Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey

Dec 31

Dec 31 Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey

I really enjoyed this. It’s sweet and warm and a little steamy, but overall, it’s a story about second chances and leaps of faith. Faith in someone else, but more importantly, in yourself.

Originally, I saw this as an office romance, yet upon closer inspection, it’s really more of a love-at-first-sight story. It’s just set in a work environment. Aiden is the general manager and technically owner of Vivant and Stella is the girl of his dreams, who’s just been released from prison, looking for a fresh start. She never in a million years could have believed she’d land her dream job as a window dresser for such an upscale store. But this is an opportunity of a lifetime, and Stella isn’t going to pass this up. She just hopes she doesn’t screw up.

Aiden is a nice guy, who always follows the rules and tries to please everyone. Until he meets Stella. Don’t get me wrong, the nice guy didn’t leave, but the heated desire has kicked up a notch. True to his nature, Aiden does everything by the book. He interviews Stella properly and gives her the job on a trial basis. And he won’t engage in a relationship with her without signing some paperwork. Yet his libido and his heart tell him to screw all that and screw her. What a predicament he has put himself in.

But Aiden isn’t the only one. Stella needs to do good at this job and not jeopardize her new start. That’s easier said than done when your hot boss, who’s clearly into her, has to save her after she locked herself in the store window. And she somehow ended up in his office with her legs wrapped around his waist. Stella knows it could never work between them. Aiden is good and decent and a rule follower, and Stella is a bad girl in recovery. Plus, a blast from her past keeps calling and she doesn’t know if she can ignore it. However, Stella feels safe and warm and cared for when she’s with Aiden. She can tell he’d be good for her as she transitions into this new life. Would it be so bad to try?

I liked that we got a nice guy who wasn’t trying to abuse his power or use his niceness to get what he wants. Aiden was truly conflicted over doing the right thing or having his cake and eating it too. Throughout most of their interactions, he checked in with Stella to make sure he wasn’t abusing his power. He wanted to be sure she was with him because she wanted to be, not because she felt she owed him. But I also liked how flawed he was too. That his niceness stemmed from trying to gain his family’s acceptance. He just wanted them to be proud of him.

And we saw this paralleled with Stella as well. Stella did do the crime and now, she just wanted to show her parents that she’d changed and make them proud. But old habits die hard. Stella still felt like the old version of herself, especially when Nicole called. Stella still felt beholden to that friendship, even though it’s what landed her in jail. Stella struggled to set boundaries, both with Nicole and Aiden, but ultimately, she stood firm and learned to be this new version of herself. In the end, Stella embraced her second chance as well as Aiden and lived happily.

Though the novel tends to wrap everything in a bow at the end, it is still a wonderful read. The characters are realistic and you can really feel the conflict swirling inside both Aiden and Stella. Aiden is nice, but it’s not cringey, and Stella is reformed but unsure. We get to see growth between these two together as well as individually.

Window Shopping is exactly what I needed this holiday season. A warm yet steamy read that makes you believe in love and second chances, while tackling the issues of family, friendship and faith in oneself. Window Shopping is a pleasure and a joy with an important message: trust yourself, but also, be true to yourself.