Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Pink Heart Society Reviews - UPDATE

The Pink Heart Society Reviews is no longer accepting
books for review.

But we're not going away completely! The PHS has joined forces with Marilyn's Romance Reviews!

For Pink Heart Society category romance reviews, visit us on the main Pink Heart Society blog beginning Sunday, March 6, as Marilyn Shoemaker gives us the highlights from Marilyn's Romance Reviews!

Monday, February 28, 2011

RUTHLESS BOSS, DREAM BABY (uk) / GRAY QUINN’S BABY (North America)


Author: Susan Stephens
Line: Mills and Boon Modern / Harlequin Presents
Release month: NA: Gray Quinn's Baby – February 2011
UK: Ruthless Boss, Dream Baby – January 2011
The S-Factor: Sizzling

Back Blurb:

Magenta knows having a new employer might be tricky. But she isn't expecting the old-fashioned ruthlessness of Gray Quinn! However, plucky Magenta is up for the challenge, and tries to beat the distractingly gorgeous Quinn at his own game….

Quinn is no New Man—he wants temptingly innocent Magenta in his bedroom, not the boardroom. But he can make her no promises. He'll give her the night of her life, but he might not be there when she wakes up…. And he definitely doesn't want her taking maternity leave!

Review: ♥♥♥♥ 1/2

Gray Quinn’s Baby a fantasy read? Maybe, but one incredible journey with two strong characters that were meant to be together and written by the fabulous Susan Stephens.

When I read some of Susan’s posts at I(Heart)Presents and at The Pink Heart Society concerning Gray Quinn's Baby and that it would involve dreams and being transported back into the 60’s I wondered how the author would connect the past with the present. Quite well I must say and introducing the heroine Magenta Steele a top ad exec to her new boss Gray Quinn who was the new owner of her father’s firm. He was one sexy, well built and handsome man who rode in on a vintage motorcycle and somewhat rescued her by taking her home due to her broken down car.

Determined to impress him and make her 9:00 am meeting the next day, Magenta went back to the office, fell asleep and began to dream, not of the present but was transported back into the past, the 1960’s and of course, who was her boss? Gray Quinn and she was working as his admin, making his coffee, listening to the men on the “team” making sexist jokes about women in the office and treating them as if they didn’t have a brain in their heads.

I quite enjoyed reading this romance, a blast from the past plus one hot love story! Magenta herself was an interesting heroine, all business, no pleasure because she didn’t think she would ever measure up to any man. She was very inexperienced, buttoned-up and a workaholic. When she realized she was back in the 60’s she was determined to make a difference, especially for the women in the typing pool because they had ideas, good ones and they deserved to be recognized and receive praise. She was passionate about it and she pitched her team of fellow co-workers to Gray Quinn and he bought into it. However, he wanted more from Magenta, he wanted her in his bed and there she stayed. It was a magnificent time for them both but she worried she would have to leave him and go back to the 21st Century.

Gray and Magenta enjoyed their time together and he liked her ideas. However, always in the back of her mind, was when would the dream be over and when would she wake up? All she could think of was “sometimes in dreams as in life, you had to settle for what you had” and she really wanted Gray. However, like all things she was abruptly returned back to the present day along with a heart broken.

How would the past meet the future? It was her new boss Gray Quinn who not only woke her from her dream, he was the very same Gray from the past, the biker bad boy who at her first meeting she felt silly because she thought she had met her soul mate. The attraction was mutual, it was crazy and some times bordered on coincidence and she wasn’t sure if she was still dreaming or actually back in London working at Steele Design.

Susan Stephens was brilliant the way she tied everything together from their first meeting in the car park, to their immediate attraction for each other and then being transported back into the 60’s with the very same man. Then to fall in love and abruptly return to the present only to find out that Gray Quinn, her new boss was the man of her dreams. It was fate, Kismet all wrapped into one lovely wonderful love story and such an incredible blend of fantasy tied into the present.

Please see the Behind the Book the book at the end of this review for more insight into the creation of the storyline.

