Mostly, I liked the first book –The Desire Variable—within this series. My main complaint was that it took an unexpected turn towards the latter half of the book. Instead of being a light, contemporary read, it turned a little into something greyer. The story was far from a dark romance, but just the light office romance I had thought it would be. Still, I was committed to reading what I thought would be the final book in this series—more on that later.

The Passion Parameter has Lex and Andy struggling with the outcome of the end of the last book. They are apart, miserable, and still working at the same company. I was surprised with how quickly they got back together. I expected it to be dragged out more since this is a chunky book. Though, I can’t say I’m upset about that. I called Andy a lovable nerd in my first book review, and that still stands. When she and Lex are together, their nerd power increases by one thousand percent. It’s cute, though their dialogue and behavior could sometimes become a little much. Oddly, it works for their characters and their relationship.

Even though Lex and Andy come together after the events of the last book, their relationship still isn’t smooth sailing. There’s a lot of relationship drama in this one. Their drama is the entire focus of the book, with Andy’s app taking another backseat. I’d say that most of the drama was fine. Although I didn’t like the drama with Evora, I did like how it was resolved and how Andy and Evora became friends.

There are a lot more reveals about Lex’s character within this installment that gives clarity to his actions in the last book. Most of the more emotional moments center on him and his relationship with his family. Spoiler—his parents are the absolute worst.

Finally, I entered this book, expecting it to be the last one. Of course, that isn’t how this happened, and this one ended on a cliffhanger. My rating for this one is lower than the first; however, the cliffhanger was intriguing enough, and I am curious about what happens next. I might be too hopeful, but I hope the author doesn’t wrap up that storyline in the first few chapters of the third book. I hope she leans into it because it’s an interesting concept, and the hints have been woven in since the first book.

Final Thoughts

Any Lex and Andy superfan might adore The Passion Parameter. The romance and character development (especially Lex’s) are the center plot in this book, with other things occurring but falling to the background or quickly being resolved. They have many relationship woes; however, they celebrate so many high points in their relationship. Their chemistry and cuteness can’t be denied. And neither can their sometimes cringe dialogue and behavior. As I mentioned previously, it works for these characters, even if it feels a bit too much at times. For me, I had to read the book in small doses so that I wouldn’t get overwhelmed.

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Book Summary

From the moment Andy starts working for Lex, their lives spiral into a chaos of heated arguments and forbidden desires. Soon, they must decide if their budding relationship is worth risking their careers.

When Andrea "Andy" Walker lands her dream job at a tech company, her new colleagues welcome her with open arms. It would be nothing short of perfect if it weren't for her new boss. Obnoxious, curt, and aloof, he seems determined to make her life difficult. He's everything she shouldn't want, and yet Andy soon finds herself helplessly drawn to his striking looks and razor-sharp mind.

Alexander "Lex" Coleman likes having every aspect of his life meticulously planned and organized. That goes flying out the window the moment he meets Andrea, the feisty new programmer who challenges him at every turn. Not only is she far from the compliant employee he expected, she also triggers a plethora of confusing emotions with her sharp tongue, strong mind, and tempting curves.

Review

The Desire Variable took an unexpected turn that I’m still processing. First, it ends on a cliffhanger. I thought the second book was going to be about another couple; however, it feels like Lex and Andrea’s story will be continuing.

Secondly, I had expected this book to be a fun workplace romance. The story is that for the most part. Andy is a complete and totally lovable nerd. Sometimes her dialogue would feel a bit much, but it really added to her character, and I appreciated most of her friends. More on that later. The author abandons Andy’s creation in the latter half of the story, which is a bummer.

I enjoyed her romance with Lex. The romance started to shine when they finally got together. They had some great moments that I specifically loved.

Around the 90 percent mark, the book took an unexpected turn, and it felt like a completely different type of story. Throughout the book, Andy has developed a friendship with a co-worker named Oliver. From the beginning, it’s very clear that Oliver likes Andy more than him. I wish the author would have furthered that plot thread differently. The whole situation causes Lex to seem overly jealous which I didn’t care for. Especially, with what he does in the end. Andy and Lex have a fight, and instead of him begging for her forgiveness, she comes back to his office and says that she might have “overreacted.” I found her reaction to be justified. Although the author attempted to allow Lex to internally justify his behavior, something felt off. The chapter felt like an information dump, instead of the emotional musings of a sad character.

Final Thoughts

The Desire Variable struggled in the final quarter. The story completely shifted from a fun, contemporary story to something a little greyer. My only hope is that for the second book, the author returns to focus back on Andy’s creation, and makes Lex gravel to earn Andy’s trust again.

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