jbronderbookreviews

The Threat Level Remains Severe by Rowena Macdonald

House of Commons secretary Grace has been counting the tea breaks in the same dull job for a decade . . .

Brett is on a mission to shake up the dusty backrooms of power—and set to collide with Grace. Office life begins to look up when Grace receives an email.

Amazon     Barnes and Noble     Goodreads

Author’s Bio

Rowena Macdonald lives in East London, works at the Hour of Commons, and teaches creative writing at Westminster University. She has won several prizes for her short fiction, including two Asham Awards, shortlisted for the 2012 Edge Hill Prize, and was a runner-up in the Royal Society of Literature’s 2013 VS Pritchett Prize.

My Review

4 stars

Grace Ambrose works at an entry level position at the House of Commons. One day she finds trouble as she loses her pass for entry and meets the new Australian, Brett Beamish. Brett is brash and Grace is not impressed with him but eventually finds herself in a relationship with Brett. Then Grace receives a mysterious email from an admirer. This leads Grace in a whole new direction, into trouble, and having to ask Brett for help.

Although this story takes place in the House of Commons you will not be learning anything political. This is about the office workers and those that keep things flowing in the background. I was laughing at the first half of the book. Brett and Grace seem to be polar opposites and then they find themselves attracted to each other. I was laughing at the different situations that they find themselves in.

Then the book takes a left turn and goes in an opposite direction and has an ending that I was not completely impressed with. This is a good read if you like contemporary romances. There is not a lot of politics in this one but it still involves a couple difference branches of government. It is not what I expected but still a good read.

I received The Threat Level Remains Severe from MZPR for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.