Monday, August 5, 2013

Review: The Baby Deal by Kat Cantrell

In this Billionaires & Babies novel, award-winning author Kat Cantrell presents an offer that can't be refused... 
When billionaire entrepreneur Michael "Shay" Shaylen becomes guardian to a baby boy, he knows there's only one woman who can teach him how to be a father-his ex-lover, child psychologist Juliana Cane. So he makes her a deal: if she gives him two months, he'll give her a boost in her career. 
She says yes. Suddenly, Juliana has everything she's ever wanted: a home, a child-Shay. But she knows this seductive situation is only temporary. Because even as desire burns between them-so do the reasons Juliana has to say goodbye....
You can check it out on GOODREADS or
You can buy it on Book Depository
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 06 August 2013
Format: Paperback 192 pages
Categories: Adult & Contemporary Romance
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My very first of Kat Cantrell.
I must say it's very hard for me to finish reading this book. Not because the book's so hard to like, but because there were parts in this book that reminded me to my fears. To the unwillingness to sacrifice something I desperately wanted to hold on to, to get something that in the end could be so much better. Not for the others, but for myself. For me to be something or someone better.
I loved the way Kat Cantrell tried to tell us that (true) love is about commitment, compromise, effort and sacrifice without losing ourselves. 
I can see that when things didn't work out between Juliana and her ex-husband was not merely because he was not Shay. But mostly because Juliana closed herself because she's too absorbed with her situations/conditions.  She did almost the same thing to Shay back then: walking away, taking distance. All because she didn't brave enough to face the truth and held on to something she desperately want: a baby and a safe-steady life. I loved the thought (from Shay) that whenever you start feeling scared, it's about time to move forward. 
Reading the last Juliana sentences reminded me to the song Raise It Up from August Rush soundtrack:
Sometimes it takes a different kind of dream to make you smile. Sometimes we need another helping hand to show the way
Both Juliana and Shay learned to let go, and both needed another person to make them realize that they had to let go.
It's a wonderful story about love and life. About taking risk and letting go. About sacrifice which in the end would give you something better and make you (and your partner or people around you, too, hopefully) a better person.
Many thanks to Harlequin who provided the ARC via Net Galley.

2 comments:

  1. Thank you so much! I love this review. :) The thematic elements you mention are spot on with what I was trying to do. I'm thrilled you liked it, but more so that the story made you think. This is why I write. *hugs*

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    1. And thank you so much for writing this, Kat. I have this feeling that next time whenever I start to turn around and ready to fly away, I'd somehow remember one or two (or more) thing(s) mentioned in this book. *hugs*

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