9 to 5 MEMORANDUM To: Lindsay From: Danial McKinley Subject: CHRISTMAS IS CANCELED! Lindsay couldn't believe it. She was working on a major deal—with a very important client. Daniel McKinley. But Daniel was a workaholic and, even though it was almost Christmas, he insisted Lindsay drop everything and spend the holidays with him…talking business! In fact, Lindsay shouldn't have been surprised. Three years ago, she'd dared suggest there was more to life than making money—and Daniel had fired her! But this deal was vital. She'd have to negotiate with Daniel—under the mistletoe if need be! As it turned out, Daniel had some unexpectedly romantic notions about how to spend winter nights with Lindsay…. "The suspense and tension Kathleen O'Brien creates all but jumps off the pages." —Romantic Times

キャスリーン・オブライエンが描く本作の真髄は、冷徹なビジネスの世界と、燃え上がるような情動の鮮烈な対比にあります。かつて自分を解雇した宿敵との再会という劇的な舞台装置を通じ、著者は成功の定義を読者に厳しく問い直します。単なる恋愛物語を超え、野心と心の安らぎの狭間で揺れる現代人の孤独を、張り詰めた緊張感の中で鮮やかに浮き彫りにしています。 言葉の応酬に秘められた沈黙や、ヤドリギの下で繰り広げられる心理的な駆け引きは、魂の救済を求める切実な祈りのようです。理性で固めた防波堤が、冬の夜の親密な空気によって崩れ去る瞬間の描写は圧巻であり、読者は忘れかけていた情熱を突きつけられるでしょう。仕事に捧げた日々の果てに、本当の居場所を見出すプロセスこそが、本作が放つ普遍的で文学的な輝きなのです。