Sandy M’s review of Turn It Up (Turner Twins, Book 2) by Vivian Arend
Contemporary Romance published by Samhain 8 Feb 11

I’ve never been a fan of older women/younger men storylines. However, Ms. Arend may change my mind about them, after reading this touching story.

Natasha is thirty-four, has a couple of failed relationships behind her, has decided she doesn’t need a man to be happy, and is making plans to have a baby all by her lonesome before she turns thirty-five. She’s turned down Max’s overtures over the years, feeling their age difference – he’s twenty-four – is to much of a hurdle for a relationship to work. Max, however, feels differently. He’s been in love with Tasha for so long, asking her out the first time when he was seventeen, so he’s bided his time, knowing the opportunity he’s waited for will finally show itself. Max gets lucky when Natasha and her friends tie a big one while celebrating and he does the honors of driving them all home.

In her drunken haze, Tasha lets it slip about her baby plans,and Max runs with his newly-inspired idea. I did enjoy his unique take on a marriage proposal. It’s Tasha he has to convince. She’s mortified he knows about her plans and tries to talk him out of his idea about marriage, but to no avail. The man won’t let her be, going all logical on her with that genius brain of his. He ultimately wins and she agrees to marry Max, with some conditions, of course. Max has other ideas along that line, but that can wait for now. He’s about to have all his dreams come true.

Because of her past, Tasha does try to keep their relationship on a “friendly” basis, and Max goes along with that for now, deciding he has to romance her and seduce her into the life he wants with her. In the meantime, she’s also worried about how his family will take their sudden about-face concerning each other. All but one, her best friend and Max’s cousin, are happy for them. Lila gives Tasha every argument that she’s given herself since Max proposed and there’s no talking to Lila about the issue with her spewing disgust and anger. She’s hurtful and unmovable in her position about their May-December relationship. Tasha hates losing her friend, but she now has a chance at the life she’s wanted for a while, so she leaves the poison behind, along with her broken heart.

I think it’s the fact that Max is highly intelligent, went through high school by the age of fourteen and college by the age of  seventeen and then immediately living on his own, has a highly successful technology business, he’s not the typical twenty-four year old that gives me the belief in him and this story. He knows his mind and knows how to be patient and make things work for himself. That maturity goes hand in hand with maturity in the bedroom. Max gives as well as he receives and Tasha blossoms beautifully in the light of his love. They also work together to make everything ready for the baby’s arrival, and I like the scenes when Max shows Tasha how serious he is about becoming a father, not only in word but in deed, and when he caresses her belly with love in his eyes, the reader ends up with a lump in the throat just as each of them does.

I’m also usually not a fan of a heroine stringing out her fears until the very last minute before she realizes her love has grown and has to tell the hero before it’s too late, but Ms. Arend even does that quite well here. It works in the long run and I didn’t find myself becoming irritated like I normally do. And Tasha does wait a tad too long before all hell breaks loose!

All in all, this is a very enjoyable story, more than the “I want to have a baby before I’m too old” business. I am a little confused that the first book in the series, Max’s twin Maxy’s story, seems to take place before this book, just by reading its blurb. Only thing I can imagine is perhaps parts of both stories take place at the same time. Guess I’ll have to find out and read Turn It On soon!

Grade: B

Summary:

She wants it. He’s got it…and a whole lot more.

Maxwell Turner considers his stubborn and resourceful attitude a plus. After all, it usually gets him what he wants—except for Natasha Bellingham. The long-time family friend may be ten years older than he, but so what? He’s plenty old enough to know they belong together. Now all he has to do is convince her.

Over the past few years Natasha’s love life has degenerated into a series of bad clichés. Her biological clock is ticking—loudly. As a proven architect with her own house-design company, she’s financially ready for a baby. Who says she needs a permanent man in her life for that? She just needs a “donation”.

When Max discovers Natasha’s future plans include artificial insemination, he’s outraged. She wants to get pregnant? No problem. He’s more than willing to volunteer—no turkey basters involved.

But there’s one non-negotiable clause: He wants forever. And he intends to do everything in his power—fair and unfair—to make it happen.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series: