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The Best Laid Plans
Boundaries. The key to how corporate lawyer Alexandra Knight manages her busy life. However, lately all her precisely drawn lines are getting blurred. Blame it on her out-of-control biological clock that is ignoring her single status…and on Ethan Stone.
Because her sexy, no-strings colleague has posed an outrageous solution to her dilemma—he'll be her baby daddy. This from the guy who avoids all commitment? Okay, so they're attracted to each other. Really, really attracted. But crossing the line from coworker to co-parent with Ethan could ruin Alex for all other men. After all, when you've had the best…
Because her sexy, no-strings colleague has posed an outrageous solution to her dilemma—he'll be her baby daddy. This from the guy who avoids all commitment? Okay, so they're attracted to each other. Really, really attracted. But crossing the line from coworker to co-parent with Ethan could ruin Alex for all other men. After all, when you've had the best…
256 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2010
15 people are currently reading
815 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Mayberry
159 books1,150 followersSarah Mayberry was born in Melbourne, Australia, and is the middle of three children. From the time that she first “stole” paper from kindergarten and stapled it together to make “books,” Sarah has always wanted to be a writer. In line with this ambition, on graduation from high school she completed a bachelor of arts degree majoring in professional writing, then sat down to write a book. When inspiration didn’t strike, she began to wonder if, perhaps, she needed to live some life first before writing about it.
This still left the burning question of how to pay the rent. She found her way into trade journalism, working off the principle that it was better to write anything for a living than nothing at all. Her time there lead to the opportunity to launch a new decorator magazine for one of Australia’s major retailers, an invaluable and grueling experience that she found very rewarding.
But the opportunity to write fiction for a living soon lured Sarah away. She took up a post as storyliner on Australia’s longest running soap, Neighbours. Over two years she helped plot more than 240 hours of television, as well as writing freelance scripts. She remembers her time with the show very fondly — especially the dirty jokes and laughter around the story table — and still writes scripts on a freelance basis.
In 2003 she relocated to New Zealand for her partner’s work. There Sarah served as storyliner and story editor on the country’s top-rating drama, Shortland Street, before quitting to pursue writing full time.
Sarah picked up a love of romance novels from both her grandmothers, and has submitted manuscripts to Harlequin many times over the years. She credits the invaluable story structuring experience she learned on Neighbours as the key to her eventual success — along with the patience of her fantastic editor, Wanda.
Sarah is revoltingly happy with her partner of twelve years, Chris, who is a talented scriptwriter. Not only does he offer fantastic advice and solutions to writing problems, but he’s also handsome, funny and sexy. When she’s not gushing over him, she loves to read romance and fantasy novels, go to the movies, sew and cook for her friends. She has also become a recent convert to Pilates, which she knows she should do more often.
This still left the burning question of how to pay the rent. She found her way into trade journalism, working off the principle that it was better to write anything for a living than nothing at all. Her time there lead to the opportunity to launch a new decorator magazine for one of Australia’s major retailers, an invaluable and grueling experience that she found very rewarding.
But the opportunity to write fiction for a living soon lured Sarah away. She took up a post as storyliner on Australia’s longest running soap, Neighbours. Over two years she helped plot more than 240 hours of television, as well as writing freelance scripts. She remembers her time with the show very fondly — especially the dirty jokes and laughter around the story table — and still writes scripts on a freelance basis.
In 2003 she relocated to New Zealand for her partner’s work. There Sarah served as storyliner and story editor on the country’s top-rating drama, Shortland Street, before quitting to pursue writing full time.
Sarah picked up a love of romance novels from both her grandmothers, and has submitted manuscripts to Harlequin many times over the years. She credits the invaluable story structuring experience she learned on Neighbours as the key to her eventual success — along with the patience of her fantastic editor, Wanda.
Sarah is revoltingly happy with her partner of twelve years, Chris, who is a talented scriptwriter. Not only does he offer fantastic advice and solutions to writing problems, but he’s also handsome, funny and sexy. When she’s not gushing over him, she loves to read romance and fantasy novels, go to the movies, sew and cook for her friends. She has also become a recent convert to Pilates, which she knows she should do more often.
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November 6, 2010
4 ½ stars – Contemporary Romance
Sarah Mayberry is my favorite category contemporary romance author, and I’m continually impressed by the genuine character development and emotional depth she’s able to convey in her stories. The Best Laid Plans is a great ‘friends to lovers’ tale between a career woman who yearns for a child and is afraid her time has nearly run out and her lawyer co-worker whose playboy commitment phobic ways masks underlying hurt, insecurity, and fear resulting from a painful divorce. The story’s emotional intensity and drama is realistic, and the characters issues and reactions are portrayed honestly. It’s a moving story that will make you think.
Sarah Mayberry is my favorite category contemporary romance author, and I’m continually impressed by the genuine character development and emotional depth she’s able to convey in her stories. The Best Laid Plans is a great ‘friends to lovers’ tale between a career woman who yearns for a child and is afraid her time has nearly run out and her lawyer co-worker whose playboy commitment phobic ways masks underlying hurt, insecurity, and fear resulting from a painful divorce. The story’s emotional intensity and drama is realistic, and the characters issues and reactions are portrayed honestly. It’s a moving story that will make you think.
November 6, 2010
Sarah Mayberry is a favorite author of mine and I had already planned to buy the book when Tell Harlequin surprised me with a free copy to read for a market research survey. To say it was a pleasant surprise would be an understatement.
Melbourne attorney Alexandra Knight is not having a great morning. She has a client appointment first thing, a hole in her stockings and a run-in with her ex-boyfriend - who's wrestling a baby and carriage into a car a mere 18 months after ending their seven-year live-in relationship over a refusal to have children. Now 38 and still single, Alex's anger at being childless soon turns to panicked desperation when her doctor gives her the lowdown on her dwindling chances of conception. Facing the possibility of never having a family of her own, something she's always wanted, finally brings her to break down in tears in front of Ethan Stone, a co-worker she plays racquetball with but otherwise maintains a professional friendship with.
Ethan may cultivate a ladies' man appearance and shun marriage after his extremely ugly divorce, but he's moved by Alex's pained confession. As he's comforting her, he admits to himself that he's in a similar situation. Now 42, divorced and bitterly opposed to commitment, he also laments his lost chance at parenthood. Though he dotes on his younger brother's boys and delights in being the best uncle ever, he wishes he could've had what his brother has. When he finds out about Alex's plan to conceive via sperm donor, he sees an opportunity to possibly parent a child without entering into a relationship that would ultimately just fall apart.
The book's strength is in its characters. Declining fertility, ticking biological clocks, fear of commitment, fertility ethics - all of these are rather weighty issues that could easily have bogged the book down if the characters were not as strong as they were. Instead, the characters drive the plot with a firm hand. They own the issues, leaving the story to be about them, their insecurities, strengths and struggles, rather than leaving them mere riders on the weighty topic bus.
Both characters are deep and nuanced. Alex's desire for the picket fenced fantasy is more than just a ticking clock. It's born out of her difficult childhood and her careful personality as well. Ethan's aversion to commitment and re-marriage is due as much to his divorce as it is to his deeply loyal personality and his work as a divorce and family lawyer. Both struggle deeply with their insecurities and Mayberry lets us see their struggles - even going so far as to show Ethan physically ill and in tears as he wars with himself over Alex. At no point are their problems treated facilely.
But neither does the angst and conflict overshadow the romance. Though their HEA and any open acknowledgement of their mutual attraction comes late in the story, Mayberry spends the time early in the story establishing their connection. They tease each other good-naturedly on the racquetball court, laugh easily together over one of Ethan's elaborately cooked meals, and comfort each other through the baby drama. She shows us that they're good friends above all, so it's easy to imagine their taking life's curveballs in stride.
Like the other books I've read by this author, this is a book about two fully-fleshed characters navigating their own inner conflicts. The plot serves to highlight their personalities, motivations and actions, not the other way around. I'd recommend this book unreservedly to those who like meatier, character-focused books with a slow-burning romance. It's not a quick, fluffy, escapist sort of read, but I had a hard time putting it down all the same.
Melbourne attorney Alexandra Knight is not having a great morning. She has a client appointment first thing, a hole in her stockings and a run-in with her ex-boyfriend - who's wrestling a baby and carriage into a car a mere 18 months after ending their seven-year live-in relationship over a refusal to have children. Now 38 and still single, Alex's anger at being childless soon turns to panicked desperation when her doctor gives her the lowdown on her dwindling chances of conception. Facing the possibility of never having a family of her own, something she's always wanted, finally brings her to break down in tears in front of Ethan Stone, a co-worker she plays racquetball with but otherwise maintains a professional friendship with.
Ethan may cultivate a ladies' man appearance and shun marriage after his extremely ugly divorce, but he's moved by Alex's pained confession. As he's comforting her, he admits to himself that he's in a similar situation. Now 42, divorced and bitterly opposed to commitment, he also laments his lost chance at parenthood. Though he dotes on his younger brother's boys and delights in being the best uncle ever, he wishes he could've had what his brother has. When he finds out about Alex's plan to conceive via sperm donor, he sees an opportunity to possibly parent a child without entering into a relationship that would ultimately just fall apart.
The book's strength is in its characters. Declining fertility, ticking biological clocks, fear of commitment, fertility ethics - all of these are rather weighty issues that could easily have bogged the book down if the characters were not as strong as they were. Instead, the characters drive the plot with a firm hand. They own the issues, leaving the story to be about them, their insecurities, strengths and struggles, rather than leaving them mere riders on the weighty topic bus.
Both characters are deep and nuanced. Alex's desire for the picket fenced fantasy is more than just a ticking clock. It's born out of her difficult childhood and her careful personality as well. Ethan's aversion to commitment and re-marriage is due as much to his divorce as it is to his deeply loyal personality and his work as a divorce and family lawyer. Both struggle deeply with their insecurities and Mayberry lets us see their struggles - even going so far as to show Ethan physically ill and in tears as he wars with himself over Alex. At no point are their problems treated facilely.
But neither does the angst and conflict overshadow the romance. Though their HEA and any open acknowledgement of their mutual attraction comes late in the story, Mayberry spends the time early in the story establishing their connection. They tease each other good-naturedly on the racquetball court, laugh easily together over one of Ethan's elaborately cooked meals, and comfort each other through the baby drama. She shows us that they're good friends above all, so it's easy to imagine their taking life's curveballs in stride.
Like the other books I've read by this author, this is a book about two fully-fleshed characters navigating their own inner conflicts. The plot serves to highlight their personalities, motivations and actions, not the other way around. I'd recommend this book unreservedly to those who like meatier, character-focused books with a slow-burning romance. It's not a quick, fluffy, escapist sort of read, but I had a hard time putting it down all the same.
February 21, 2012
Harlequin winner, part deux!
A winner, and I really enjoyed it. This one went by very quickly, but it was also a satisfying and emotional read. I found myself choked up towards the end, and I'm usually a tough nut to crack.
The story, briefly.
The plot isn't too complex, but the dynamics and characters are what make it special. Basically, career woman Alex decides she wants to have a baby, and office ladykiller Ethan steps up to the plate and offers to be her sperm donor. They have to navigate their mutual desires for how the arrangement would fall into place, and they also are in heavy denial of the mutual attraction for each other that has developed over time between them. They each want different things - she's looking for the white picket fence, and he's been burned so bad that he doesn't even want to try for the picket fence ever again - or so they think.
The characters.
The ticking biological clock theme is one that I usually avoid, but the characters handled the vicissitudes of the theme very well and realistically. Alex and Ethan felt real to me - not just stereotypes of the Harlequin variety.
They're an older couple (she's 38; he's 42), and there's a maturity to their thinking and interactions that is lacking in some of the other category romances that I've read. I found these characters to be very well-developed and fleshed out, with both good and bad qualities coming into the mix based on their own life experiences.
I thought this story also addressed the biological clock trope very well and unflinchingly. It wasn't maudlin; it felt like how two very real people would react to such a situation.
The romance/sexytimes.
The romance was nicely developed, and it definitely helped that they had a previously established professional rapport. The biological clock situation was the catalyst they each needed to spend more time together and get to know each other outside of the office/professional setting. There aren't many sexytimes scenes, but there's pretty good romantic tension throughout the book as Ethan wrestles with himself and his need to be with a woman to whom he knows he cannot give what she wants.
Overall.
Basically, I really enjoyed this book, and it was a great introduction to this much-lauded Harlequin author. Beyond the fact that she made a theme work for me that I don't typically read, she also made a lawyer romance work, too, when I usually avoid those like the plague. The story was emotionally realistic and actually had me choked up with tears at one point. I didn't particularly like the ultimate catalyst at the climax that brought Ethan to his "realization," but I tolerated it in the end because it was clear to me that he was well on his way to that realization already.
A quick funnie, to lighten the mood:
A winner, and I really enjoyed it. This one went by very quickly, but it was also a satisfying and emotional read. I found myself choked up towards the end, and I'm usually a tough nut to crack.
The story, briefly.
The plot isn't too complex, but the dynamics and characters are what make it special. Basically, career woman Alex decides she wants to have a baby, and office ladykiller Ethan steps up to the plate and offers to be her sperm donor. They have to navigate their mutual desires for how the arrangement would fall into place, and they also are in heavy denial of the mutual attraction for each other that has developed over time between them. They each want different things - she's looking for the white picket fence, and he's been burned so bad that he doesn't even want to try for the picket fence ever again - or so they think.
The characters.
The ticking biological clock theme is one that I usually avoid, but the characters handled the vicissitudes of the theme very well and realistically. Alex and Ethan felt real to me - not just stereotypes of the Harlequin variety.
They're an older couple (she's 38; he's 42), and there's a maturity to their thinking and interactions that is lacking in some of the other category romances that I've read. I found these characters to be very well-developed and fleshed out, with both good and bad qualities coming into the mix based on their own life experiences.
I thought this story also addressed the biological clock trope very well and unflinchingly. It wasn't maudlin; it felt like how two very real people would react to such a situation.
The romance/sexytimes.
The romance was nicely developed, and it definitely helped that they had a previously established professional rapport. The biological clock situation was the catalyst they each needed to spend more time together and get to know each other outside of the office/professional setting. There aren't many sexytimes scenes, but there's pretty good romantic tension throughout the book as Ethan wrestles with himself and his need to be with a woman to whom he knows he cannot give what she wants.
Overall.
Basically, I really enjoyed this book, and it was a great introduction to this much-lauded Harlequin author. Beyond the fact that she made a theme work for me that I don't typically read, she also made a lawyer romance work, too, when I usually avoid those like the plague. The story was emotionally realistic and actually had me choked up with tears at one point. I didn't particularly like the ultimate catalyst at the climax that brought Ethan to his "realization," but I tolerated it in the end because it was clear to me that he was well on his way to that realization already.
A quick funnie, to lighten the mood:
May 13, 2014
I had a hard time with the first half of this book—while Alex and Ethan are planning on being co-parents (each remaining single). I think it seemed like they were treating it rather trivially, or casually, maybe, when neither are trivial or casual people. Indeed, both have been rather slapped in the face with some harsh truths and should know better.
There's a turning point a little after mid-way, though, and things get lots better. I particularly like how well Mayberry sketched the details of female fertility without making it seem like a tract. She got all the cold, hard facts in while making them real (and real scary). We really do women a disservice by leaving so much of this out of the general conscience because the clock ticks down whether you pay attention to it or not—and I'm sure more than a few women find that they've made a decision after all when they hadn't really had the opportunity to make an informed one.
That realism might have been enough to keep this at four stars if I'd ever warmed to Ethan. I never did (though Alex is a sweetheart). I just don't find emotional denial attractive, and I find his level of risk-aversion rather weak, too. It may have helped if we had found out sooner what his deal was (Mayberry leaves it 'til almost the very end), but I'm not sure if that would have changed it enough for me or not. At any rate, I found myself coasting on inertia enough that I can't really justify more than three stars.
A note about Steamy: Very light steam on this one. One explicit scene and it's on the short side. There's not a lot of ancillary kissing and stuff, either...
There's a turning point a little after mid-way, though, and things get lots better. I particularly like how well Mayberry sketched the details of female fertility without making it seem like a tract. She got all the cold, hard facts in while making them real (and real scary). We really do women a disservice by leaving so much of this out of the general conscience because the clock ticks down whether you pay attention to it or not—and I'm sure more than a few women find that they've made a decision after all when they hadn't really had the opportunity to make an informed one.