Hero Hotness Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Heroine Lovability Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Awww Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Stickability Factor ♥♥♥♥♥
Weepy Factor♥♥♥
Reviewed by: Marilyn

Behind the book:

Post at I(Heart)Presents
Additional post at I(Heart)Presents

Saturday, February 26, 2011

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE - Natalie Anderson

Author: Natalie Anderson
Line: RIVA / Harlequin Presents Extra
Release month: UK - Feb 11 ; US - Apr 11 ; OZ/NZ - Mar 11
The S-Factor: Sexy

Back Blurb:

One crazy afternoon on the beach...

A fling with sinfully hot champion snowboarder Jack Greene isn't Kelsi Reid's normal behaviour... but one glimpse of his wicked blue eyes has Kelsi throwing caution to the deep blue sea (along with her clothes!). After all, who better to go crazy with than a man who deserves a gold medal for his prowess on the slopes and in the bedroom...?

Then Kelsi crashes down with a terrifying bump - of the baby kind. They couldn't be worse matched - Jack is Mr Right-Now, while Kelsi craves stability. But it's hard to keep your feet on the ground once you've met the man who turns your world upside down...

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

They were so different from each other, he handsome, rich and charismatic and a professional snow boarder. She quirky, creative, somewhat of a loner and they met in the most bizarre way. Kelsi Reid literally hit him with her car, and after talking to each other, Jack Greene talked her into spending the day together at the beach. Explosive is what I would say happened next, they made mad passionate love and her life changed on that day forever!. Walk on the Wild Side was a most amazing and out of the box romance by the very talented Natalie Anderson.

Kelsi Reid was an interesting heroine. She worked as a web designer, worked extremely hard, and as a reward, her co-workers got together and treated her to a day at the spa. Instead, she spent the day with a very sexy man. She also lived alone away from the mother she adored. She didn’t trust men, thanks to her father who had left her mother for another woman. Her mother was so proud of Kelsi and that meant the world to her. As for her father, well let’s just say he had let her down by favoring his second wife and daughter. Kelsi never measured up to his expectations because she thought she wasn’t pretty enough and for other reasons, her father he never gave her his time. She had red curly hair, freckles, pale skin, and she disguised her looks with clothes and colored contacts. However, Jack found her attractive and he appreciated her personality. And then Jack left because he wanted to follow his own dreams and that was to train and get his gold metal. Besides what would he want with a girl like her? Kelsi thought?

Kelsi was an interesting woman and Jack was attracted to her, so much so he couldn’t get her or their lovemaking out of his head or forget their day at the beach. Yes, he was popular with the ladies but something about her intrigued him. She was different and besides that, he had the greatest sex in his life. One thing was for sure, he wanted to see her again and sleep with her again.  However, one thing bothered him, because they made love in the ocean he wondered if she could possibly be pregnant?

Kelsi, was renting a room in an old home which was about to be sold. No roommates, she lived alone so she was surprised when Jack showed up on her doorstep. She was also surprised when he suggested she might be pregnant…….actually she was shocked. So when he demanded she take a test she was absolutely floored to find it positive! He was like a steam roller, he bought her large home, moved in, cooked for her, tempted her, taunted her and drove her crazy. He wanted her like no other woman and so did she and it drove them both crazy until they finally satisfied their urges. However, it made everything worse because they couldn’t deny their emotions for each other. On top of that was the pressure for Kelsi to tell her mother and the possibility of disappointing her.

Like Kelsi’s mom, Jack’s father had given up his dreams. At childbirth, Jack’s mother had passed away and he had to revamp his life for his son. Jack was worried about Kelsi being so petite, just like his mother. Taking over her life didn’t even describe it, especially when he insisted on moving in and then he broke her heart when he told her he was leaving to follow his dream.  Was he being selfish?  Did they even have a chance to find happiness together?

The ending chapters were so amazing because each of Natalie’s characters learned so much about each other and themselves. A man used to his freedom, fame and fortune was transformed due to his feelings for this amazing and interesting woman. As for Kelsi, let’s just say she learned to love and trust and give up on the past hurts thanks to her father. Walk on the Wild Side you won’t want to miss and I can certainly see why Mills and Boon chose this particular romance as their Book of the Month.

