Limecello’s review of More Than a Millionaire by Emilie Rose
Contemporary romance released by Silhouette Desire 8 Sep 09
And she’s back! I’m so pleased to say I really enjoyed this book by Emilie Rose. She’s one of my favorite Harlequin authors. it pains me to say I didn’t like her previous few, so I actually putt off reading this one for quite some time. Yes, there were things about it that weren’t perfect, but I was engaged in the story and wanted to see how it turned out.
I have to say first… that the premise of this book is pretty “wtf” to me. The book blurb caught my interest, and made me chuckle a bit. But I knew I wanted to read it because Ms. Rose wrote it. This isn’t a spoiler because this is explained at the opening – the heroine is going to be a surrogate for her sister and brother-in-law. The brother-in-law used to be Nicole’s boyfriend first. And she thinks she love[s/d] him. The clinic messes up, and uses Ryan Patrick’s sperm. (Nicole’s brother in law is Patrick Ryan.)
Honest though – I found that easy enough to get over. In fact, what bothered me more was all the focus on contracts, and what they said. (But then, nobody wants to get into a discussion about contract law.)
Nicole Hightower is quite special, but flawed. She’s the peace maker in her family, but also rather silly, in my opinion. She is determined not to make the same mistakes her mother did, so convinces herself she can and will be in love, once. Ever. Otherwise, Nicole is fantastic. She’s smart, has a great career, and cares a lot. She’s a giver, which is really nice to see. At the same time, Nicole isn’t perfect, and there are certain aspects of herself she’d prefer not to examine. This makes her relatable, and interesting.
Ryan Patrick is something of a contradiction. Yes, he’s the jerk hero out to get the heroine… but his aim really is to get sole custody of his child. Which he hired a surrogate to bear. He’s been burned before, and reacts in the extreme. Although that’s not the most sensible reaction, self protection is understandable, and Ryan is determined to do that. I like that he’s actually quite considerate and caring, just… with misplaced ideas on what his goals are for some things. He had tunnel vision, as he says – but realizes his mistakes.
I wish the conflict hadn’t been quite as ongoing. Nicole Hightower and Ryan Patrick both have their issues to work through, and I felt they were well matched. Of course, the heroine experiences her epiphany first… but I think Ryan makes up for it with his heartfelt apology and his act of restitution. I also liked the fact that Ryan made headway with a better relationship with his father… but Nicole’s tenuous situation with her family remained the same. The fact that there wasn’t a candy coated perfect ending actually pleased me.
I definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy books from the Silhouette Desire line, and those that like Ms. Rose’s writing as well.
Grade: B
Summary:
Mr. September: Ryan Patrick, millionaire daddy-to-be
Baby?: Yes…to secure his inheritance
Marriage?: No…only surrogates need apply
A mix-up at the clinic meant the wrong woman was pregnant! Ryan would do anything to reclaim what was his. Particularly since delectable airline heiress Nicole Hightower wasn’t about to just hand over her child. Was there a way he could have both…without making promises he could never keep?
Read an excerpt here. (The excerpt is on the amazon page, but I’m not sure how long it’ll stay there.)
