Good book, though the blurb isn't quite right. Yes, Sophie is determined to land the guy she has her eye on, and yes, she is friends with Mason. But she doesn't enlist his help to get Thom to notice her, she just talks to him as a friend and tells him things. What she doesn't know is that Mason is interested in her for himself.

Sophie is the youngest in the family and used to following her father's guidelines - set a goal and then achieve it through hard work and confidence. She just needs to find a way to get Thom's attention. Once she does, she is sure that the relationship will progress just as she envisions it. After all, she's sure that he's her Mr. Right. She is so focused on what she believes that she doesn't see the type of man that he really is. She also doesn't see what is right in front of her.

Mason is a really nice guy. He's been interested in Sophie for a long time, but a) she's the boss's daughter, and b) he's just one of the programmers and an ordinary guy. He doesn't think she'd be interested in him. But he also can't stand the idea of Sophie being hurt by a guy like Thom.

Sophie sees Mason as a friend, someone who is easy to talk to. Mason knows that Thom is not the man she thinks he is, but also knows that telling her so will only make her dig in her heels. I thought she was a little silly, fixating on Thom because of his looks and popularity, without looking deeper. She was so excited about their first date, and it turned out so differently than she expected. She was so stubbornly determined that it took several more dates before she realized the truth about him. In the meantime, Mason is there when she needs someone to talk to. He always seems to know just what she needs. It isn't long before she discovers she'd rather spend time with Mason than with Thom. Why is it that an unexpected kiss from Mason is far superior to the one she got from Thom? But seeing the problems in her parents' marriage has made her wonder if something that good can last.

I loved Mason's patience. He listens to her go on about her plans with/for Thom without telling her what an idiot she's being. He's sweet and kind and sensitive to her moods. I loved the way he came through for her on Valentine's Day. He did not expect the sparks to suddenly burst into flame with her. I also felt he was a little too understanding about her fear of looking ridiculous by switching her focus to him so quickly. His frustration at the secrecy of their relationship was understandable, and I was not surprised that he finally blew up. He was also a bit insecure in their relationship, finding it hard to believe that she could love a man like him. I loved the ending and how both of them admitted their fears and feelings.

Also running through the story is the issue of Sophie's father and the illegitimate children that are coming to light. She is having a hard time dealing with it. Her own fears and insecurities cause her to behave like a brat to one of her newly discovered siblings. She also doesn't understand her mother's attitude, and begins to suspect that she has her own reasons for putting up with what is happening. Sophie becomes determined to find out her mother's secrets. ( )