Hero Hotness Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Heroine Lovability Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Awww Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Stickability Factor ♥♥♥♥♥
Weepy Factor♥♥
Reviewed by: Marilyn

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Review: Hired by Her Husband - Anne McAllister


Title: Hired by Her Husband
Author: Anne McAllister
Line: Harlequin Presents
Release Date: February 2011
The S-Factor: Sensuous


Back-Blurb:


Once, Sophy and George Savas were happily married...Then Sophy woke up and realized that her blissful marriage was a sham. She's never looked back - until the day she learns her husband has been critically injured, and her world is shaken.


Now, though he's stubborn and proud. George wants Sophy's help. He knows she won't come willingly, so he hires her to be his wife for as long as he needs her! But playing happy families is dangerous, and soon George realizes that his need for Sophy runs deep and strong!


Review:

I adore Anne McAllister's books! Her novels for Harlequin Presents have all the drama, passion and emotion which readers expect from the line, but she peppers her stories with a wonderful sense of humour that will have readers laughing and crying in equal measures.

In Hired by Her Husband, Sophy McKinnon gets the shock of her life when she gets a phone call asking for a Mrs. Savas. Sophy hasn't been called by that name for four years - ever since her marriage to George Savas had broken down, after she had realized that he had married her out of duty and not love. Although she had tried to move on with her life and start afresh, Sophy had never forgotten George and when she is informed that her estranged husband has been in an accident that could have had fatal consequences, Sophy drops everything and rushes off to be by George's side.

George had been devastated when Sophy had walked out on him. Now that Sophy has come back into his life, he is not about let her walk out again. He knows that Sophy will use any excuse to avoid talking about their past, so when his doctor tells him that he needs someone to care for him during his recuperation period, George hires Sophy!

Sophy is initally reluctant to take the job, but she has got no other choice. She is adamant that this is only going to be a temporary arrangement, and that when George is back on his feet, they would go back to their lives on different sides of the country. But, old feelings and buried passions quickly begin to resurface...

Will it be second time lucky for George and Sophy? Or will past fears and old skeletons condemn them to a lonely life?

Hired by Her Husband is a tender, passionate and wholly gripping page-turner from this talented storyteller! Anne McAllister never fails to deliver a hugely satisfying read that will leave readers entranced from start to finish and Hired by Her Husband is no exception. As always, her characterization is spot on. Her heroine, Sophy, is strong and feisty and George is a sexy brooding hero who manages to be an Alpha male without any of the typical annoying traits which these heroes sometimes have.

Heartwarming, funny and engrossing, with Hired by Her Husband, Anne McAllister has penned another winner!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Review: Rebel with a Cause - Natalie Anderson


Title: Rebel with a Cause
Author: Natalie Anderson
Line: Harlequin Presents Extra
Release Date: February 2011


Back-Blurb:

Office gossip!

It's well known that rugged tycoon Lorenzo Hall comes from the wrong side of the tracks, and that opposite attract...Apparently one glimpse of his pristine new assistant Sophy Braithwaite had Lorenzo itching to undress her - we wonder if she's as prim and proper as she looks!
Of course, to Sophy, her smouldering boss should be off-limits, but it's easy to see how Lorenzo's criminally hot body and the dangerous twinkle in his eyes could tempt her to break all the rules...



Review:
A sexy, flirty and feel-good contemporary romance, Rebel with a Cause is the spectacular new novel by USA Today best-selling author Natalie Anderson!
Sophy Braithwaite comes from a long line of successful lawyers whose skills in the courtroom are absolutely legendary. Generation after generation of Braithwaites have passed the bar and become a force to be reckoned with in the legal world. Not Sophy. Sophy has never shown the slightest bit of interest in the law and has become an office assistant with a secret passion for jewelry design.

Sophy's skills in the office are just as legendary as her family's legal prowess, but she is not going to spend the rest of her life working within the stifling confines of an office. Sophy has great plans for the future and hopes to make her dream of becoming a jewelry designer a reality. But first she must earn some serious money so that she can get the ball rolling. However, not even Sophy, could have foreseen the direction which her life was going to take...

She's just accepted a job working as an assistant to rugged playboy Lorenzo Hall - and prim and proper Sophy cannot help but be floored by her sexy new boss. Lorenzo is like no other man she has met before and, despite vowing to keep things strictly professional, she soon finds herself falling for her boss!