That realism might have been enough to keep this at four stars if I'd ever warmed to Ethan. I never did (though Alex is a sweetheart). I just don't find emotional denial attractive, and I find his level of risk-aversion rather weak, too. It may have helped if we had found out sooner what his deal was (Mayberry leaves it 'til almost the very end), but I'm not sure if that would have changed it enough for me or not. At any rate, I found myself coasting on inertia enough that I can't really justify more than three stars.
A note about Steamy: Very light steam on this one. One explicit scene and it's on the short side. There's not a lot of ancillary kissing and stuff, either...
January 18, 2011
As a general rule, I like anything written by Sarah Mayberry. This was no exception. Except, while it is classified as a romance, there was so little romance. There was a happy ending, of course, but the growing lust-love and tension, almost completely missing.
The heroine, Alex, single at 38, runs into her anti-children ex- who happens to be a father now. To make things worse, she finds out that if she wanted a family, she better start now. Her hot coworker and raquetball buddy, Ethan, happens to witness her emotional breakdown. Soon after, Alex decides that she has no time to waste and should consult a sperm bank to get her wish. That is, until Ethan interferes. Ethan's previous marriage went sour when his dream of a family was shattered by his wife. Now afraid to trust women, but still wanting to be a parent, he volunteers to be Alex's donor. Anyway, things happen and they realize that they need each other more than they think they do.
The concept is novel and interesting. And the characters are compelling and beautifully drawn out. Their interactions were cute. But the romance happened to start in the last 3 chapters of the book. I know that it's more realistic, but who cares about realistic?
And that was the problem. Overall, this was a beautiful book about wanting a family, but it was still supposed to be a romance. And the love between the characters took a long time to develop.
The heroine, Alex, single at 38, runs into her anti-children ex- who happens to be a father now. To make things worse, she finds out that if she wanted a family, she better start now. Her hot coworker and raquetball buddy, Ethan, happens to witness her emotional breakdown. Soon after, Alex decides that she has no time to waste and should consult a sperm bank to get her wish. That is, until Ethan interferes. Ethan's previous marriage went sour when his dream of a family was shattered by his wife. Now afraid to trust women, but still wanting to be a parent, he volunteers to be Alex's donor. Anyway, things happen and they realize that they need each other more than they think they do.
The concept is novel and interesting. And the characters are compelling and beautifully drawn out. Their interactions were cute. But the romance happened to start in the last 3 chapters of the book. I know that it's more realistic, but who cares about realistic?
And that was the problem. Overall, this was a beautiful book about wanting a family, but it was still supposed to be a romance. And the love between the characters took a long time to develop.
April 12, 2011
The Best Laid Plans is an amazing book. Alex is a lawyer, she is 38 years old and is very successful professionally when she runs into her ex-boyfriend whom she lived with for 7 years, her ex always said that he didn't want kids and that was the reason Alex ended the relationship after seeing how futile it was for her to hope that he would change but she runs into him and sees that he has a child that shocks her and when she goes to her doctor and learns that the chances of her getting pregnant are reducing she swings into action. Alex loved her mother and looked after her, after she was injured, she has always dreamt of a family.
Ethan is another partner in her firm,he is a heart-breaker and she plays racquetball with him. She has a melt-down in front of him and later when she is researching sperm-banks Ethan finds out and tries to talk her out of it. Ethan went through a brutal divorce that scarred him and he has no intention of getting married though he always wanted kids, but he contents himself with his nephews, but seeing how passionate Alex is about having kids, he dreams again. He suggests that he be the donor and they share custody and responsibility. The book goes forward from there. The book is well done, we see the progression of their relationship from a professional one to a more personal one. It also shows that opting for a medical way of conceiving is not easy. Very well done and realistic.
Rating 4.5
Ethan is another partner in her firm,he is a heart-breaker and she plays racquetball with him. She has a melt-down in front of him and later when she is researching sperm-banks Ethan finds out and tries to talk her out of it. Ethan went through a brutal divorce that scarred him and he has no intention of getting married though he always wanted kids, but he contents himself with his nephews, but seeing how passionate Alex is about having kids, he dreams again. He suggests that he be the donor and they share custody and responsibility. The book goes forward from there. The book is well done, we see the progression of their relationship from a professional one to a more personal one. It also shows that opting for a medical way of conceiving is not easy. Very well done and realistic.
Rating 4.5
December 15, 2020
Re-read 15/12/2020
Apparently, I'm re-reading all the past favourites that have been on my Kindle since the dawn of time. I still love this. I guess I'd put this at 4.5 stars now, given how fast everything does go and given the fact that Ethan's "secret" regarding his past marriage stays buried too long.
But oh. This book and its plot still get to me. I can't believe it had been 7 years since I'd read it, I remembered so much of this. And reading this at 35 instead of at 28 was a vastly different experience as well, let me tell you.
Original review
This really, really worked for me. Which is surprising, given that I read the summary and was more than a little skeptical towards the theme of the book (I abhor the terms baby mama and baby daddy and am half tempted to go and edit the GR synopsis. Points to Sarah Mayberry for never actually referring to the situation in that way in the actual book). But it was the only one of hers still on my Kindle at the moment, so I figured why not.
And then I ended up completely loving it. In all honesty, it would probably be more like a 4 or 4.5 star rating, but I'm rounding up because this kept me up reading till 2am because I was compelled to finish it. It gets all the points for being lovely and charming in spite of the somewhat heavy subject matter. It's not a fun, lighthearted book or your everyday romance story.
But this ticked a lot of the boxes of what I want out of a contemporary romance. It's a semi-slow build-up (it all still goes pretty fast, but the transition from colleagues to friends to lovers was really well done. And I usually love the friends-to-lovers trope), both characters are career-driven and living in the city, and it deals with messy, complicated situations in life instead of going for the quick and easy HEA. I really liked Ethan and Alex and the vibe they had going between them even before things started changing. I had no problem believing there had always been an underlying attraction between them, that didn't go beyond banter because neither of them wanted to take the next step, for professional and personal reasons.
As for the issue of Alex wanting to be a mother so badly she'd be willing to do it on her own, I thought that was handled pretty well. I wouldn't necessarily make the same decisions if I were in her shoes, but because of the way Mayberry wrote about it, I understood Alex' POV which made it a little easier to relate to someone in her situation. And I adored the relationship between Ethan and his brother. And his brother's family.
I would again have liked this to be a few chapters longer, so that everything didn't need to be wrapped up in about 20 pages, but I just really enjoyed this.
Apparently, I'm re-reading all the past favourites that have been on my Kindle since the dawn of time. I still love this. I guess I'd put this at 4.5 stars now, given how fast everything does go and given the fact that Ethan's "secret" regarding his past marriage stays buried too long.
But oh. This book and its plot still get to me. I can't believe it had been 7 years since I'd read it, I remembered so much of this. And reading this at 35 instead of at 28 was a vastly different experience as well, let me tell you.
Original review
This really, really worked for me. Which is surprising, given that I read the summary and was more than a little skeptical towards the theme of the book (I abhor the terms baby mama and baby daddy and am half tempted to go and edit the GR synopsis. Points to Sarah Mayberry for never actually referring to the situation in that way in the actual book). But it was the only one of hers still on my Kindle at the moment, so I figured why not.
And then I ended up completely loving it. In all honesty, it would probably be more like a 4 or 4.5 star rating, but I'm rounding up because this kept me up reading till 2am because I was compelled to finish it. It gets all the points for being lovely and charming in spite of the somewhat heavy subject matter. It's not a fun, lighthearted book or your everyday romance story.
But this ticked a lot of the boxes of what I want out of a contemporary romance. It's a semi-slow build-up (it all still goes pretty fast, but the transition from colleagues to friends to lovers was really well done. And I usually love the friends-to-lovers trope), both characters are career-driven and living in the city, and it deals with messy, complicated situations in life instead of going for the quick and easy HEA. I really liked Ethan and Alex and the vibe they had going between them even before things started changing. I had no problem believing there had always been an underlying attraction between them, that didn't go beyond banter because neither of them wanted to take the next step, for professional and personal reasons.
As for the issue of Alex wanting to be a mother so badly she'd be willing to do it on her own, I thought that was handled pretty well. I wouldn't necessarily make the same decisions if I were in her shoes, but because of the way Mayberry wrote about it, I understood Alex' POV which made it a little easier to relate to someone in her situation. And I adored the relationship between Ethan and his brother. And his brother's family.
