I was a little trepidacious when I started The Intern Affair. It sounded like it would hit on many of the dreaded “only in a romance novel” clichés; with a heroine who was given up for adoption by her mother (and was now working for her, and in disguise no less) it was bound to feature secrets and lies galore. It ended up being better than I’d hoped. Sure, there are some misunderstandings, but the book’s just not long enough for any of them to figure prominently. It ends up as more of a workplace romance, with an intern heroine who falls for her boss.

Jessie Clayton came to New York with two purposes in mind. She’s always had an interest in fashion, so a position at the prestigious Elliott fashion magazine, Charisma, is right up her alley. Jessie also has a secret: Charisma’s editor in chief, Finola Elliott, is her biological mother. Jessie has seen her name on a website that unites birth parents with their offspring, so she is pretty sure that Finola would be open to contact. But she still feels that she needs to snoop around a bit and test the waters before she reveals her identity. Jessie looks quite a bit like Finola, and shares her unique green eyes. She takes care to put her hair up in a severe bun and wears shaded glasses that obscure her eye color.

Jessie’s plans to observe Finola from afar appear to be in jeopardy when her boss, Cade McMann, offers her a coveted position as a shadow intern. She’ll get to follow Finola everywhere, attending meetings, lunches, and events just as she does. It would be a dream come true, if only Jessie weren’t so afraid of discovery. Initially, she turns Cade down flat – which makes him pretty suspicious. He decides to date Jessie, partly because he’s always been attracted to her, but also because he’d like to get to the bottom of her secrets.

The date ends up going a little too well, lasting the entire weekend. Both Cade and Finola are attracted to each other, and they seem poised for a serious relationship. But then things go awry. Cade mishandles the shadow internship situation, which irritates Jessie. When he comes to her apartment to explain, he overhears her talking to her dad, and completely misunderstands her side of the conversation. He wants to believe she is the bright, innocent girl he fell in love with, but it really sounds as if she’s a heartless schemer – and possibly a corporate spy. Jessie doesn’t feel that she can tell him the truth about her parentage yet; she needs to be sure of her own feelings about Finola, and she also wants Finola to know before she tells anyone else. Cade can sense that she’s hiding something. Meanwhile, competition between the Elliott magazines is heating up as the year is nearing its close. Family functions are awkward enough, so Jessie wonders whether it’s really a good time to reveal her Elliott ancestry.

Jessie has appeared in one or two of the earlier books, and it was obvious from the get-go that Finola was her mother. The fact that none of the other characters already realized this probably just means none of them has read enough romance novels. Fortunately, all of the resulting misunderstandings are cleared up quickly. It’s a 180 page book, so no one really has the option of brooding or staying angry for long. Surprisingly, I found myself in sympathy with Cade much of the time, even when he was angry with Jessie. Though he does jump to conclusions, they are reasonable ones. Jessie is hiding something; it’s just not what he thinks it is.

As a hero and heroine, Jessie and Cade are basically likable. Jessie is young (she kind of has to be, because Finola gets her own book in a couple of months), but she and Cade share similar interests. The love scenes are also detailed and well-written, and they move the story forward in a natural way. They do have sex very early in their relationship, and both of them feel the consequences of that.

Overall, it’s a pleasant enough read. Any annoyances are short lived, and the book connects well with others in the series. But it’s also just a little too predictable, with a course that is more than a little obvious. That made it just a little above average for me. But if you’ve kept up with the series, you’ll want to read this one.