Review: The Design by R.S. Grey

The Design is the second book in the A Heart duology but R.S. Grey. This review will be spoiler-free.

Five minutes until the interview begins. Fresh on the heels of her college graduation, Cameron Heart has landed an interview at a prestigious architecture firm.

Four minutes until the interview. She knows she’s only there because the owner, Grayson Cole, is her older sister’s friend.

Three minutes. For the last seven years, Grayson has been the most intimidating man Cammie has ever had the pleasure, or displeasure, of being around.

Two Minutes. But the job opportunity is too good to pass up. So, Cammie will have to ignore the fact that Grayson is handsome enough to have his own national holiday.

One. After all, she shouldn’t feel that way about her new boss. And, he will be her new boss. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

Adorable. Heart-warming. A romance that will make butterflies swarm in your stomach. 

This book was nothing like I expected. In the first book of this series, Grey did a good job of introducing us to the characters and setting up this romance. The tension between Cami and Grayson was clear from the moment we saw them together. I was really excited to dive in and see why. But I was wrong as to the reasons!

This book was filled with so many tropes. We had enemies to lovers, older siblings best friend, and workplace romance. Sometimes mixing tropes works really well, but other times it falls flat. This was not one of those times. I loved the combination of the tropes.

Cami and Grayson. They are adorable. Cami lost her parents while she was in high school and struggled through her grief. She desperately wants to be independent because she never has. She is intelligent and extremely good at what she does. She is fiercely protective of her sister. Cami is one of my favorite Grey characters. Grayson, on the other hand, is successful and determined. He is the master of self-control. He keeps his emotions inside and never really lets anyone get ot know him. Even his best friend thinks he is closed off. But the chemistry and tension between these characters are undeniable.

This book brought out emotions in me. There were so many times that I wanted to jump into the story and slap Grayson. I can’t ignore the things that he did. He seriously screwed up, but I understand his reasoning and I still love him. I did not see that twist coming.

The pacing of this story was perfect. Grey did a really good job of showing us what we needed to see without getting dragged down by too many day to day details. I just wish the timeline had been a tad clearer. I have no idea how much time passed over the course of this novel. But I absolutely loved the epilogue. I really loved the way it was written. I felt like it really wrapped up the story.

I really enjoyed this novel. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend it to the romance lovers out there, but remember to read the first book first!