I would again have liked this to be a few chapters longer, so that everything didn't need to be wrapped up in about 20 pages, but I just really enjoyed this.
September 14, 2013
I think I am in the minority on this one, but this was just okay. I thought the book went on too long with internal dialogues and very little interaction between the two, so I found it hard to believe they had fallen in love. Secondly, I felt Ethan's inability to commit to a lasting relationship was a bit over the top....and I was surprised that she could entertain going back to him after the way he treated her.
Not one of my favorites.
Not one of my favorites.
September 4, 2019
Nice story with older mc's, 38 and 42 respectively, partners in a law firm who come together to fulfill a want to have a biological child and co-parenting. They find much in common as they become more intimate.
June 24, 2016
**3.5 stars**
Good book but I just didn't feel this guy or the relationship. Sarah Mayberry's books tend to have lots of chemistry but in this one, they felt more like friends than anything. I also couldn't believe that he didn't have a clue his wife was so unhappy. The fact that he didn't know his wife after a 12-year relationship made him as either clueless or so self-centered that he didn't pay attention to what was going on around him.
The best part was the relationship between the hero and his brother as well as the heroine's not setting. When she told him to take a hike, I was all 'Good for you!'. I really wished she had gone out with that doctor. He seemed nice.
Good book but I just didn't feel this guy or the relationship. Sarah Mayberry's books tend to have lots of chemistry but in this one, they felt more like friends than anything. I also couldn't believe that he didn't have a clue his wife was so unhappy. The fact that he didn't know his wife after a 12-year relationship made him as either clueless or so self-centered that he didn't pay attention to what was going on around him.
The best part was the relationship between the hero and his brother as well as the heroine's not setting. When she told him to take a hike, I was all 'Good for you!'. I really wished she had gone out with that doctor. He seemed nice.
February 1, 2012
I told myself that I was done with any Harlequin titles YEARS ago ... but I was in the (strange) mood for romance for the past few weeks, and a friend gave this a 5-star rating (even if I don't share some of her taste), so I was curious.
One thing stands out in this ... the fact that the heroine and the hero are both in their late 30's and early 40's; and their life (money wise, career wise) has been established . I like that, because I feel like I'm in the company of 'mature' love / relationship, so to speak. I guess entering my 30's, I'm a bit 'tired' with the heroines being in their 20's.
The issue in this book is a serious one. It's not just one trying to find Mr. Right. It's also one when she is faced with the cruel nature fact, that women as they are entering their late 30's/40's are no longer in good possibility of having kids.
Alex had spent the good 7 years of her life in a relationship, but her boyfriend didn't want children. So it slaps her in the face, when she meets her ex, and he is now a father, and Alex's chance of having her own baby is slimming. Now she must make a decision ... trying to find a guy, online dating, or getting a baby with cold science a.k.a. sperm donor. It's a serious issue, and while I'm not over 35 yet, and is not really thinking of having a baby at the moment, I must say that this book strikes something in me.
Then there's Ethan, the hero, who has been so devastated with his failed marriage -- when his wife blindsided him after 12 years being together with a request for divorce, and working as divorce/custody lawyers doesn't really help him in believing in love and marriage again; no matter how his brother and sister in law try to talk him out of it.
I love how subtle the change from colleague to friend (with the benefit of Ethan offering as sperm donor for Alex) to lovers at the end. It's not in your face and it doesn't feel forced. Several times I get my heart squeezed with the problems that the two are having.
I love the epilogue. I love how Ms. Mayberry doesn't immediately close it with a full on HEA (). I mean, there's a happy ending, but there's also another fact of life written there. It's definitely a great writing (and story) here ...
One thing stands out in this ... the fact that the heroine and the hero are both in their late 30's and early 40's; and their life (money wise, career wise) has been established . I like that, because I feel like I'm in the company of 'mature' love / relationship, so to speak. I guess entering my 30's, I'm a bit 'tired' with the heroines being in their 20's.
The issue in this book is a serious one. It's not just one trying to find Mr. Right. It's also one when she is faced with the cruel nature fact, that women as they are entering their late 30's/40's are no longer in good possibility of having kids.
Alex had spent the good 7 years of her life in a relationship, but her boyfriend didn't want children. So it slaps her in the face, when she meets her ex, and he is now a father, and Alex's chance of having her own baby is slimming. Now she must make a decision ... trying to find a guy, online dating, or getting a baby with cold science a.k.a. sperm donor. It's a serious issue, and while I'm not over 35 yet, and is not really thinking of having a baby at the moment, I must say that this book strikes something in me.
Then there's Ethan, the hero, who has been so devastated with his failed marriage -- when his wife blindsided him after 12 years being together with a request for divorce, and working as divorce/custody lawyers doesn't really help him in believing in love and marriage again; no matter how his brother and sister in law try to talk him out of it.
I love how subtle the change from colleague to friend (with the benefit of Ethan offering as sperm donor for Alex) to lovers at the end. It's not in your face and it doesn't feel forced. Several times I get my heart squeezed with the problems that the two are having.
I love the epilogue. I love how Ms. Mayberry doesn't immediately close it with a full on HEA (). I mean, there's a happy ending, but there's also another fact of life written there. It's definitely a great writing (and story) here ...
November 11, 2010
Once in a while, you can find a very rare jewel between all the harlequin releases and in my opinion, this was one of them.
The book starts with Alex running into her old-boyfriend. She spent seven years in a relationship with him and the reason why they break up was because he didn't want a child. When she runs into him, she finds out that he had a baby just recently and she's very hurt. She feels like she lost all this time with him and feels like she's running out of time. She has a doctor consult and she founds out that she's actually running of time if she wants to have a baby. She's very frustrated and angry. later, that day, she has an appointment with her coworker Ethan (they play tennis every week). She's very frustrated and angry and she takes it out with Ethan. He was very patient and he really listened to her even if she really didn't want to talk about it since he's her coworker and not a real friend or anything related. She wants to have certain distance with him for several reasons. The story develops from this point... we start getting to know Ethan who is more than a pretty face. He's very torture even if he doesn't show it to the world. He has very strong views of life, love and marriage and how all these issues collides with Alex who is athe happily ever after kind of girl.
The book isn't a fun book. It develops a very serious issue when you're running out time when you want to accomplish certain dreams... It's about companionship and loneliness. The desperate race of happiness and how far we will go to find it.... If we can let go of the past and start looking for the future. One side of the book that i really loved was the slow growing of Alex/Ethan relationship... they starts as coworkers and very slowly they become friends and lovers. It's a very subtle change in the whole book. There was one particular moment in the book where Ethan was very perturbed and his brother comes to talk to him and they had a very strong conversation and it's the moment that you could finally understand Ethan why is the way he is.
Also, the book deals with all these issues in a very real way. You can feel the struggle of the characters with their emotions. Overall, the book is really good. If you want to read something light and funny, this isn't your book... Beware that if you are over thirty-five and single, you'll want to avoid this book!
The book starts with Alex running into her old-boyfriend. She spent seven years in a relationship with him and the reason why they break up was because he didn't want a child. When she runs into him, she finds out that he had a baby just recently and she's very hurt. She feels like she lost all this time with him and feels like she's running out of time. She has a doctor consult and she founds out that she's actually running of time if she wants to have a baby. She's very frustrated and angry. later, that day, she has an appointment with her coworker Ethan (they play tennis every week). She's very frustrated and angry and she takes it out with Ethan. He was very patient and he really listened to her even if she really didn't want to talk about it since he's her coworker and not a real friend or anything related. She wants to have certain distance with him for several reasons. The story develops from this point... we start getting to know Ethan who is more than a pretty face. He's very torture even if he doesn't show it to the world. He has very strong views of life, love and marriage and how all these issues collides with Alex who is athe happily ever after kind of girl.
The book isn't a fun book. It develops a very serious issue when you're running out time when you want to accomplish certain dreams... It's about companionship and loneliness. The desperate race of happiness and how far we will go to find it.... If we can let go of the past and start looking for the future. One side of the book that i really loved was the slow growing of Alex/Ethan relationship... they starts as coworkers and very slowly they become friends and lovers. It's a very subtle change in the whole book. There was one particular moment in the book where Ethan was very perturbed and his brother comes to talk to him and they had a very strong conversation and it's the moment that you could finally understand Ethan why is the way he is.
Also, the book deals with all these issues in a very real way. You can feel the struggle of the characters with their emotions. Overall, the book is really good. If you want to read something light and funny, this isn't your book... Beware that if you are over thirty-five and single, you'll want to avoid this book!
