Meet You in the Middle
Romantic Comedy, Political Humor
Berkley
February 2, 2021
Paperback, Kindle
368
What happens when the person you find most impossible becomes impossible to resist? The Hating Game meets The West Wing in this hilarious across-the-aisle romantic comedy debut about America's least likely couple.
There's just one thing standing between liberal Senate staffer Kate Adams and passage of the landmark legislation she's been fighting for all year: Ben Mackenzie, intimidating gatekeeper for one of DC's most powerful conservative senators. After Kate and Ben lock horns in a meet-not-so-cute, they vow to take each other down--by any means necessary.
Their ensuing power struggle gives new meaning to the term office politics: prank mail, spying, bets gone awry--nothing's off limits in their battle of wills. She thinks he's arrogant (and doesn't deserve those gorgeous green eyes). He thinks she's too quick to judge (and irresistibly distracting). But as their endless game of one-upmanship becomes Kate's favorite part of the day, she starts to wonder if her feelings for Ben are closer to attraction than animosity...and maybe their sparring is flirting. When Kate realizes there's more to Ben than meets the eye, she's forced to confront her biggest fear: In her sworn enemy, she may have found her perfect match.
Perfect for fans of Sally Thorne and Abby Jimenez, Meet You in the Middle is a modern, heartfelt and hopeful romance that hilariously explores what happens when you fall in love with your political polar opposite.
Meet You in the Middle by Devon Daniels is such a treat!
I’ve been raving about Meet You in the Middle by Devon Daniels for over a week to anybody who will listen. This book initially caught my attention because it’s the story of two senate staffers from opposite sides of the aisle that meet and, through rivalry and political banter, fall in love. The broad strokes of this story felt so familiar. At one point in my life, I was a Hill staffer who fell for the boy I couldn’t agree with but still found incredibly smart and charming. I wanted to re-live all the feels of young love! But, I was ready to be disappointed for all the same reasons I was drawn to it.
As it turns out, this book was absolutely delightful every step of the way. I laughed out loud for the first time while reading the opening paragraph where our main lady described some of her biggest pet peeves. (Wait, is this book actually about me?) By page two, I was already sharing quotes with one of my besties. About 50 pages in, I forced her to drive to the nearest Barnes and Noble during her wood cabin vacation to pick up a copy. Once I finished it, I bullied multiple friends into dropping everything to read it. Then I decided the only logical next step was to re-read the book, so I did. No regrets. But, I digress.
The quick and dirrrty
Meet You in the Middle is about Kate and Ben. Kate is a southern girl who “dropped her accent but kept her hair.” She’s my kind of gal, idealist, competitive, and high-strung. A legislative assistant for a democratic senator, Kate is working on getting her first bill passed through Congress. Unfortunately, her bill won’t see the Senate floor without some bipartisan support.
In comes Ben, the gorgeous Texas boy and legislative director to the republican senator Kate thinks she can get to support her bill. Ben is witty, arrogant, and perplexing, and also unwilling to support Kate’s legislative agenda. After cringe-worthy first and second encounters, Ben and Kate embark on workplace warfare, but their obsession quickly turns into flirtation.
Devon Daniels debut novel is smart, sexy, and impossible to put down
Both Kate and Ben can be unbearable at times. Kate is intolerant, and Ben gives off weird Christian Grey vibes (without being a sadist.) Both are also so stubborn! But their flaws are unimportant because, as annoying as Kate and Ben can be, their chemistry is OFF THE CHARTS. And, let me add, to say this book is steamy is an understatement. I had to gather myself a few times because my heart wanted to beat out of my chest. Despite Kate and Ben’s (very intentional) character flaws, the story is perfect on all levels.
Devon Daniels is a master storyteller. In Meet You in the Middle, the narrative is flawless, the dialogue is hilarious, and the jokes are smart. Senate buildings’ descriptions felt so real to me even though it’s been years since I’ve walked those hallways. The background details of this political romance are even based on actual events. I devoured every page, even the author’s note and acknowledgments, which is a real testament to how much I wanted to hold on to it.
Meet You in the Middle is a perfectly hilarious and sexy romance that readers will no doubt love. Get it now!
Darienne was 15 when her aunt gave her a copy of Princess by Jean Sasson, and she has been hooked on books ever since. Originally from Puerto Rico and now living in Maryland, she’s always looking to visit new coffee shops and bookstores. Her favorite genres include YA, spicy romcoms, and women’s fiction. Thanks to the Bees, she’s also now obsessed with romantasy series. Other loves include lavender lattes, sassy coffee mugs, sunrises, sleeping in, small-town charm, and big city lights. One day, she’ll write that book that lives in her head.
