Fired for a Beach Video

Ireland Saint James, a dedicated news anchor, returns from a vacation to find herself fired over a topless beach video posted online by a friend. The company's cold, legalistic letter devastates her, stripping away not just her job but her sense of identity and security. Humiliated and angry, she drunkenly emails the company president, Grant Lexington, with a scathing, unfiltered rant. The next morning, regret and panic set in as she realizes the gravity of her actions and the precariousness of her future. The emotional weight of losing her career, financial instability, and the betrayal by her employer and friends leaves Ireland reeling, setting the stage for a story about resilience, pride, and the search for justice and self-worth.

Drunken Emails and Second Chances

Ireland's impulsive, drunken email to Grant is followed by a desperate, sober attempt to apologize and explain her side. Surprisingly, Grant responds with wit and a hint of curiosity, rather than anger. He reviews her personnel file and is struck by her resilience and troubled past, which mirrors his own in some ways. Grant's intrigue grows, and he decides to look deeper into her case, watching her news segments and the infamous video. Rather than dismissing her, he offers a neutral recommendation, but Ireland's fiery response and refusal to be silenced only pique his interest further. Their email exchange becomes a battleground of pride, vulnerability, and unexpected connection, hinting at the chemistry and conflict to come.

Coffee Shop Confessions

Ireland, preparing to collect her things from the office, meets a charming stranger in a coffee shop. Their banter is sharp and flirtatious, with neither revealing their true identities. The stranger, of course, is Grant, who is both amused and impressed by Ireland's candor and wit. They connect over shared frustrations with work and life, and Ireland, feeling a rare spark, agrees to lunch. The encounter is electric, but when Ireland later discovers the man is her boss's boss, she feels betrayed and exposed. The collision of their personal and professional worlds sets off a chain reaction of confrontations, firings, and unexpected opportunities.

Power, Privilege, and Payback

Ireland's return to the office is fraught with humiliation as she faces her sexist, vindictive boss, Bickman, and witnesses her replacement moving into her office. She seizes the moment to call out his misogyny and abuses of power in front of the entire office, earning both enemies and admirers. Grant, witnessing the scene, is forced to reveal his identity to Ireland, leading to a heated confrontation. He then investigates Bickman's conduct, uncovers unethical surveillance, and fires him on the spot. Grant's decisive action not only rights a wrong but also signals a shift in the company's culture and his own willingness to get personally involved.

Negotiations and New Beginnings

Grant offers Ireland her job back, but she refuses to return without negotiating for a raise and advocating for a deserving colleague. Their lunch meeting is a battle of wills, with Ireland demanding respect and Grant matching her wit for wit. They reach a compromise, and Ireland's return is marked by a renewed sense of agency and purpose. The professional tension between them is laced with personal attraction, and both are acutely aware of the boundaries they are testing. Ireland's resilience and Grant's willingness to listen and change set the stage for a relationship built on mutual respect and challenge.

Committee of Coincidence

Grant, unable to stay away from Ireland, invents a women's workplace initiative committee as an excuse to see her. The committee's first meeting is a mix of genuine advocacy and thinly veiled flirtation, with Ireland calling out the blurred lines between business and pleasure. Grant's sister, Kate, sees through his motives, and the company's lack of policy on workplace relationships becomes a point of tension. The committee becomes a microcosm of the larger issues at play: gender, power, and the risks of mixing business with personal longing. Ireland and Grant's dance around each other grows more intimate and dangerous.

Past Shadows, Present Sparks

Both Ireland and Grant are shaped by difficult pasts—her father's crime, his years in foster care, and the loss of his mother. Their attraction is fueled by a sense of recognition and shared pain. Grant's memories of a first love, Lily, and the trauma that followed, cast a long shadow over his ability to trust and love again. Ireland's determination to move forward, despite her scars, inspires Grant to confront his own. Their growing intimacy is marked by vulnerability, humor, and the ever-present risk of heartbreak.

Dance of Attraction

At a company fundraiser, Ireland and Grant's chemistry is on full display as they dance together, exchanging flirtatious banter and meaningful glances. The public setting heightens the tension, as both are aware of the scrutiny and the stakes. Their conversation is playful but loaded, touching on their pasts, desires, and the possibility of something more. The dance floor becomes a metaphor for their relationship: a space where they can be close, but only for a moment, before reality intrudes. The night ends with a detour to Grant's family, revealing his softer side and deepening Ireland's feelings.

Family, Foundations, and Fears

Grant's devotion to his grandparents, his role as a mentor to Leo, and his involvement in his mother's foundation reveal a man who is both caring and deeply wounded. Ireland is drawn to his complexity, but senses the walls he has built around his heart. Their relationship deepens as they share more of themselves, but Grant's reluctance to discuss his past and his fears about love and loss create distance. Ireland's own longing for family and stability is both a source of hope and a potential point of conflict.