November 9, 2010
Really well done friends-to-lovers story. Well written, well plotted and very nicely executed. Sometimes an author makes the transition from friends to lovers a bit jarring. But not here. Not once did I feel like anything was contrived, every situation flowed organically.
The main characters were incredibly appealing with Ethan being a prototype excellent hero. The dialogue was also a plus, the banter between the two was frequently witty.
I also liked that the epilogue was welcome and not exactly cliche.
Highly recommended.
The main characters were incredibly appealing with Ethan being a prototype excellent hero. The dialogue was also a plus, the banter between the two was frequently witty.
I also liked that the epilogue was welcome and not exactly cliche.
Highly recommended.
December 30, 2010
I liked this book. I'm not generally fond of Harlequine super romance because they tend to be about ordinary couples and are not usually the best written books. I usually find the authors competent at best. This one the writing was really good and engaging and I was totally drawn into the story. The characterization was extremely well done on the part of both the hero and the heroine.
December 23, 2010
Another very satisfying read by Sarah Mayberry. I'm very impressed with her ability to handle the shorter form of HQ while delivering well-rounded characters, believable emotions, and a decent plot. I have no real caveats with this book. I thought it was well done all the way around.
February 21, 2017
Close to a 4 for me. This is a slow burning friends to lovers story, with a lot of depth and character development. While it is very well written, the pace is a bit slow, but I end up finishing the book with a contented sigh.
The main characters here are slightly older, so I do enjoy both being more mature and reasonable, though at the same time their experience also happen to be the bottleneck for their relationship.
H is wonderful as a person. He is funny, attentive, kind and understanding. We are given his pov, which helps us understand his big achilles heel a lot more. The life experience he has had made us understand he isn't really the unfeeling jerk despite his actions. We also can feel how much he adores our h. Though some might be impatient with his behavior, I really find this credible and understand the struggles he is going through.
Our h is a strong character that is charming and independent. Despite life dealing her a bad hand, she is not embittered and still has her hopes and dreams. She also is realistic and practical, will gather enough strength to pick herself up time and again. A very well written likeable character that doesn't take crup from the H and I totally agree she deserves a guy that can give her a hea.
There is not many other characters around as the story mainly focuses on how these two slowly becomes closer. Yet there is still a great brotherly story there and helps make the story all the more rich and engrossing. I love how caring and supportive the brother is by calling H out when he did something stupid yet offering comfort and encouragement when the moment calls for it.
The plot itself is very slow going. But it gives a credible feel of how two friends slowly get closer and fall in love by seeing how they spend time enjoying each other's company. It also helps reinforce to us as readers the idea that this pair will work out as they essentially just fit being together. There is banter and fun teasing, also support and understand besides attraction and love. While initially there are a lot of barriers between these two, they do slowly open up by degree.
The book as mentioned is pretty slow paced, especially at the beginning parts, and I do wish we have more focus on them both earlier instead. I also was a bit disappointment in the beginning regarding the H to be very honest, as I initially thought that
The main characters here are slightly older, so I do enjoy both being more mature and reasonable, though at the same time their experience also happen to be the bottleneck for their relationship.
H is wonderful as a person. He is funny, attentive, kind and understanding. We are given his pov, which helps us understand his big achilles heel a lot more. The life experience he has had made us understand he isn't really the unfeeling jerk despite his actions. We also can feel how much he adores our h. Though some might be impatient with his behavior, I really find this credible and understand the struggles he is going through.
Our h is a strong character that is charming and independent. Despite life dealing her a bad hand, she is not embittered and still has her hopes and dreams. She also is realistic and practical, will gather enough strength to pick herself up time and again. A very well written likeable character that doesn't take crup from the H and I totally agree she deserves a guy that can give her a hea.
There is not many other characters around as the story mainly focuses on how these two slowly becomes closer. Yet there is still a great brotherly story there and helps make the story all the more rich and engrossing. I love how caring and supportive the brother is by calling H out when he did something stupid yet offering comfort and encouragement when the moment calls for it.
The plot itself is very slow going. But it gives a credible feel of how two friends slowly get closer and fall in love by seeing how they spend time enjoying each other's company. It also helps reinforce to us as readers the idea that this pair will work out as they essentially just fit being together. There is banter and fun teasing, also support and understand besides attraction and love. While initially there are a lot of barriers between these two, they do slowly open up by degree.
The book as mentioned is pretty slow paced, especially at the beginning parts, and I do wish we have more focus on them both earlier instead. I also was a bit disappointment in the beginning regarding the H to be very honest, as I initially thought that
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2013
4 Stars ~ Bumping into her ex-boyfriend, Jacob, at the convenience store, Alexandra's shocked because he's pushing a baby carriage, and one glance at the baby is enough for Alex to know that he's the daddy. This is the start of the day that shakes up the rest of her life. She's 38 and very soon to be 39, and later that day at her annual physical her doctor reminds her of how fast her clock is ticking. And to end her day, she has an emotional breakdown with a colleague during their weekly racquetball game. Ethan's taken aback when Alex declares that more than anything she wants to be a mother but she's afraid it will never happen. At one time, Ethan wanted that too; to be a father, committed to the woman he loved with the house and the picket fence. But his marriage had ended abruptly, the woman he loved betrayed him. That night while Ethan was pondering his own childless future, Alex was checking out her options on the internet. Doing the math, she knew she didn't have much time to find a husband to love and then get pregnant. What she needed was a sperm donor. She could compromise on the husband, but she didn't have to compromise on the baby part. When Ethan discovers her reading sperm donor bio's, he's shaken that Alex is selling herself short, but then he realizes that she could be the answer to his own dreams. Why can't they parent a child together?
After Ethan's divorce, he'd vowed to never get involved with a woman who wanted commitments, and Alex is a woman who had commitment written all over her. So he tamped down his attraction to her and enjoyed their witty sparring and weekly competition. The first time Alex had set eyes on Ethan she'd thought to herself, "Hello, heartbreaker." I felt Alex's panic as she realizes just how fast her clock is ticking, and I understood Ethan's torment from his past experience and could really relate to him. I was really proud of Alex when she realizes that she deserves to have it all and what they were proposing was only half a dream. Their journey is an emotional one, and Ms. Mayberry gives us a wonderful HEA ending.
After Ethan's divorce, he'd vowed to never get involved with a woman who wanted commitments, and Alex is a woman who had commitment written all over her. So he tamped down his attraction to her and enjoyed their witty sparring and weekly competition. The first time Alex had set eyes on Ethan she'd thought to herself, "Hello, heartbreaker." I felt Alex's panic as she realizes just how fast her clock is ticking, and I understood Ethan's torment from his past experience and could really relate to him. I was really proud of Alex when she realizes that she deserves to have it all and what they were proposing was only half a dream. Their journey is an emotional one, and Ms. Mayberry gives us a wonderful HEA ending.
February 1, 2012
Just ok. A lot of internal pondering. Single career woman wants a baby before it’s too late.
STORY BRIEF:
Alexandra (Alex) is 38, single, successful corporate lawyer, partner in a law firm. Ethan is 42, partner in the same law firm. They are best friends and play racquetball weekly. Alex desperately wants to have a baby and debates whether to find a husband through online dating or purchase sperm through an agency. When Ethan discovers this, he realizes he would like a child also. He offers to provide sperm and be a co-parent, but he doesn’t want to marry or live together.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
I like the idea of the story. The weakness was everything was predictable. Alex goes through all the typical thoughts about what to do and how to do it. She is initially shocked with Ethan’s offer. And then they go through the predictable process of getting to know each other and thinking about it. Their relationship slowly changes from friends to something more. The book had too much pondering and predictability for me. I prefer more interesting characters, dialogue, and unexpected events. I want to be surprised or delighted. This was just ok. The characters are likeable. The best I can say is that it kept my interest enough so that I didn’t wish it would be over. It’s a short read.
The sex scenes are brief, quickly done, and mild. Not much emotional build up or passion - which is ok. That’s a style.
DATA:
Story length: 268 pages. Swearing language: moderate, including religious swear words. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 2. Total number of sex scene pages: 5. Setting: current day Melbourne, Australia. Copyright: 2010. Genre: contemporary baby romance.