Lorenzo doesn't do commitment. He had tried it once and had failed dismally - and even though he cannot stop thinking about Sophy, he vows to keep their relationship casual. But when he starts losing his heart to her, will Lorenzo be brave enough to tell Sophy that he loves her? Or will his fears condemn him to a lonely life?

The pages just turn themselves when reading Rebel with a Cause! Natalie Anderson has written a fabulous romantic tale that sizzles with explosive chemistry, steamy love scenes, heart-wrenching intensity and breathtaking emotion. This talented New Zealand writer has made a name for herself by writing red-hot romances with heart that put a fresh spin on old favourites and Rebel with a Cause is sure to leave readers everywhere spellbound as they find themselves enthralled by this powerful, uplifting and highly enjoyable romantic story!

REVIEW: SINGLE DAD'S TRIPLE TROUBLE - FIONA LOWE




Title: Single Dad's Triple Trouble
Author: Fiona Lowe
Line: Mills and Boon Medical Romance
Release Date: February 2011
The S-Factor: Sweet




Back-Blurb:



Three little miracles!

Single dad Dr. Gabe Lewis is a single dad...to triplets! But Gabe's adorable tots are triple the trouble - when it comes to simple things like babies' bathtime this brilliant doctor meets his match. He knows someone who could help - someone really special who has recently reentered his life.

But Gabe once broke Dr. Elly Ruddock's heart in two - might he perform another miracle by mending it again with the help of his mischevious trio

Review:

Fiona Lowe's latest Medical Romance, Single Dad's Triple Trouble, is a charming, heartwarming and spellbinding tale that is sure to satisfy readers everywhere!

Dr. Elly Ruddock and Dr. Gabe Lewis' relationship had been rock solid. They were good-looking, successful, extremely skilled and blissfully in love. Elly had thought that she and Gabe had a future together - a future involving a family. However, Gabe had shocked her to her very core when he had announced that he had no intention of having kids with her. Upset, flabbergasted and determined not to continue to live a lie, Elly had decided to stop seeing Gabe, and she had fled her old life and taken up a position working at a small Tasmanian practice in the town of Midden Cove.

Forgetting a man like Gabe is not easy, but Elly knows that she cannot continue to live in the past. She's doing her best to move on with her life, and luckily for her, she's got a great job, has made a few friends - and has even started dating....although Elly is dismayed that no man seems to match up to Gabe.

Gabe had never forgotten Elly - nor had he ever forgiven himself for letting her slip through his fingers. An error of judgment had compelled him to make a decision that had serious consequences...triplets! Having to juggle three demanding babies with a challenging career is no walk in the park, so he is looking forward to taking some time out and relaxing at his parent's house in Midden Cove.

The last person Gabe is expecting to bump into is Elly! Yet, when he claps eyes on her again, old feelings return and passions reawaken. But has too much water gone under the bridge for the two of them to have a future together?

Single Dad's Triple Trouble is a terrific read! Tender, believable, realistic and poignant, Fiona Lowe has written a romantic, heartwrenching and hugely enjoyable Medical Romance that will keep readers blissfully turning the pages.

As always, her characters are exceptional. Elly is a strong, modern and sensitive heroine and Gabe - and his adorable brood - are gorgeous.

A fabulous read that kept me reading late into the night, Single Dad's Triple Trouble is another unmissable romantic treat from Fiona Lowe!

Saturday, February 19, 2011

MILLIONAIRE-DOLLAR AMNESIA SCANDAL – Rachel Bauley


Author: Rachel Bailey
Line: Silhouette Desire
Release month: UK: / North America: February 2011
AU/NZ:  March 2011
The S-Factor: Sizzling

Back Blurb:

An accident left April Fairchild with no memory, ownership of a multimillion-dollar hotel and the nagging sense something wasn't quite right in her life. It also brought her intensely sexy businessman Seth Kentrell, whose late brother had left her the property. Seth believed her a gold digger—and how could April deny it, when she couldn't even remember her name? Now Seth was ready to play hardball to get the hotel back.

But April knew enough to refuse to sign over the property until her memory returned. And if that meant Seth needed to persuade her…well, that was something she could enjoy! At least until the whole truth came out….

