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Themes of marriage, gender roles, and compromises between money and joy are effectively conveyed with heartfelt tenderness in Valentin’s second Assignment: Romance contemporary. Claire Mendez is an overwhelmed and overworked mother of four. She resents her husband, Paul; just months after losing his job at a prestigious investment firm and taking over as primary caregiver for the kids, he was dubbed Mom of the Year by their school PTA. Claire blames Paul for their economic woes, urges him to get a new job, and emotionally distances herself from him, only to be fired from the tech writing job she hates. Now she’s sexually and emotionally frustrated, and torn between job-hunting and pursuing her dream to become a writer. Rich characterization adds to the palpable emotional and sexual tension between Claire and Paul as they struggle to balance their attraction to each other with their fears and needs. Valentin deftly interweaves characters and situations from the first novel, False Start, as Claire meets prior heroine Mattie and tries her hand at being a freelancing advice columnist, while Paul pursues a job opening in the same building. Though Claire’s stubbornness and self-pity sometimes threaten her likability, Valentin keeps the story bubbling with humor and romance. [em](BookLife) [/em]