STORY BRIEF:
Alexandra (Alex) is 38, single, successful corporate lawyer, partner in a law firm. Ethan is 42, partner in the same law firm. They are best friends and play racquetball weekly. Alex desperately wants to have a baby and debates whether to find a husband through online dating or purchase sperm through an agency. When Ethan discovers this, he realizes he would like a child also. He offers to provide sperm and be a co-parent, but he doesn’t want to marry or live together.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
I like the idea of the story. The weakness was everything was predictable. Alex goes through all the typical thoughts about what to do and how to do it. She is initially shocked with Ethan’s offer. And then they go through the predictable process of getting to know each other and thinking about it. Their relationship slowly changes from friends to something more. The book had too much pondering and predictability for me. I prefer more interesting characters, dialogue, and unexpected events. I want to be surprised or delighted. This was just ok. The characters are likeable. The best I can say is that it kept my interest enough so that I didn’t wish it would be over. It’s a short read.
The sex scenes are brief, quickly done, and mild. Not much emotional build up or passion - which is ok. That’s a style.
DATA:
Story length: 268 pages. Swearing language: moderate, including religious swear words. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 2. Total number of sex scene pages: 5. Setting: current day Melbourne, Australia. Copyright: 2010. Genre: contemporary baby romance.
November 3, 2010
I just flat-out ADORE stories by Sarah Mayberry and this story that I quickly picked up once I knew of its release and left everything else on hold just reeled me in from the beginning until its perfect ending which still has me sniffling all around. Sigh! Just sheer perfectness!
My review of the story can be found up on my blog:http://bit.ly/d0imIk
Seriously, cannot wait till the release of her next title The Last Goodbye which is to be released Feb 11'.
My review of the story can be found up on my blog:http://bit.ly/d0imIk
Seriously, cannot wait till the release of her next title The Last Goodbye which is to be released Feb 11'.
September 14, 2013
2.5 stars.
I would have liked this book more if the author had seen the original story line through of friends deciding to have a baby together, no strings attached. I wish they would have fell in love through that journey. That would have been an interesting story to read, but she cut the strings half way through and took a detour to a different plot. The sexual tension went straight out the window with it. It wasn't as fun to read anymore after that but it wasn't a horrible read.
I would have liked this book more if the author had seen the original story line through of friends deciding to have a baby together, no strings attached. I wish they would have fell in love through that journey. That would have been an interesting story to read, but she cut the strings half way through and took a detour to a different plot. The sexual tension went straight out the window with it. It wasn't as fun to read anymore after that but it wasn't a horrible read.
October 21, 2016
4.5 stars
Nice work. :)
Nice work. :)
March 12, 2022
Mehh.
I don’t even know why I started reading this book because it’s about being obsessed with getting pregnant and I hate the whole pregnancy bla bla trope.
Other than that, there’s nothing romantic. The “steamy” scene was bland because I don’t even remember if there were any, but I suppose there was at least one such scene.
Just a whole lot of whining about getting older and having a baby or not.
He wasn’t alpha. He was boring. And she was boring too. So I guess that makes a good match and they’ll live happily ever after in their dullness.
I don’t even know why I started reading this book because it’s about being obsessed with getting pregnant and I hate the whole pregnancy bla bla trope.
Other than that, there’s nothing romantic. The “steamy” scene was bland because I don’t even remember if there were any, but I suppose there was at least one such scene.
Just a whole lot of whining about getting older and having a baby or not.
He wasn’t alpha. He was boring. And she was boring too. So I guess that makes a good match and they’ll live happily ever after in their dullness.
June 19, 2018
This book is SO good. SO. GOOD. The heroine runs into an ex and has a doctors appointment, with the result that she realizes she’s running out of time to have biological children. She starts looking into options. Her friend and coworker sees her go through this and is reminded of his own desire for a family, which he let go after a bad divorce. Both of the characters are professionals and adults. They have their own issues, but are never irrational. I loved reading their story. I wish the story could have been more fleshed out (no female friends??) but I really loved this!
September 23, 2012
3.5/5 (B-)
So I was in the mood for a Ms Mayberry's book and thought of More Than a Night; however, when looking for it, I came across The Best Laid Plans and thought it'd be better to read that one since I could use it as my TBR challenge entry and here we are :) It's fun when things work out well.
I bought The Best Laid Plans during my "Sarah Mayberry" period. I've never been a fan of category romance, mostly because of the shorter format. However, as there is less and less contemporary romance published (especially non-small-town contemporary romance), I've been trying to get my fix through category romance :) And one name that pops up again and again when it comes to this genre is Ms Mayberry... so of course, I gave her a try and enjoyed her book well enough that I started buying every one of her new releases - and that's how The Best Laid Plans found its way to my TBR pile. Nowadays, it's not that I don't enjoy Ms Mayberry's writing; however, I'm more selective because she often tackles an idea in a book and really, fully developed it... and those ideas don't always fit with my reading taste. For example, if The Best Laid Plans was published next month, I wouldn't have picked it up. I'm not a fan of books where the heroines are desperate to have a baby... Of course, that'd mean I'd have missed a very solid book though ^_^; So it's good I got The Best Laid Plans when I did :)
The reason The Best Laid Plans worked for me is that Ms Mayberry really made the readers understand why Alexandra wanted a child, a family so much and why she was in such a rush. It wasn't Alexandra seeing all her friends hooking up and wanting to fit in or being afraid to be alone or simply because it was time. No, Alexandra truly wanted a child and you really could feel her desire was genuine. As for her biological clock ticking, well it wasn't just a saying, it was indeed ticking. I liked that Ms Mayberry set us straight on the fertile years of a woman and about how difficult it is to become pregnant and carry to term after the age of 40. As such, Alexandra's urgency, being 38, made sense. Some people might think artificial insemination is cold and desperate and to some extent, it was; however, it was the most reliable of her options and also the most honest in my opinion. To go out there in the dating world and find a man, to settle for someone, simply to start a family... that isn't a better choice.
I really thought The Best Laid Plans started out well and very strong. Both Alexandra and Ethan are likable characters, very level-headed and competent. I also very much liked their approach to the whole theme. I thought Ethan's reaction especially felt very honest. To be shocked at first that Alexandra would consider such a thing and later, admire her for going after what she wanted... and then consider his own wish and dream. Here was his chance to be a father, would he really let it pass? And I'm glad he didn't. In addition, it was good that Alexandra and Ethan were not strangers, but instead, friendly colleagues. I liked that they knew each other, but not inside out and I enjoyed the parts where they got to know each other.
I wished they had had a bit more time to get to know each other though, but that was fine. I also wished they had gone through with the artificial insemination. I think that was a bit of a let-down that they didn't go through, because the whole first half of the book was building up to this moment... And also, it would have been much more interesting to see them deal with it and come together. As it is, I found the romance a bit lacking. I mean, I understand the reasons why they fell in love - after all, they were already attracted to each other prior and after playing house together, getting to know each other better... but it fell a bit flat. The book would have been so much more memorable and interesting if they have fallen in love after she got pregnant in my opinion. Also, the love declaration at the end was a bit rushed so that didn't help my feeling towards the romance.
Finally, Ethan's secret at the end, the reason why he didn't want to commit to marriage again was totally understandable... but given the theme of the book, very predictable as well ^_^; Also, I found it sad that he could not share it earlier with his brother, but I guess it hurt too much... So for him to share it with Alexandra, it showed how much she meant to him.
My Grade: 3.5/5 (B-). The Best Laid Plans was definitively an interesting book because of Ms Mayberry's approach to the theme and she did have likable characters. However, that aspect put aside, the romance wasn't very memorable resulting in a weaker second half of the book.
So I was in the mood for a Ms Mayberry's book and thought of More Than a Night; however, when looking for it, I came across The Best Laid Plans and thought it'd be better to read that one since I could use it as my TBR challenge entry and here we are :) It's fun when things work out well.