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

Million-Dollar Amnesia Scandal was an incredible blend of passion and gripping emotions. Seth Kentrell was the “total package” He was a ruthless and sexy billionaire and was determined to get his Lighthouse Hotel back!

One met his half brother Ryder Bramson in The Billionaire’s Beck and Call so I couldn’t wait to read Seth’s story. Truth, lies and seduction all rolled into one! There was one thing for sure, Seth had lost his brother Jesse who died in a car accident. But he also had a problem, the woman April Fairchild travelling with Jesse somehow got her hands on one of his hotels and he wanted it back but she couldn’t remember their deal because she was suffering amnesia from the accident.

There was only one way he could get his hands on the Lighthouse Hotel and that was to keep the beautiful April close, so when she was released from the hospital he picked her up and drove them both to the property. She felt safe with Seth and she knew he would do the right thing but she wanted her memory to return, she wanted to remember why this hotel meant so much to her. April also knew Seth was dangerous because there was a mutual attraction between them and would he use this against her?

April couldn’t even remember her own mother who was also her agent. She was told she owned Fairchild Creative which was her own label and recording studio. From the age of 13 she had launched a career as a very successful jazz singer and piano player. However, she signed over her home and studio to Jesse Kentrell in exchange for one of the hotels owned by Bramson Holdings.

Seth couldn’t loose the Lighthouse Hotel, it would mean he could loose his inheritance. Seth and his brother Jesse were the illegitimate sons of Warner Bramson and now that Jesse was gone that meant that he and his half brother Ryder owned the shares but would they be enough for Seth to gain control of the board? He wasn’t going to let Ryder Bramson get control nor JT Hartley, the other man claiming he was also an illegitimate son of Warner’s. This hotel meant the world to him, it reminded him of the family vacations they took to the hotel. Even though he felt the attraction to April, he was not going to let her win but he couldn’t deny that he wanted her in his bed. Of course, all of this passion between them, in the end I wondered who would suffer, Seth or April or possibly both of them? Would getting his hotel back be more important than having April in his life?

Seth didn’t want to want her but he did. However, he wasn’t going to be weak like his brother Jesse who had in the past tried to impress the opposite sex and was always trying to be the big man around women. Nor was he going to be foolish like his mother who had been the public mistress for 32 years to his father. He wanted his relationships simple, but he couldn’t deny the fact that he wanted April and that made him angry with himself. As for April, she wondered if he was trying to seduce her to get his hotel back. Talk about a mess. Add to the mix because she didn’t have her memory back, had she slept with his brother Jesse? She honestly didn’t know so that put them at odds. Even with those obstacles, I wanted this couple together not only because of their hot passion, I just knew they would be perfect together.

Seth Kentrell actually believed that “nothing good ever came from love and commitment.” His father had taught him that every time he left his mother crying because he was going to visit his “other” family. I remember from reading Ryder’s story, that he felt the very same. It caused me to wonder how they would work out their respective ownership in their father’s company and would this supposed new brother appear on the scene? Talk about a bizarre family plus the fact that Seth desperately needed the Lighthouse Hotel back in his portfolio.

Seth and his brother Ryder had a short meeting and decided to unite due to the fact that JT Hartley was claiming to be the son of Warner Bramson. They included April and Ryder’s fiance Macy in their meeting. It gave me hope for Seth and April’s relationship because he thought enough of her and trusted her to invite her to brunch. However, she also feared Seth because he and his brother were so ruthless.

April knew she needed to walk away and go home. If Seth could be this ruthless about his brother and business, what would he do to her? Everyone wanted something from her, her mother and Seth and she needed peace and to get her memory back. Walking away would hurt them both. Would he ever put her first instead of Bramson Holdings I wondered? Would he and his brother Ryder ever come to terms with their past family hurts? Plus, what would happen when her memory returned? Would she be hurt by what she found out about her life?

Rachel Bailey has written a real “winner”, a beautiful love story one of hope with Millionaire-Dollar Amnesia Scandal. The way the author dealt with Seth and April’s emotions, the return of her memory, the revelations about her mother, his brother. Talk about a roller coaster romance!   Plus there was the most magnificent love scene on a grand pianoI promise you this book and The Billionaire’s Beck and Call are both must reads. Talk about sexy billionaires, scandal, mistrust, lies, sexual tension they both have it all. However, Seth’s and Ryder’s story doesn’t seem to be over because out there lurking is a possible half brother wanting his piece of the pie!

