somewhat separately to make ends meet. the struggle is real!!! great story all around.

Sweet story of finding each other again!

Really enjoyed a story about the real life struggles in a long term relationship! Sure there was some pettiness and miscommunication, but that can happen when you've been having the same fight for 4 years! Loved the little quotes at the beginning of some of the chapters!
Overall refreshing to read a clean yet interesting and mature story! Hope the rest of the series comes to Audible soon!

Very relatable

This is a book that anyone in a long-term relationship can find things to relate to. It's about how the day to day effects relationships and the strains and stresses. It was very relatable in many ways. Though, I can't say I understood Paul. There was a role reversal that was really interesting, and that part I could relate to. But, the lack of understanding or ability to see the burdens being placed on your partner, and then expecting them to prove they loved you before you showed them you understood was something I didn't understand. It wasn't a question of love, it was a question of trying to survive the day to day without the support of the one person who should be supporting you. There were also elements of keeping things from each other that just seemed trivial to me. It just seemed like lack of simple communication for some purpose that I didn't understand.

However, there was a lot to love and enjoy about this story. I totally got Claire in so many ways. Like her, I was never a girly girl, dreaming of white dresses, weddings, and princes. I never wanted to get married or have kids. I had to many things to do and see. Then, I met this guy that changed every idea I thought I had about what I wanted. And, I'm so happy he did. When I got to the obit assignment, I was laughing so hard, I had to stop it. I re-wound it and played it back for my guy, and we were both cracking up. (You have to listen or read it to understand.) But, this story is about the juggling of the day to day, and trying to find balance between the needs and wants of your family and your own. And, I think most people with a family can relate to that.

And, of course, Wendy Rich Stetson did her usual amazing job narrating. She captured those little nuances that had me either laughing out loud or really feeling the pain of the characters. It's by far not a heavy read, but one with some substance and relatability.

I loved the messiness of life in this book!

In this book, Claire and Paul have a messy life, just like the rest of us. They have four boys, dirty clothes all over the place, a million places to be and bills that have to be paid. And one of them doesn't have a paying job--Paul. He's a stay-at-home dad while Claire is supporting the family with a job she hates. She dropped her dreams of a real writing job that will give her joy long ago. She is STUCK.And she is really MAD.
All of a sudden life is changing. Changing for both Paul and Claire, but the changes are kept secret from each other. Could the secrets finish off the marriage that is already rocky, or will the marriage turn into the joy Claire has been searching for?
This story by Barbara Valentin was so enjoyable and the narration by Wendy Rich Stetson was superb. I loved all the voices she used for all the women, men and children. An all around excellent experience!

Great Book!

Any additional comments?

This is a great book; this is the second book in the Assignment: Romance series written by Barbara Valentin and narrated by Wendy Rich Stetson. When Claire Nelson decided that her happily-ever-after lay not in marriage but in a spot on the New York Times best seller list, she vowed never to tie the knot. But that was before she met Paul Mendez, handsome and charming enough to have her breaking said vow and marrying him shortly after college.
Almost 15 years and four sons later, Claire is now a burned out breadwinner ready to ditch her quest for happily-ever-after, and Paul has traded his dream of chairing corporate board meetings for volunteering at PTA meetings as a stay-at-home dad. Feeling trapped in a demanding job, Claire's repeated attempts to get Paul to return to work fall flat. Contemplating divorce, she drafts a letter to the Plate Spinner, a popular advice columnist, asking for help.This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. The narrator did a wonderful job with this book. She did a great job with the different voices of each character in this book. It was very easy to listen to and I didn’t want to stop listening until the end. If you are looking for a great book with well-developed characters then you need to listen to this book. I am looking forward to listening to the next book by this author and narrator. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.