Jeane Renick

This is one of my comfort reads. I don't know why exactly, but much about the story appeals to me. Is it because I often dreamed of marrying a movie star as a young girl? Maybe. Regardless, it's a story I love.

Marielle is a woman who wants a baby. Thanks to family genetics, she's on the fast track to early menopause, which means her time is running out. With one failed marriage behind her and no current prospects, things look pretty bleak. When she's notified that she has inherited a substantial sum of money, she decides now's the time. With her two best friends offering support, she makes a list of what she wants in a father for her child..and realizes she's described sexy movie star Thomas Saxon. Not that there's a chance in hell she'll end up with him, but fantasizing is fun.

Until fate intervenes and she does meet Thomas Saxon, on the same night he has a raging fight with his long-time girlfriend and Marielle has a raging fight with the man she thought might be father material. After spending a platonic night together (after too much champagne), Thomas and Marielle embark on an affair, that is, unfortunately, short lived. Thanks to Saxon's scheming girlfriend, he ends up engaged and Marielle calls a halt to their fling, refusing to be the other woman. But things aren't that simple, especially when Marielle realizes she, too, is pregnant. Add to that complications with her inheritance and the reappearance of her ex-husband, and both Thomas and Marielle have some hard choices to make.

There are many things about this novel I should hate:

Movie star Thomas Saxon is in a relationship when he gets busy with Marielle
The crazy girlfriend is a certifiable vamp from Texas
Marielle is often "too nice" and just a little on the Mary Jane side
The ex-husband was cheating scum but she didn't kick him out of her life

I could go on, but honestly there's no point. Despite that fact that I shouldn't like many aspects of this story, I do. I like every last part of it. The cliches, the stereotypes, the angst and the romance. Even the flashbacks to Marielle's ancestors and the history of her inheritance were interesting. This is a love story. One I enjoy very much.



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