Hero Hotness Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Heroine Lovability Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Awww Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Stickability Factor ♥♥♥♥♥
Weepy Factor♥♥♥
Reviewed by: Marilyn

Behind the Book:

"I've always wanted to be able to play the piano well. I had lessons as a child, I even made half-hearted attempts to practice, but I'm still not that much chop. So I did the natural thing - I created a heroine, April Fairchild, who could play (and sing!) so well that she's become world famous. (And her hero, Seth Kentrell, finds her playing very attractive. :))

The next question was what type of singer / pianist she was. I don't know about you, but I think some slower jazz numbers can be very sensual and just seemed to fit perfectly for a romance. I listened to a lot of Diana Krall, in particular, while writing this book. Side note: I listened to Ravel's Bollero over and over while writing At The Billionaire's Beck and Call - the slow, controlled build to the explosive end really worked for Ryder and Macy's journey.

The heroine in Million-Dollar Amnesia Scandal, April Fairchild, is a jazz singer and pianist. As a failed pianist myself, I have to tell you, I really enjoyed writing the scenes where she's playing. But more than April's playing - when I was writing this book I knew I wanted to write about her being kissed on her piano. Perhaps it was memories of watching The Fabulous Baker Boys and seeing how sexy the piano could be. Perhaps it was having stared with awe at gorgeous men while they tinkled the ivories, but I knew this book wouldn't be complete without that kiss.

April's hero, Seth Kentrell, also thinks the piano is kinda sexy after he hears her play. Naturally. I've always been fascinated by star gazing. I love sitting under the stars and night and seeing if I can recognize any shapes - both the official constellations and ones I make up myself.

When I was a child, my family spent our school holidays at Byron Bay. For those who don't know the spot, it's Australia's most easterly point, with stunning beaches, and, when we used to go it was a relatively unknown piece of paradise. It's become much more popular in recent years, but the beaches are as gorgeous, and the whole bay is still presided over by a grand old lighthouse. The Cape Byron Lighthouse is not only Australia's most easterly lighthouse, but it's also the country's most powerful. At night we would watch the light go round and round from the sand dunes, and during the day, we could see the tall white tower from the beach. So, is it just me and the effect of my childhood memories, or do lighthouses hold a special fascination for others too? Perhaps the appeal is symbolic - a guiding light for those in troubled waters.

Since I've laid bare my love for all things lighthouse, you probably won't be surprised to learn I managed to sneak a lighthouse into a book. In fact, I set an entire book at a fictitious luxury hotel: The Lighthouse Hotel in Connecticut, New England. In Million-Dollar Amnesia Scandal, one of the first things April wants to do when she arrives at the hotel, is climb the steps of the lighthouse. April has many traits that have nothing to do with me - eg., she can sing and play the piano beautifully - but that need to climb to the top of the lighthouse is all me. :)

One of the most fun aspects to research for Million-Dollar Amnesia Scandal was which constellations would be visible to the naked eye in Connecticut at that time of year. You see, April is a bit of an amateur astronomer. It's not something that has a lot of page space devoted to it in the book, but I loved having that small thread there for April. So, it turns out that in my ficticious town of Queensport, with the naked eye, you can see the stars Vega, Altair and Deneb, and together they form a triangle. You can also easily see Venus, which is a planet, but often called the Evening Star or the Morning Star."  R. Bailey

Friday, February 18, 2011

HAVE BABY, NEED BILLIONAIRE - Maureen Child


Author: Maureen Child
Line: Silhouette Desire
Release month: North America/UK:  January 2011
The S-Factor: Sizzling

Back Blurb:

He'd certainly never set eyes on—much less gone to bed with—Tula Barrons. That he would have remembered. Yet businessman Simon Bradley agreed to let Tula and her infant cousin—a child she claimed was his—stay in his mansion until he had proof of the little boy's paternity.

But having Tula under his roof revealed something unexpected—her father had once nearly destroyed Simon's business. The billionaire now had the perfect opportunity for revenge. He could seduce Tula and take away the baby she loved…but if he succeeded, he could lose all he'd come to care for.

