Billionaires and Babies (Book 84)
Sexy single-dad billionaire meets temporary nanny…
When Tate Harper's sister disappears, the globe-trotting
TV host is suddenly the caregiver for her infant niece. She has to find her
sister ASAP! Enter single father and sexy CEO Linc Ballantyne, her sister's ex.
He's a family man to the core, and he'll help Tate -- if she agrees to be his
temporary live-in nanny.
Soon she's juggling a baby, a toddler and a growing
attraction to the billionaire Ballantyne. But when it's time to go back to her
real life, will she pack her bags or stay and find out what being a family really means?
A good book about
two people afraid to risk their hearts after being hurt in the past. Tate is a
well-known TV host, known for her stories from all over the world. On a break
between shows, she is supposed to have lunch with her cousin turned adoptive
sister, only to find that Kari sneaked out the back door when Tate came in the
front, leaving her infant daughter behind. Suddenly Tate finds herself
responsible for her niece, and she hasn't a clue what to do. The only message Kari
left behind was for Tate to see Kari's
ex-fiancé, Linc. Linc is not happy to have another Harper female turn up on his
doorstep. Kari had deserted him shortly before their wedding, giving up all
parental rights to their son Shaw. But he can't turn his back on little Ellie,
so he agrees to help Tate for a while if
she will fill in while he looks for a nanny.
I really liked
Linc. Yes, he has the whole rich and handsome thing going on, but what got me
was what a terrific father he is. He is loving, patient, and involved, and
maybe a little overprotective. There are some really sweet scenes between him
and Shaw. He also has great relationships with his mom and siblings, who are a
terrific support system for him. The cupcake scene illustrates this. He's been
hurt in the past, most deeply by Kari, who destroyed his trust in women and his
belief that he'll find the old-fashioned kind of woman that he wants.
I liked Tate, too, but she also frustrated me. When Kari
was a little girl, she and her mom moved in with Tate's family. Unfortunately,
it put it strain on Tate's parents' marriage, and eventually, her dad left them. After that, it seemed that it was
Kari's needs that took precedence in the family, especially after Kari's mother
died. Kari was spoiled and selfish and manipulative, and Tate left home as soon
as she could. For her own peace of mind,
she spent as little time with them as possible. When Tate ends up with Ellie,
she fully believes that she is not capable of caring for the little girl. Nor
does she really want to. She's happy with
her nomadic life and career where she doesn't have to get too close to anyone.
But the more time she spends with the kids, the deeper the dig beneath her
walls.
I liked the development of the relationship between Tate
and Linc. They start out very adversarial. Linc makes no secret of his mistrust
of Tate. He thinks she is just like Kari. Tate is angry at being measured by
Kari's yardstick since she has worked
hard to be nothing like her. Underneath it all is a simmering attraction. I
enjoyed seeing Tate and Linc grow closer as their little group starts to feel
like a family. Neither is very happy to realize that the attraction they've
been indulging has turned to love, and each tries desperately to deny it. There
are also obstacles to having that happy family. Tate doesn't know how she can
be the mom she thinks Linc wants for Shaw and still have the career she loves,
or if she's even capable of being a mother to the two children, thanks to her own family issues. Linc's trust issues are
deep, and Tate being Kari's sister makes the trust even harder to come by.
An unexpected twist at the end creates a dilemma for
Tate, one that sends her running after all. I ached for the pain she was in as
she tried to make a decision. The conclusion was great, as a bit of much-needed communication helped create the
best solution for all.
Family played a big part in the story. There were two
types. The truly dysfunctional family that Tate had, that spent more time driving
the members apart than bringing them together. It really hurt to see how badly Tate's needs were neglected while growing up. On the other side, Linc's family
was loud, loving, and accepting. I loved the teasing that went on among them,
especially as his siblings saw Linc falling for Tate. They were also there to
support each other and could be called on at any time of day or night. I am
looking forward to Sage's story, as I think there was a hint that it might be a
doozy.
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