Startup Hell by Caitlin Rozakis
Morgan has a legendary demon hunter for a mother, but alas, inherited none of her family's magical aptitude. That leaves her stuck in a job she doesn't love, trying to get her foot in the door of the business world in search of a career she can feel passionate about. Working late, she finds her boss dead and the demon he summoned standing in his office--looking just as confused as Morgan feels.
Morgan would just as soon send the demon Lucareoth, Luke for short, back to the infernal plane, if only she knew how. Calling her mother for help is out; she is more likely to dispatch the demon than help him, while managing to be disappointed in her daughter at the same time. What follows is a series of missteps involving collecting souls, managing family dysfunction, and navigating corporate goals that change from minute to minute.
The story is a send-up of corporate culture that is oddly reflected in both worlds. It turns out neither of them is setting the world on fire in their respective jobs, but there is a slow-burn romantic flame between the two. Morgan has the world's kindest and most understanding roommate, Gisele, so they offer Luke a place to crash while they figure things out. Morgan first manages to make things worse, putting her own soul in jeopardy. Now she's stuck helping Luke evaluate her coworkers. Maybe one of them has a soul that could be put to better use.
Morgan is an interesting character whose lack of direction and feelings of inadequacy feel genuine, whether that comes from her family or internally. Luke is a likeable character trapped in a job and a culture he doesn't enjoy. Seeing the world through his eyes makes him even more enjoyable. Gisele is genuinely charming and brightens up the page every time she appears. The slow-burn romance between Morgan and Luke is very mild. Morgan's coworkers, with one or two exceptions, are fairly one-dimensional.
While the main characters are enjoyable, the amount of time spent in Morgan's workplace sometimes halts the momentum. The corporate world of tech startups is definitely soul-sucking, filled with lots of jargon, confusing lack of direction, and murky goals. While I don't doubt this is accurate, it's also not very entertaining. Too much time spent in this world really slows the pace and drags the middle of the book down. Morgan's lack of direction and search for a career she feels passionate about is understandable, but it doesn't feel like she's grown all that much from the beginning of the book until the end. She has some more confidence and a better understanding of her mother, but seems almost as driftless as when she started.
Caitlin Rozakis is a talented writer and has a deft touch at blending humor, romance, and action. Contrasting the tedious bureaucracy and pressure to succeed in Luke's job with Morgan's own office is particularly funny. A great start, entertaining characters, and a satisfying finale with plenty of action, surprises, and catharsis is underserved by the slow middle portion of the book. Still a fun read!
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.
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