Risky Business: A Novel

When tech founder Jess Cole is struggling to gain funding for her company, she begins to wonder if it’s because she’s a woman in the male-dominated tech industry—especially due to a former incident and subsequent NDA that’s been following her for years. In an act of financial desperation, she applies to a competition for start-ups using her twin brother Spencer’s name, pretending to be a man. To her surprise, it works! As though she’s discovered the ultimate industry cheat code, Jess and Spencer are invited into the exclusive world of Tech Rumble, an annual innovation competition hosted on the world’s stage by tech darling Dominic Orsino. 

Spencer, an out-of-work actor, must pretend to be the CEO, and Jess must become his loyal “assistant,” Violet. Spencer is thrust into the limelight; charming Dominic and the competition judges but making promises Jess can’t keep—or afford.

“Violet” is introduced to the handsome Oliver, a fellow assistant who shows her how to let her hair down and enjoy life outside the pressures of her job. But she soon discovers falling for Oliver is riskier than any mistake Spencer has made.

During wild nights with Oliver in Rome, secret rendezvous in Paris, and luxurious parties in Vienna, Jess must navigate the competition and try to stay on top of her lies, especially when someone from her past comes sniffing around, putting her ruse at risk.

A nod to the early 2000s Shakespeare adaptations, this twist on The Twelfth Night is a fast-paced steamy ride from start to finish!

Tropes:

• meet cute
• one-night stand turns to more
• heroine in disguise
• mistaken identity