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Review

4.5 stars

The blurb of this book instantly hooked me, and once I made a start I was completely sucked in. It is the most beautifully swoony love story, with great characters, and a unique set-up, and I loved it!

This book is a standalone, but it is loosely tied to The Aristocrat. Sigmund appeared in that book as the cousin/best friend to Leo, and Leo and Felicity both appear in this book, so beware some spoilers for their story.

Sigmund is a former playboy, now a grieving widower. It’s been five years since his wife died, and he hasn’t moved on, hasn’t even really tried, he’s just lives a half-life, lonely and grieving, and still very much in love with his deceased wife. His world is rocked when his fabulous, loving in-laws arrive on his doorstep, telling him they want to fulfill their daughter’s final wish and use one of her frozen eggs to conceive a grandchild, and they want him to be the father (the expectation being that he only be as involved in the child’s life as he wants to be). They even have a surrogate already picked out. Though Sigmund is initially appalled, he wants to fulfill his wife’s wish, and agrees to at least meet her.

Abby is an American, and friend of the family of Sigmund’s in-laws. When she hears their story, she is deeply moved, and wanting to make a difference in the lives of others, she immediately offers to help. She quickly finds herself travelling to the UK to meet Sigmund, and though their initial meeting does not go well, he begins to trust her, they become friends, and when she becomes pregnant, he becomes her fiercest protector.

It’s a fascinating set-up, with lots of different dynamics at play, and I quickly fell into all of the emotions going on in the story. Abby is pregnant and falling for the baby’s father, while figuring out what she wants to do with her life post-pregnancy. Sigmund is dealing with feeling something for somebody for the first time since his wife died, moving on from his grief, and the impending birth of his child, not knowing whether he even wants to be a father. There’s a lot going on, and the story is beautifully written as they follow their hearts and slowly figure it all out.

“First rule of Surrogacy Club, don’t fuck the surrogate. And certainly don’t miss her.”

It’s a beautiful, sexy, swoony love story that is full of heat and emotion, and God, I loved these two together! It’s easy and natural, they’re honest and don’t hide from each other, and they’re so beautifully perfect together. And with all of the heartfelt declarations, this book is an absolute swoonfest!

I wanted him to love me that way. Although I wasn’t sure he’d ever be capable of it again, I could never accept anything less.

There is some drama, but it’s all external to the romance, which I appreciated, and I loved watching these two go through so much together, figure out what they want and find their way forward. It’s a gorgeous book that left me with a huge smile, and I loved it.

4.5 stars.