Sandy M’s review of Accidentally Yours by Susan Mallery
Contemporary romance released 1 Jan 08 by HQN Books

I think someone goofed with the back cover blurb on this book (see below). It makes it sound like, No. 1, everything in the book takes place from a newspaper ad, which is not even close to what happens, and, No. 2, the read is all lightness and airy, which is only partly true. Somebody should have read the book before they wrote this thing.

Kerri Sullivan is a young widow with a nine-year-old son fighting a fatal disease. She’ll do anything in her power to make sure her son doesn’t die, including scheming to get an audience with billionaire Nathan King. He’s got more money than God, his son died of the same disease, and she has access to him for a very short span of time, so how can she mess this opportunity up and why wouldn’t he want to help? She didn’t count on him being a heartless bastard who only cares about making more money and having his name on the buildings he funds in Seattle. As soon as Kerri makes her pitch in the restaurant she’s working at only for the purpose of meeting King, she’s tossed out on her ear with no money and on her way back to the drawing board, because she will never give up.

Nathan has closed himself off to all emotional contact since his son’s death. He came from nothing, had a father who abused him, and made his billions instead of getting to know the one person who meant the world to him before he died. His money couldn’t save his son, his wife couldn’t deal with their son’s disease, so it was up to Nathan to see his son through an agonizing and painful death. Hence his coldheartedness, his drive to work, his resolve to let no one near. He, however, didn’t count on Kerri Sullivan being so determined. Before he knows it, Nathan is, for all intents and purposes, being blackmailed into giving 15 million cool ones over to research so Kerri can hopefully have her miracle. She so artfully ties Nathan up in a huge bow the way she manipulates him with her humor, her wit, and her persistence. That was something to see. And it’s these same things that keep Nathan interested in this beguiling woman.

Both of these characters have such hurdles to jump, each at different ends of the same tragedy. The most profound part of the book is watching Nathan’s wall crumble the more he deals with Kerri. He still harbors guilt about his son’s death. He harbors guilt about his obsessive-compulsive sister. He has a hard time being around Kerri’s son when his son is dead. Kerri is the only one who can get through to him, get through the ice to his heart, but even she has her own issues. She’s promised God her life for her son’s, she’ll do anything and everything to take care of him if only God will let him live, and when Nathan is with her and they begin to have fun or their kisses begin to heat up, Kerri blames Nathan when things go wrong and her son’s disease begins to progress. Everything is worth it, though, the first time they make love, a beautiful scene between two people who need love so much but who have yet to realize they belong together.

This book is full of humor and full of deep sorrow, aching helplessness, and sheer joy. It’s definitely a roller coaster of emotions. It’s a book you don’t want to miss.

Grade: A

From the back cover:

WANTED: Single mom seeks billionaire’s pocketbook to fund dying son’s research cure. Will seduce if necessary. Blackmail is not out of the question. Miracles welcome.

Cynical billionaire seeks working mom with a heart of gold for PR campaign to improve his standing in the community. Must be willing to attend social events. Anyone looking for love, need not apply.

It seemed like the perfect match…until the unthinkable happened.

Read an excerpt.