The Boat Named Leilani

Grant's boat, Leilani, is both a sanctuary and a symbol of his unresolved grief. He invites Ireland aboard, breaking his rule about not bringing dates to the boat. Their evening is intimate and charged, culminating in a passionate kiss that leaves them both shaken. The boat's name, and Grant's reluctance to discuss its origin, hint at a deeper pain. Ireland senses that the key to understanding Grant lies in the secrets he keeps about his past, and the boat becomes a place where both healing and heartbreak are possible.

Unraveling Secrets

As their relationship intensifies, Ireland learns more about Grant's marriage to Lily and the tragedy that ended it. Grant's confession that he does not want children devastates Ireland, who has always dreamed of a family. Their first night together is passionate and tender, but the revelation of Grant's fears and the reasons behind them cast a pall over their happiness. Ireland is forced to confront the possibility that love may not be enough to bridge the gap between their dreams and their wounds.

The Weight of Grief

Ireland's car accident becomes a catalyst for both to face their fears. As she recovers, she discovers she is pregnant—a twist of fate that brings both hope and terror. Grant, paralyzed by memories of losing his daughter Leilani, withdraws, unable to face the possibility of loving and losing again. Ireland, left alone, must decide whether to fight for their future or let go. The weight of grief threatens to crush them both, but also offers a chance for redemption and new beginnings.

Love, Loss, and Letters

Grant's journey to forgiveness takes him back to the site of his greatest loss and to the psychiatric hospital where Lily is confined. Through conversations with Lily's doctor and his own introspection, Grant realizes that forgiveness is not about excusing the past, but about freeing himself to love again. He writes a final letter to Lily, asking for forgiveness and declaring his intention to move forward with Ireland. The act of letting go becomes an act of love, both for his lost daughter and for the family he hopes to build.

Collision Course

Ireland's car accident is a moment of reckoning for both. Grant's fear of loss is reignited, but so is his realization of how much he loves her. The accident, and the discovery of her pregnancy, force them to confront their deepest fears and desires. Ireland's strength and vulnerability inspire Grant to choose love over fear, and to embrace the possibility of a future together, despite the risks.

Breaking and Healing

After weeks of silence and soul-searching, Grant returns to Ireland, ready to share the truth about Leilani and to ask for another chance. Their reconciliation is raw and honest, marked by tears, confessions, and the decision to build a life together. Grant's willingness to move on from the past, and Ireland's capacity for forgiveness, create a foundation for healing and hope. Together, they begin to imagine a future filled with love, family, and the courage to face whatever comes.

The Heartbeat Decision

Ireland's pregnancy becomes a symbol of both risk and renewal. Grant, once paralyzed by fear, is moved to tears by the sound of their baby's heartbeat. He proposes with a family heirloom, and Ireland accepts, choosing to believe in the possibility of happiness after heartbreak. Their journey is not without pain, but their willingness to be vulnerable and to forgive—both themselves and each other—marks the beginning of a new chapter.

Forgiveness and Forever

Grant and Ireland's story culminates in a celebration of love, family, and the power of second chances. They marry, welcome a child, and open their hearts to the future. Grant's final act of forgiveness—writing to Lily and letting go of the past—frees him to fully embrace the life he has built with Ireland. Their story is a testament to the resilience of the human heart, the necessity of forgiveness, and the beauty that can grow from even the deepest pain.

Characters

Ireland Saint James

Ireland is a talented news anchor whose life is upended by a viral video and a company's harsh response. Her quick wit and refusal to be silenced make her both a formidable adversary and an inspiring protagonist. Haunted by her father's crime and her mother's death, Ireland is driven by a need for stability, justice, and love. Her journey is one of reclaiming agency, demanding respect, and learning to trust again. Her relationship with Grant is marked by equal parts challenge and tenderness, as she pushes him to confront his own wounds while facing her own fears about vulnerability and family.

Grant Lexington

Grant is the wealthy, enigmatic president of Lexington Industries, shaped by a childhood in foster care and the devastating loss of his daughter, Leilani. His exterior is confident and commanding, but beneath lies a man paralyzed by grief and guilt. Grant's attraction to Ireland is immediate and intense, but his fear of loss and inability to forgive himself threaten to sabotage their happiness. His journey is one of learning to let go, to forgive, and to risk loving again. Through Ireland, he discovers the possibility of healing and the courage to build a new family.

Bickman

Bickman is Ireland's sexist, vindictive boss, whose abuses of power and unethical behavior serve as a catalyst for much of the early conflict. His firing by Grant is both a moment of justice and a turning point in the company's culture. Bickman represents the obstacles women face in male-dominated workplaces, and his downfall is a victory for Ireland and for fairness.

