Review: Great read!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 10, 2013
4.5 StarsJennifer Apodaca is another new author for me and I thoroughly enjoyed reading "The Baby Bargain". A little bit of love, a little bit of sex, a little bit of intrigue and one great big secret. What a wonderful recipe for a hot Marine and a sexy veterinarian.The story starts off with Megan being black-mailed by Raven's Cove local celebrity, Nathan McCray, an ex-pro golfer with lots of money, a bitter divorce and a custody battle over their show dog, Celtic Fire. After he storms off, there's a knock on the Clinic's door and in comes the love of Megan's life, the bane of her existence, holding a dog just hit by a car. What is she supposed to do now? He said he'd never be back and there stands Adam, covered in blood and begging Megan to help the dog that he found.Adam had no intentions of seeing Meg while he was in town for two reasons: hired by Nathan McCray to run security at a high-profile celebrity fund-raiser and to close his parents house, getting it ready to sell and leaving Raven's Cove in his past. But, how do you let a dog die because you can't stand yourself for your past and how you treated the Vet? He can't. Bite the bullet and go see Megan. He knows he's not going to be able to help his feelings for her when he see's her. He knows she'll never let him near her after the way he left 3 years ago. He knows that he could never open up to her and give her the life that she deserves with a man that could love her forever. That's not him, never will be him.Meg is shocked, he's offering friendship ... no sex ... just her pleasure if she'll let him. OK, she could live with that but, how does she live with that fact that she's never told him about Cole, his son. She has to figure out if he'll be good for him or if it's better that he knows nothing. He's told her, up front, that he's not sticking around - no commitments. But, being framed for kidnapping Celtic Fire takes that decision away from her and she has to confront her fears and tell him. What she doesn't expect is his reaction to the news or his solution to her problems.You kind of figure out who the bad guy is about half-way through the book but you're surprised with how far it goes and how all of Adam's past becomes crystal clear to everyone who ever thought that they knew him. Ms. Apodaca did a wonderful job of bringing Adam's PTSD to light. But, it's not the PTSD you would think it is. His demons go back further than his years in the Marines and that storyline was written with such care and concern for both Adam and Megan. Megan is also struggling with her own memories of a father that didn't want her and she is so afraid that Adam will be just like him and resent Cole. And Cole, what a cute little boy he is. So open and loving and the perfect little man to get Adam to finally let Meg into his heart. I was thrilled with finally learning the story behind Adam's guilt and regret and was so touched by how his past was related to the reader. Yes, it brought a tear or two to my eyes. My only disappointment - who hit Ellie with the car? That's not revealed in the book but I do have my own suspicions. But, all in all, "The Baby Bargain" was a fun and sexy book and I look forward to reading about the rest of the Marines from "Once A Marine Security Agency".Review copy provided for an honest review.