From different worlds…
…to the perfect family?
Entrusted to take his late colleague's young son to his
grandmother, Manhattan financier Matt McLellan hires down-on-her-luck skipper
Meg O'Hara to take them across Australia's Bass Strait. He might be a
billionaire, but aboard Meg's boat she's the boss! The flame-haired beauty gets
under the committed bachelor's skin and by the time they reach their
destination, Matt's wondering if he's finally found the family he never knew he
needed…
Very good book. Matt is a billionaire workaholic in New
York, well known for his financial dealings. One of the lawyers who works for
him is a single mother who often brings her young son to work with her. Matt
frequently finds Henry in his office, reading or playing computer games. As the
book opens, Matt has taken Henry with him to visit McLellan Place, one of
Matt's properties. I loved how Matt tried to bring a little fun to Henry's life
and ached for the little boy whose mother had imposed such control on the boy.
When Henry's mother dies in an accident while he is with Matt, Matt takes
responsibility for getting Henry from New York to his grandmother in Australia.
I hurt for Henry, but also for Matt, who was at a loss about how to help him.
Meg is the captain of the charter boat Matt hires to take
him and Henry to the island where Peggy lives. She left school at sixteen to
help her grandfather after her grandmother died. They raised her after the
deaths of her parents. She fished with her grandfather, and after his death,
continued because that was all she knew. She has debts to pay from her
grandfather's illness, so she feels stuck in a dead-end position.
I liked the first meeting between Matt and Meg. There
were sparks between them from the beginning. She's pretty much forced to take
the charter by her boss but accepts because the money is good. She makes it
clear she's not happy and is overheard by Matt. I liked how Meg stood up to
him, checking on his credentials and right to have Henry with him. He's a bit
leery of her qualifications but quickly overcomes his doubts. What truly
impresses him is how quickly she bonds with Henry. For two weeks, Matt hasn't
been able to break through Henry's shell, but Meg manages in a few minutes. I
loved watching Henry take to Meg's dog, Boof, and start to act a little bit
like a normal kid. I loved how Matt was impressed and thankful for what she
did.
But delivering Henry to his grandmother does not go
smoothly. The boat that they are on goes up in flames, stranding them on an
unoccupied island. To make matters worse, Meg's boss did not outfit the boat
with the proper emergency gear. I loved how Meg and Matt worked together to
make sure Henry was safe and to maximize their chances of rescue. While on the island,
the attraction between Matt and Meg continues to grow. Their rescue adds
further complications to the plans for Henry, as his grandmother is not in a
good position to safely care for him, and Henry's father is located. Dad has
demands of his own, motivating Matt to offer Peggy and Henry a home at McLellan
Place. He wants Meg to come along, too, and comes up with what he believes is
the perfect plan.
Oh, how I wanted to shake Matt. His belief that he can
continue his lifestyle and work habits while being a part-time father and
husband shows how skewed his values are. He can feel that he wants to spend
more time with Meg but fights hard against admitting what his feelings are. I
ached for Meg, who knew she had fallen for Matt and wanted more than what he
offered. I loved seeing her reach the point where she had enough and laid into
him for being selfish. It seemed to take forever for Matt to finally see the
truth, but when he does, he discovers how much loving her has changed him. His
big moment at the end is sweet and romantic.
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