The Party (The Proposition 0.5) by Katie Ashley

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The Party

(The Proposition 0.5)
Author:  Katie Ashley
Published:  February 15, 2013
Source:  (Free on Smashwords)
Mature Content:  18 and Over

GR's Summary:

Coming off a break-up with his latest “friend with benefits”, the last thing Aidan Fitzgerald needs is a family hassle about his bachelor status. But after standing up as godfather for his great-nephew, Mason, that’s just what he gets at the Christening Party. Escaping the wrath of his father and sisters, he wants nothing more than to get to the company Christmas party. There he knows he can knock back a few stiff drinks and find some new no-strings-attached girl to take home for the night.

The last thing Emma Harrison wants is to attend another party—least of all one at work. After throwing the annual life celebration (for the anniversary of her fiancée’s death) with close friends, she’s finally gotten the courage to take matters into her own hands and become a mother. Convincing her slightly inebriated best-friend, Connor, to be her sperm donor was a lot easier than she thought, and all that’s left now is to start the process. But at her best friend and work colleague, Casey’s, insistence, she decides to make an appearance at the company Christmas party for her new boss’s sake.

Neither Aidan nor Emma could imagine what fate had in store for them at the party.

My Take on this Journey:

This is a very short Novella about Emma Harrison and Aidan Fitzgerald.  Emma has had a string of bad luck in her life, and she feels that her biological clock is ticking.  She is shy, witty, and a fiery red head with a temper to match her hair.  Aidan is a good looking, blue-eyed, blond bachelor, known as the office man whore.  He loves them and leaves them.  Emma and Aidan meet at an office party, and he gets his eyes set on the beautiful knock out, and decides that she is the flavor of the night.  The only problem is that Emma is very shy, and though she is attracted to Aidan, she is a woman that is too smart to get involved in a one night stand.  Once her girlfriends tell her about his reputation, all bets are off.  Aidan isn't use to anyone saying no to him, so he is taken aback by her negative response to his advances.

This is a very fast-paced novella.  It starts out in the present, then goes back to two years prior, and tells the story of how these two characters first met.  Emma has had a lot of tragedy in her life, and isn't interested in finding a relationship.  In this short little novella, the author makes Emma into a well-rounded character.  The reader gets the essence of her.  

Aidan is a very self-absorbed character, yet very intriguing.  He is constantly being badgered about his bachelor status, and told that he needs to settle down, by his sisters.  I found him at times to be very blunt, and it was humorous how he thought that his cute little smile could get him anything he wanted.

Sorry to say, that this little Novella has the dreaded little cliff hanger.  My followers know what I think of those!  Looking forward to the sequel, and hope it gives me the kind of ending that makes me go along for the ride.

I give this little Novella a clock-ticking, thrill seeking, 3 1/2 stars.

Come Along For the Ride,

Purchase At:  Amazon/Smashwords (Free)

About the Author:  Katie Ashley

These things always sound overly pretentious, don't they? 

*Strokes chin* What to say about me?!!! 

Anyway, I was born and raised in the burbs of Atlanta. I'm an only child with a large extended family much like the one in My Big Fat Greek Wedding...except we're Southerners. 

I have a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolesecent English Education. I've been teaching English for twelve years in both middle and high school. I've also taught adjunct classes at a local college where I had students waaay older than me, and that was a weird one! 

I'm also a former cheerleading coach. Nothing teaches you about life quite like being stuck on a bus with a squad of fifteen year old girls!!

Katie's:  Website/Goodreads/Twitter/Pinterest