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

Maureen Child has written a heart warming love story with Have Baby, Need Billionaire. What this billionaire didn’t know was he had a son and that the lovely Tula Barrons and his son, in the end would steal Simon Bradley, the ruthless businessman’s heart!

In Maureen Child’s Christmas love story The Wrong Brother (Under the Millionaire’s Mistletoe) the reader met Anna Cameron and her best friend Tula Barrons. Tula writes children’s books, a “Lonely Bunny” series. The Cameron’s have been like family to Tula because even though her parents were divorced she relied on her friendship with Anna and the warmth she felt with the Cameron’s because it had been missing from her life. Her mother just as soon as she graduated from high school left town and basically her father years later disowned her because she wouldn't live her life his way. Now she was taking care of her cousins baby, actually had custody of Nathan because his mother had died in a car accident.

Tula had to get in touch with Simon Bradley, the man who was Nathan’s father, the same man that didn’t know he had a son. It was her intention to make sure Nathan and his father would adjust and then she would be on her way back home. Sound easy? Definitely not because the little boy had over the weeks she cared for him had stolen her heart. Of course, she wondered what kind of a man Simon Bradley was and when she went to tell him the news, she was immediately aware of him physically and that bothered her, even though she knew he was the same ruthless businessman, just like her father. One up tight buttoned up man who lived by schedules and was a workaholic. Not her type, no way even though when she shook his hand, the sparks flew and her fingers tingled.

Talk about being center punched in his gut! A son he didn’t know about and the mother was dead? Well he needed a plan and the plan was for Tula to leave her hometown with the baby and move into his mansion in San Francisco. But first the paternity test even though he knew in his heart the baby was his. Tula and baby literally took over his home, but that’s not all they took over because in the end he really enjoyed having them both there, they brightened up his home plus she intrigued him, she was beautiful, sexy, warm and she and Nathan brought sunshine into his home. His life had been orderly and he had brought his father’s failed business from ruin to a successful chain of department stores. However, no thanks to the man that almost ruined them and cost them their home, Jacob Hawthorne. The very same snake that was always purchasing property Simon wanted, the man he hated, and he wanted revenge. What Simon didn’t know was his arch enemy was actually Tula’s father.

Tula and Simon definitely had chemistry and I wondered how they would both survive their attraction for each other. I also wondered what sort of father Simon would become. The days up until he found out the paternity results Simon held himself back.  When the results turned out to be positive, everything changed not only for Simon but also for Tula. All of her life, Tula had wanted a family, to feel the warmth of love and now while living in his home, watching him with the baby, the sexual attraction between them, it was all too perfect and I knew in my heart that this would end badly especially for her because of her big heart. And what would happen when Simon found out who her father was because that surely would come out? He had absolutely no idea who Tula was because she didn’t use the Hawthorne last name. He had his best friend Mick who he employed investigate Tula’s background just to make sure she was everything she said and then the bomb was dropped when he found out who her dad was. On top of everything else, they had slept together and he still wanted her even though he wondered if she was working with her father to try to bring him down.  As Nathan’s guardian, she held all of the power.  However, Simon knew he could prove he would be a good father. 

Simon thought of Tula night and day but he still had a plan to bring down her father.  He would throw their relationship in his face and then send Tula packing. His friend told him it would backfire and it did, it cost them both so much and trust me, you’ll cry for all three of them. Tula was so kind hearted, so loving, an incredible mother who only wanted both Nathan and Simon……a family, the warm and wonderful family she never had as a child. And then the rug was pulled out from both of them. Shock for Simon when he confronted Jacob Hawthorne.  Nothing but sadness and heartbreak for Tula when Simon revealed his meeting with her father.

Sadness does not even describe what I felt for Simon Bradley, the man who lived my his own rules and a orderly life. Because as the last chapters unfolded I had hoped that he would see what was right before his eyes and it wouldn’t be to late. Heartbroken, Tula left but she couldn’t return home because she had promised to do a reading and booking signing for her latest “Lonely Bunny” book.   You absolutely won’t want to miss the last chapters of Have Baby, Need Billionaire because Maureen Child's gives this couple a most beautiful and happy ending and the wonderful family they both so deserve.

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Reviewed by: Marilyn