Learning Curves: A Novel of Sex, Suits and Business Affairs
by Gemma Townley
Published by Ballantine Books
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Reviewed by Andrea Sisco
Jennifer Bell has a game plan for her life but getting a M.B.A. was never a part of that plan. Jennifer is the daughter of George and Harriet who divorced years ago. They didn't always get along when they were married and definitely don't get along since their divorce. And to add to the troubling family issues, the parents have vastly different political beliefs.
Harriet is a liberal environmentalist who runs the firm Green Futures. The business is hemorrhaging cash but Harriet is in denial. Jen works for her demanding and omnipotent mother and has been estranged from her father for many years. George runs Bell Consulting.
Jen's mother is convinced that George is involved in a corruption scam in Indonesia and convinces Jen to go "undercover" at her father's firm in order to prove her beliefs. It's difficult to deny Harriet anything, so Jen begins an M.B.A. program at her father's company to find the proof her mother needs in order to implicate him in the corruption ring.
All good plans have problems and Jen's begin when her father discovers her in a closet at the firm's offices. They begin the process of reconciling and it appears that George is not the ogre Harriet believes he is. Or is he?
While working at Bell Consulting, Jen meets Daniel Person who is an executive and M.B.A. lecturer. He's handsome and clever and there is a mutual attraction. But life interferes, as usual, and there are miscommunications and misunderstandings that keep the couple apart.
When Bell Consulting is implicated publicly in a bribery scandal, Jen must decide who is telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Townley has written a quirky, fast-paced and fun romp with Jen at the helm. As her life takes more than a few twists and turns on the journey to truth, we root for the good guys (and there are a few), and we can't wait for the bad guys to get their comeuppance.
Armchair Interviews says: Learning Curves is a fun ride and you'll chuckle all the while you're on it.