"Poignantly beautiful category romance"

Salt Lake City

Divorced medical student Macy Mckinley needs ninety-eight thousand dollars and change and she needs it now. A friend tells her about Thad Winters, a man offering one hundred thousand dollars for a position he'd like someone to fill immediately -- that of a surrogate mother. Although Macy has plenty of qualms about even thinking of accepting a position like this, she knows she has no choice but to accept. Five-year old Haley, Macy's daughter, is dying of cancer and in the hospital at present. She needs a bone marrow transplant and the hospital wants the money in advance. Deserted by her husband who ran off with a younger woman, Macy has little faith in men and has learned to fight all her battles on her own. Compared to saving her daughter's life, no sacrifice is too great for Macy -- even if it means having a stranger's baby just so she can save her own.

Eighteen months have passed since his beloved wife died and Thad Winters still mourns her death. Convinced the only way he can bring back some sort of fulfillment to his personal life is by fathering a child, Thad starts interviewing candidates to find the best woman to give him a baby through the process of artificial insemination. However, not long after he starts meeting the long line of women competing for his money, he finds himself growing tired of their aggressive and persistent attitude to get the 'job'. That's when he meets Macy, the first woman who genuinely seems to need his money but won't tell him why. Thad learns of Macy's reasons for wanting his money through a private investigator and even while his practical side insists he not get involved, he can't help but feel drawn to this sweet and courageous woman and her adorable but very sick daughter. He gives Macy the money and soon finds himself wanting a whole lot more from her in return than he'd originally planned. Yet, he fights a battle within his heart for while part of him still feels tied to his deceased wife, another part of Thad desperately wants to let Macy into his heart. The question remains, will he be able to convince Macy to love him in return?

Bravo Ms. Novak for penning a poignantly beautiful category romance full of heart wrenching emotions and plenty of tender moments. My heart went out to Macy for putting up with all that went wrong in her life. Her courage in the face of helpless fear and despair is so exquistely portrayed by Ms. Novak.

Brenda Novak displays her unique talent for blending serious situations with compelling and lovable characters to create a romance one cannot soon forget.

Reviewed by Leena Hyat
Posted May 22, 2002