I bought The Best Laid Plans during my "Sarah Mayberry" period. I've never been a fan of category romance, mostly because of the shorter format. However, as there is less and less contemporary romance published (especially non-small-town contemporary romance), I've been trying to get my fix through category romance :) And one name that pops up again and again when it comes to this genre is Ms Mayberry... so of course, I gave her a try and enjoyed her book well enough that I started buying every one of her new releases - and that's how The Best Laid Plans found its way to my TBR pile. Nowadays, it's not that I don't enjoy Ms Mayberry's writing; however, I'm more selective because she often tackles an idea in a book and really, fully developed it... and those ideas don't always fit with my reading taste. For example, if The Best Laid Plans was published next month, I wouldn't have picked it up. I'm not a fan of books where the heroines are desperate to have a baby... Of course, that'd mean I'd have missed a very solid book though ^_^; So it's good I got The Best Laid Plans when I did :)
The reason The Best Laid Plans worked for me is that Ms Mayberry really made the readers understand why Alexandra wanted a child, a family so much and why she was in such a rush. It wasn't Alexandra seeing all her friends hooking up and wanting to fit in or being afraid to be alone or simply because it was time. No, Alexandra truly wanted a child and you really could feel her desire was genuine. As for her biological clock ticking, well it wasn't just a saying, it was indeed ticking. I liked that Ms Mayberry set us straight on the fertile years of a woman and about how difficult it is to become pregnant and carry to term after the age of 40. As such, Alexandra's urgency, being 38, made sense. Some people might think artificial insemination is cold and desperate and to some extent, it was; however, it was the most reliable of her options and also the most honest in my opinion. To go out there in the dating world and find a man, to settle for someone, simply to start a family... that isn't a better choice.
I really thought The Best Laid Plans started out well and very strong. Both Alexandra and Ethan are likable characters, very level-headed and competent. I also very much liked their approach to the whole theme. I thought Ethan's reaction especially felt very honest. To be shocked at first that Alexandra would consider such a thing and later, admire her for going after what she wanted... and then consider his own wish and dream. Here was his chance to be a father, would he really let it pass? And I'm glad he didn't. In addition, it was good that Alexandra and Ethan were not strangers, but instead, friendly colleagues. I liked that they knew each other, but not inside out and I enjoyed the parts where they got to know each other.
I wished they had had a bit more time to get to know each other though, but that was fine. I also wished they had gone through with the artificial insemination. I think that was a bit of a let-down that they didn't go through, because the whole first half of the book was building up to this moment... And also, it would have been much more interesting to see them deal with it and come together. As it is, I found the romance a bit lacking. I mean, I understand the reasons why they fell in love - after all, they were already attracted to each other prior and after playing house together, getting to know each other better... but it fell a bit flat. The book would have been so much more memorable and interesting if they have fallen in love after she got pregnant in my opinion. Also, the love declaration at the end was a bit rushed so that didn't help my feeling towards the romance.
Finally, Ethan's secret at the end, the reason why he didn't want to commit to marriage again was totally understandable... but given the theme of the book, very predictable as well ^_^; Also, I found it sad that he could not share it earlier with his brother, but I guess it hurt too much... So for him to share it with Alexandra, it showed how much she meant to him.
My Grade: 3.5/5 (B-). The Best Laid Plans was definitively an interesting book because of Ms Mayberry's approach to the theme and she did have likable characters. However, that aspect put aside, the romance wasn't very memorable resulting in a weaker second half of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2010
I have a confession to make -hero/heroines as lawyers - not my favorite. In fact, I'm less likely to pick up a book if the hero or heroine is a lawyer. The one exception is a Julie James book. I like her lawyers. :) Anyone else, unless it's a romantic suspense, I can do without them. In Sarah Mayberry's latest, an author I adore, both the hero and heroine are lawyers. I wasn't crazy about that but it's a Mayberry so an auto-read for me.
Alexandra Knight is a smart career woman who, up until 18 months ago, was in a long term, committed relationship. She's now single and feeling that baby clock ticking away. Her ex made it clear that he didn't want kids but Alex thought he would eventually change his mind. He didn't, they split and now she's running out of options. After doing some research, she decides to use a sperm bank. She finds out that you can basically order the sperm on line. Isn't the internet grand? Alex is intelligent and practical. She wants to fall in love, get married and have a kid or two but she doesn't feel that time is on her side. I liked that Alex was realistic in her plans to have a child. She didn't completely give up on her dream of a traditional family, she simply modified her plans to fit her reality.
Ethan Stone is a partner in the same law firm as Alex. He's an older hero, 42, which I thought was a nice change. I suppose Mayberry could have gone with a younger guy but I'm glad she went a few years older than Alex's 38. Ethan has a reputation as a player, one that he doesn't rightfully earn but doesn't do anything to correct either. He does date but nothing serious. He not looking for serious. He's been there, done that and has no desire to try again. He did have hopes of having children but those hopes were put aside when his wife left him. When he finds out about Alex's situation, he sees the possibility of having a child of his own.
Alex and Ethan are not only partners in the same law firm, they are friendly outside of work. They have the occasional lunch together and play racquetball every week. They're not close friends, Ethan has a reputation and Alex doesn't want any involvement with a player. I'd say they're comfortable in each others company, talking of work and life in general. No sharing of secrets or any intimate details. They're both aware of the attractiveness of the other but neither chooses to act on that attraction, preferring to remain just friends.
Mayberry could have gone either way with this. She could have had Ethan try to wine and dine Alex into having a child with him. Ethan could have made Alex think he wants her when all he really wants is a child. But she didn't go that route and I'm so glad she didn't. Ethan, it turns out is an honest man and approached Alex with his plan that they become co-parents. It would be set up like a divorce without the marriage. They would arrange custody and financial obligations in the same way divorcing parents would, except without the drama. It made sense but it also came across as very cold, certainly not romantic. And that was the main problem I had with the story, not enough romance. I think I would have been happy had they gone ahead and became co-parents. It would have been interesting to see them remain as friends throughout the pregnancy and after the baby was born. Instead I kept waiting for the romance to happen.
The first approximate two-thirds of the book is about the process Alex, then both Alex and Ethan, go through of having a child through non-traditional means. We see Alex and Ethan get to the point where they are ready to go to the lab, undergo the process necessary to have a baby through in vitro. It was all very clinical with them trying to keep it more like a business transaction without all the emotional baggage that goes with creating a child with someone you love. Since this is a category romance, it's short, just under 250 pages. If it had been longer I'd have been okay with the amount of page time devoted to the process but it took time away from the romance.
But this is a romance so Alex and Ethan become romantically involved. This turns their relationship upside down and pulls some great emotional moments from both characters. I absolutely loved the last third of the book. Alex is still hoping for a man to love and who loves her. Ethan doesn't think he can give her that. He's afraid of taking the chance at anything permanent. It's a real roller coaster of a romance with neither Alex or Ethan sure of the others feelings.
So, not my favorite Mayberry but it still had well developed characters and an emotional ending. If only there had been more romance. . .
Alexandra Knight is a smart career woman who, up until 18 months ago, was in a long term, committed relationship. She's now single and feeling that baby clock ticking away. Her ex made it clear that he didn't want kids but Alex thought he would eventually change his mind. He didn't, they split and now she's running out of options. After doing some research, she decides to use a sperm bank. She finds out that you can basically order the sperm on line. Isn't the internet grand? Alex is intelligent and practical. She wants to fall in love, get married and have a kid or two but she doesn't feel that time is on her side. I liked that Alex was realistic in her plans to have a child. She didn't completely give up on her dream of a traditional family, she simply modified her plans to fit her reality.
Ethan Stone is a partner in the same law firm as Alex. He's an older hero, 42, which I thought was a nice change. I suppose Mayberry could have gone with a younger guy but I'm glad she went a few years older than Alex's 38. Ethan has a reputation as a player, one that he doesn't rightfully earn but doesn't do anything to correct either. He does date but nothing serious. He not looking for serious. He's been there, done that and has no desire to try again. He did have hopes of having children but those hopes were put aside when his wife left him. When he finds out about Alex's situation, he sees the possibility of having a child of his own.
Alex and Ethan are not only partners in the same law firm, they are friendly outside of work. They have the occasional lunch together and play racquetball every week. They're not close friends, Ethan has a reputation and Alex doesn't want any involvement with a player. I'd say they're comfortable in each others company, talking of work and life in general. No sharing of secrets or any intimate details. They're both aware of the attractiveness of the other but neither chooses to act on that attraction, preferring to remain just friends.
Mayberry could have gone either way with this. She could have had Ethan try to wine and dine Alex into having a child with him. Ethan could have made Alex think he wants her when all he really wants is a child. But she didn't go that route and I'm so glad she didn't. Ethan, it turns out is an honest man and approached Alex with his plan that they become co-parents. It would be set up like a divorce without the marriage. They would arrange custody and financial obligations in the same way divorcing parents would, except without the drama. It made sense but it also came across as very cold, certainly not romantic. And that was the main problem I had with the story, not enough romance. I think I would have been happy had they gone ahead and became co-parents. It would have been interesting to see them remain as friends throughout the pregnancy and after the baby was born. Instead I kept waiting for the romance to happen.
