Love on The Vine (Bound by Design #2)

Free Leaf Concepts in Little Rock, Arkansas, has offered Kay Bing a top management position. She is a talented designer and this job will certainly boost her career. She accepts and quickly learns the dynamics of the team members she’s to work with. Her assistant, Oliver, is handsome, in a distracting way, but she has a job to do. She d needs to prove her expertise is valuable, and failing is not an option. When Kay becomes suspicious of some strange activity, she learns that her assistant is a mole and trying to uncover criminal activity within Free Leaf Concepts. Kay is determined to help, but at what cost? Can Oliver and his team uncover what is growing in the greenhouse before more people get hurt, or worse?

Ms. Smith has created an interesting cast of characters in “Love on the Vine”. Kay is a small-framed woman with an attitude to compensate for her size. Oliver, the hero, has a likable personality, however, readers don't get a great sense of his emotions or personality. The plot starts to ramp up around chapter six, but the suspense and drama are kept low key. The writing is well done, although including more of Kay’s life and upbringing may help readers embrace her as the heroine. More danger and suspense with higher drama are always craved. The alleged suspects are well appointed and creatively connected.  The book stands alone but reading the first in the series may help. The ending of this installment will delight and bring smiles to all.

Viola Robins