Hardly Working

I thouroughly enjoyed this book. Ms Burke has a witty and sacastic view of office dynamics, and if you work in an office you can sure relate to Dinah. The back stabbing, gossip, inuendo and inappropriate office affairs are entertaining and funny.

I thought the misadventures of Dinah Nichols, PR chick were entertaining and funny. This book was easy to get into and you want to keep on reading with the hope that Dinah will get what she really wants, not what she thinks she needs. A captive and witty read.

I think this is Betsy Burke's bet book yet. A sarcastic view of the world of not for profit. I enjoyed the inner office dynamics and characters, every office seems to have at least one of the characters in Ms. Burke's book. I enjoyed the eco-conscious info that weaves through the storyline, makes for a different kind of romance and you will no doubt enjoy the outcome.

The workers at the Vancouver office of Green World International are concerned with the front office sending hatchet man Ian "Mr. Darkside" Trutch to shake up the place; in his last site in Ottawa, several empty desks appeared over night. Thirty year old public relations specialist Dinah Nichols finds herself fascinated with Ian and soon they sleep together. However, she and others become concerned with a water deal that Ian is working that seems ethically wrong. Meanwhile Dinah, who is seeing a psychologist over a need to know the identity of who sired her, decides to search for her dad although her mother offers no help. Dinah is also attracted to her neighbor, Jon who she believes is gay even though they slept together once as he is always frequenting gay bars with and hugging his sometime roommate Kevin. Finally when the water deal seems a sure thing that will hurt people, Dinah and the "Eco-girls" form to warn the public through small "ecoterrorist" acts. The environmental issue adds a serious tone to what otherwise is a lighthearted romantic romp. The story line moves on three plot lines with the impact on the staff by the downsizing vulture Trutch and the water deal converging while the third is more a parallel chick lit subplot focusing on the relationship between Dinah and Jon. Dinah matures during the tale as she learns some things are worth risking security for as she goes from HARDLY WORKING to a fully deployed person. Harriet Klausner