Kate Lexington

Grant's sister and a high-ranking executive, Kate is both a confidante and a challenger. She sees through Grant's motives and pushes him to confront his feelings for Ireland. Kate's advocacy for women in the workplace and her willingness to call out her brother's bullshit make her a vital force for change and a source of wisdom.

Lily

Lily is Grant's first love and ex-wife, whose struggle with mental illness and the loss of their daughter, Leilani, haunt Grant's every decision. Her actions are both unforgivable and deeply human, and her presence lingers as a reminder of the fragility of happiness. Lily's story is a cautionary tale about the consequences of untreated trauma and the importance of compassion.

Leo

Leo is Lily's younger brother and Grant's "Little" in a mentorship program. His troubled background and need for stability mirror Grant's own childhood, and his presence in Grant's life is both a source of joy and a reminder of what was lost. Leo's journey from foster care to family is a testament to the power of love and the importance of second chances.

Mia

Mia is Ireland's best friend and roommate, whose humor and honesty provide both support and perspective. She is the voice of reason and the shoulder to cry on, unafraid to call Ireland out or to offer tough love. Mia's own journey to marriage and motherhood parallels Ireland's, and her unwavering loyalty is a constant in a world of uncertainty.

Pops (Grant's Grandfather)

Pops is Grant's grandfather, a boat builder whose wisdom and warmth anchor the family. His struggle with dementia is both heartbreaking and inspiring, and his relationship with Grant is a model of unconditional love. Pops's advice and presence help guide Grant through his darkest moments, reminding him of the importance of forgiveness and the possibility of new beginnings.

Dr. Booth

Lily's psychiatrist, Dr. Booth, plays a crucial role in helping Grant confront his past and move toward forgiveness. His conversations with Grant are marked by empathy and honesty, offering a path to self-acceptance and the courage to love again.

Spuds

Spuds, the golden retriever puppy, is a gift from Grant to Ireland, symbolizing the family and future they are building together. His playful presence is a reminder of the joy and innocence that can be found even after great loss.

Plot Devices

Dual Narration and Alternating Perspectives

The novel alternates between Ireland and Grant's perspectives, allowing readers to experience both the external events and the internal emotional landscapes of the protagonists. This structure creates dramatic irony, as readers are privy to secrets and motivations unknown to the other character, heightening tension and empathy. The dual narration also mirrors the theme of two wounded people learning to see and understand each other, and it allows for a nuanced exploration of gender, power, and vulnerability.

Letters and Emails

Emails, letters, and written confessions serve as pivotal plot devices, from Ireland's drunken email that sets the story in motion to Grant's final letter to Lily. These written communications reveal hidden truths, force confrontations, and provide a means for characters to express what they cannot say aloud. The motif of letters also underscores the importance of communication, forgiveness, and the struggle to move on from the past.

Symbolism of the Boat and the Name Leilani

Grant's boat, Leilani, is both a literal and symbolic space—a place of sanctuary, memory, and unresolved grief. The boat's name, and Grant's reluctance to discuss its origin, serve as a mystery that Ireland must unravel. The act of leaving the boat behind marks Grant's decision to move forward and embrace a new life. The recurring motif of sunsets and sunrises on the boat symbolizes hope, renewal, and the cyclical nature of healing.

Workplace Power Dynamics and Gender Politics

The novel uses Ireland's firing, her battle with Bickman, and the creation of the women's committee to explore issues of sexism, power, and justice in the workplace. These plotlines are not just background—they are integral to Ireland's journey of self-assertion and to Grant's evolution as a leader and partner. The professional stakes heighten the personal ones, and the resolution of these conflicts parallels the characters' emotional arcs.

Foreshadowing and Flashbacks

The story employs flashbacks to Grant's childhood, his relationship with Lily, and the loss of Leilani, gradually revealing the depth of his wounds and the reasons for his fears. Foreshadowing is used to build suspense and to hint at the obstacles the characters will face, particularly around the themes of loss, forgiveness, and the possibility of new beginnings.

Analysis

"Inappropriate" is a contemporary romance that transcends its genre by delving deeply into themes of trauma, forgiveness, and the courage to love after loss. At its core, the novel is about two people who have been shaped—and nearly broken—by their pasts, and who must learn to trust, forgive, and risk vulnerability in order to build a future together. The story is unflinching in its portrayal of grief, mental illness, and the messy realities of love, but it is also suffused with humor, hope, and the belief in second chances. Through its dual narration, sharp dialogue, and rich symbolism, the novel explores the ways in which power, gender, and personal history intersect, both in the workplace and in the heart. The lessons are clear: healing is possible, but it requires honesty, courage, and the willingness to let go of the past. The book's ultimate message is that love is not about perfection or certainty, but about the daily choice to show up, to forgive, and to believe in the possibility of happiness—even, and especially, when it seems most inappropriate.

Last updated: October 20, 2025