The first approximate two-thirds of the book is about the process Alex, then both Alex and Ethan, go through of having a child through non-traditional means. We see Alex and Ethan get to the point where they are ready to go to the lab, undergo the process necessary to have a baby through in vitro. It was all very clinical with them trying to keep it more like a business transaction without all the emotional baggage that goes with creating a child with someone you love. Since this is a category romance, it's short, just under 250 pages. If it had been longer I'd have been okay with the amount of page time devoted to the process but it took time away from the romance.
But this is a romance so Alex and Ethan become romantically involved. This turns their relationship upside down and pulls some great emotional moments from both characters. I absolutely loved the last third of the book. Alex is still hoping for a man to love and who loves her. Ethan doesn't think he can give her that. He's afraid of taking the chance at anything permanent. It's a real roller coaster of a romance with neither Alex or Ethan sure of the others feelings.
So, not my favorite Mayberry but it still had well developed characters and an emotional ending. If only there had been more romance. . .
December 19, 2015
Review copy provided by publisher
Why I Read this Book: I usually don’t read romances where there are pregnancies and babies involved because why would I want to read about that stuff when I’m living it? We read for an escape, right? And that wouldn’t be much of an escape for a mom of two, with one on the way, like me. But for some reason, and probably because I am pregnant at the moment, this book held an interest for me.
What I Liked: I read Her Best Friend and fairly enjoyed it. I like this author’s writing style and I like the Australian setting. I’ve been wanting to read more by this author and when this book came in the mail, I couldn’t wait to start reading it. (Confession: as soon as I got this book in the mail, I bumped it to the top of my TBR pile.) As much as I love reading paranormal romance and romantic suspense, sometimes a vixen needs to add some realistic romance to her reading mix. After reading the blurb on the back of the book, I really wanted to know how things were going to turn out for the hero and heroine.
The Best Laid Plans had somewhat of a friends to lovers feel to it. I say somewhat because Alex and Ethan are exactly ‘friends’. While they are colleagues who work at the same law firm and they play racquetball once a week, they don’t share personal details from their lives with one another. Still Ethan offered to help Alex with her baby situation which is a big thing to do.
I loved the chemistry between Alex and Ethan. Sure, they find each other physically attractive but I enjoyed watching their relationship go beyond that.
Poor guy, that Ethan. I just wanted to give the guy a hug. He’d been through hell and back. That ex-wife of his did a number on him; ripped him to shreds emotionally and pretty much damaged his chances of trusting another woman or falling in love again. Ethan’s ex-wife did the worst thing imaginable, something worse than having an extramarital affair. And Alex has her own past that she’s trying to overcome as well. Seems like the odds are stacked against these two with their troubled pasts but I was rooting for them.
What I Didn’t Like: I enjoyed this book for what it was. Nothing Earth moving; just a light contemporary romance read.
Overall Impression: If you’re looking for a realistic romance novel that sucks you right in with its storyline and characters, one that you won’t want to put down until you find out how things turn out, then I’d recommend reading The Best Laid Plans. That’s what it did for me. Well, that and the ending gave me the warm and fuzzies.
Why I Read this Book: I usually don’t read romances where there are pregnancies and babies involved because why would I want to read about that stuff when I’m living it? We read for an escape, right? And that wouldn’t be much of an escape for a mom of two, with one on the way, like me. But for some reason, and probably because I am pregnant at the moment, this book held an interest for me.
What I Liked: I read Her Best Friend and fairly enjoyed it. I like this author’s writing style and I like the Australian setting. I’ve been wanting to read more by this author and when this book came in the mail, I couldn’t wait to start reading it. (Confession: as soon as I got this book in the mail, I bumped it to the top of my TBR pile.) As much as I love reading paranormal romance and romantic suspense, sometimes a vixen needs to add some realistic romance to her reading mix. After reading the blurb on the back of the book, I really wanted to know how things were going to turn out for the hero and heroine.
The Best Laid Plans had somewhat of a friends to lovers feel to it. I say somewhat because Alex and Ethan are exactly ‘friends’. While they are colleagues who work at the same law firm and they play racquetball once a week, they don’t share personal details from their lives with one another. Still Ethan offered to help Alex with her baby situation which is a big thing to do.
I loved the chemistry between Alex and Ethan. Sure, they find each other physically attractive but I enjoyed watching their relationship go beyond that.
Poor guy, that Ethan. I just wanted to give the guy a hug. He’d been through hell and back. That ex-wife of his did a number on him; ripped him to shreds emotionally and pretty much damaged his chances of trusting another woman or falling in love again. Ethan’s ex-wife did the worst thing imaginable, something worse than having an extramarital affair. And Alex has her own past that she’s trying to overcome as well. Seems like the odds are stacked against these two with their troubled pasts but I was rooting for them.
What I Didn’t Like: I enjoyed this book for what it was. Nothing Earth moving; just a light contemporary romance read.
Overall Impression: If you’re looking for a realistic romance novel that sucks you right in with its storyline and characters, one that you won’t want to put down until you find out how things turn out, then I’d recommend reading The Best Laid Plans. That’s what it did for me. Well, that and the ending gave me the warm and fuzzies.
July 17, 2011
This is by no means a traditional romance. It starts out with our heroine realizing her biological clock is ticking and she's running out of time to have a baby. She decides her best option is through a fertility clinic and a sperm donor when she's surprised that a coworker offers to be the sperm donor and help her raise the child. I'm sure later in the book there will be some romance (after all it's a Harlequin), but I'm up to page 82 and so far the entire book is about fertility.
OKay, finished. The book definetly gets better and indeed a good romance. I like that the hero is flawed with a broken heart and he has to overcome his heartache and fears. The romance in this book isn't cute and fluffy, it's hard earned and feels more realistic than most harlequins. I'd recommend this book to anyone who isn't having fertility issues as the book would probably be hard for them.
OKay, finished. The book definetly gets better and indeed a good romance. I like that the hero is flawed with a broken heart and he has to overcome his heartache and fears. The romance in this book isn't cute and fluffy, it's hard earned and feels more realistic than most harlequins. I'd recommend this book to anyone who isn't having fertility issues as the book would probably be hard for them.
December 4, 2011
Sarah Mayberry is rapidly becoming one of my favorite category romance authors. I love that the hero in The Best Laid Plans is a normal guy, not an overwhelming jerk as in some category romances, and I'm beginning to think that most of her heroes are normal guys, so big plus there.
Ms. Mayberry takes a very plausible situation (38 year old career woman w/ ticking biological clock) and manages to craft a sweet and touching romance.
My only complaint would be that the first 2/3 of the book focuses primarily on the issue of fertilitiy/sperm donors, rather than the romance. I would like to see more time spent on the couple coming together, but this is no doubt because of the length of category romance. Even so, I definitely enjoyed this one and highly recommend it.
Ms. Mayberry takes a very plausible situation (38 year old career woman w/ ticking biological clock) and manages to craft a sweet and touching romance.
My only complaint would be that the first 2/3 of the book focuses primarily on the issue of fertilitiy/sperm donors, rather than the romance. I would like to see more time spent on the couple coming together, but this is no doubt because of the length of category romance. Even so, I definitely enjoyed this one and highly recommend it.
April 23, 2011
My grade: A+. This had simply everything a contemporary romance should have. They both had real, understandable issues to work through and they both had to grow in order to work through them. I loved that Ethan was "perfect" yet still had a complicated and serious relationship issue. And I loved that, as much as he fought against sharing his hurt and self-doubt with his brother, in the end it was his brother who helped him come to terms with his past. I was so glad the author added the epilogue. I would have felt cheated without it.
January 11, 2011
awalnya iseng doang karena suntuk ngerjain tugas di lepti trus iseng2 deh buka folder ibukgedebuk dan trus baca deh...cepet bacanya,ga pake dihayati cuman sejam dah kelar....daaaan tumben ni ceritanya sarah mayberry biasa banget...datar banget deh,ga bikin emosi naik turun...chemistry kurang....sebenernya mo ngasi satu bintang tapi gw ga tega ngebiarin ni judul ikut nemenin bukunya si Leo Hart....wakakakakakakkk
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