Carly, Jules and Lucy are three best friends from school days and now run a successful party planning business, which business man Ricardo is interested in a takeover. Carly is so likeable for her fortitude, innocence and sweet caring nature. Carly's manipulative adoptive parents makes for frustrating reading but her indomitable spirit keeps her bouncing back. Ricardo has been deliberately obnoxious towards Carly thanks to being influenced by discredible character slurs from the despicable Nick, married to Lucy. But once Ricardo and Carly become romantically involved, it is Ricardo that releases Carly from her mistaken belief that she owes her adoptive parents - look for this VERY nicely written scene.The villain of the story, Nick is a classic leering creep from slumsville who married Lucy, suspiciously for Lucy's trust fund which finances Pret a Party. He is a danger to the business with the sleazy events he braggingly brings in and is also mis-handling the business funds. It's a pleasure to read Carly's immediate responses and her thorough considerations for her friend Lucy, but not backing off from the responsibility of dealing with Nicks's fraud.A great moment is when Carly's friend,Sarah, prevents a potential public humiliation by snooty model, Marilla. This creates humble pie for Ricardo who previously dis-believed Carly about her stolen luggage and this lends to more interesting confrontations.Best h comeback to H - `You accused me of being a gold-digger. But what you are, Ricardo, is far, far worse. You used me. You let me believe that you cared about me, that you loved me, when all the time what you really wanted was the business'. Indomitable spirit indeed and a great HEAI held my breath on the first read, genuine enjoyed the second read - highly recommended.