Tuesday, June 25, 2013

First Comes Baby... - Michelle Douglas (HR #4378 - May 2013)

Series: Mothers in a Million

Meg has always dreamed of having the perfect family, and when she learns her baby window is closing there's only one person who can help.…

Ben has been Meg's best friend since childhood. Their relationship is strictly platonic -- except for that one unforgettable kiss. Helping her to become a mother is the easiest decision Ben has ever made. Only, soon he wants to be more than just their baby's "uncle." Can he convince Meg that he's ready to do the unthinkable and settle down to be a real father?


Very good friends to lovers story.  Meg and Ben have been friends since they were children, there for each other when their families weren't.  Meg has always wanted to be a mother and when health problems cause her to go for single motherhood she knows that she wants Ben to be the baby's father.  He has all the qualities she wants plus she knows that he isn't interested in settling down so the baby would pretty much be all hers. With Ben's footloose lifestyle he can be the fun "uncle".   The only thing she worries about is that it might change their friendship.  She doesn't expect Ben to suddenly decide that he wants to be a father to the baby and it is freaking her out.  She also doesn't expect to suddenly start seeing him as more than just her best friend.  They had kissed once but decided they didn't want to risk their friendship, but now that's all she can think about.  She is also fighting the worry that Ben will suddenly decide that he no longer wants to be a father and will abandon her and the baby, a feeling she is familiar with from her issues with her own father.  I really had a problem with her lack of confidence in Ben's commitment to the baby and the way she kept throwing obstacles and tests at him.  I was glad to see her finally realize what she had been doing and why.

Ben had been running from any kind of commitment all his life.  He refused to believe in love because of the intensity of the emotion.  It brought back way too many bad memories of his parents and the way that they treated each other and him.  He has an exciting life as a high adventure tour guide and his friendship with Meg to make him happy.  He is stunned when she asks for his help and only too happy to give it.  At first he is happy with the "uncle" option, but then realizes that he doesn't want his child to miss out on having a father the way he did.  He doesn't expect Meg's resistance to the idea but is determined to prove to her that he can do it.  I really liked the growth shown by Ben as he changes from the rather selfish traveler that he had been to a man who can be there for the people he loves.  I had fun watching him learn to deal with being an adult.  It was really interesting to see the way that he fought his attraction to Meg, trying to convince himself that it would ruin his friendship with her.  He tried really hard to convince himself that it was just lust until his friend pointed out the truth to him.  His big moment at the end was incredibly sweet.

I also enjoyed the relationship of Meg's dad and Ben's grandmother.  The two of them were adorable together, especially once they started to open up with Meg and Ben.



No comments:

Post a Comment