Series:
Dunn Brothers (Book 2)
From pretense to pregnancy…
things just got real!
Scoring an interview with actor Isaac Dunn is a dream
come true for podcaster Meghan Squire. But when he asks her to be his pretend
girlfriend, she has to pinch herself to see if she's dreaming! The arrangement
is just for a while. Just to keep the press at bay. Easy enough. At least until
their attraction proves anything but fake and results in a pregnancy. Suddenly
the million-dollar question is if they're ready to make a real commitment…
This was a good fake relationship story. At the end of
the previous book,
Million-Dollar Mix-Up, Isaac tried to save face by claiming
a secret girlfriend. A few months later and he is getting pressured to produce
that girlfriend. He's starting to worry about what will happen if he doesn't
when the perfect candidate practically drops in his lap.
When Isaac and his twin brother, Max, were kids, they
starred in a sitcom, sharing the role of the son, Danny. When the series ended
ten years later, Max couldn't wait to get out of Hollywood, while Isaac wanted
to continue his career. This caused a split between the brothers, which is
finally starting to heal. But Isaac's career was pretty lackluster until he was
asked to star in a reboot of the old show. He's counting on the show to give
his career a boost, hopefully into movies. He can't afford any negative
publicity.
During dinner with his brother and his brother's
girlfriend, Isaac's agent, Isaac meets Kendall's younger sister Meghan. Meghan
is a podcaster whose shows deal with the tv programs that were popular when she
was a kid. Her favorite was Isaac's show, and she had a massive crush on him then.
She is excited to meet him and ask him to be on her show.
Meghan has a reputation in her family for being a bit
flighty and irresponsible, so she isn't taken very seriously. Kendall tends to
be a heavy-handed older sister, handing out advice and creating tension between
them. They are just starting to repair that relationship, though Kendall is
still a little slow about remembering that Meghan is an adult. Complicating
matters, Meghan just left a relationship with a man who constantly put her
down, affecting her self-confidence.
When Isaac and Meghan meet, their attraction is instant
and intense. Isaac wastes no time asking Meghan if she'd be interested in
pretending to be his girlfriend for a few weeks. He insists it would be good
for both their careers. He would have that question of his girlfriend resolved,
and she would have access to him and the other stars for her podcast - a win-win
situation. The icing on the cake is their attraction will give it authenticity,
and they can enjoy themselves together.
I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. Besides
their off-the-charts chemistry, they discover that they honestly like each
other. They have a lot in common and enjoy spending time together. But the longer
they are together, the harder it becomes to remember that the relationship
isn't real. Isaac goes so far as to expect Meghan to uproot her life on the
East Coast and follow him to California. He lost some points with me because he
was a self-centered jerk. I didn't blame Meghan for being angry with him. I
liked seeing her stand up to him.
Matters become complicated when Meghan discovers she's
pregnant. By this time, she's realized she's in love with Isaac but has no idea
how he feels about her. Once again, his reaction lands on the jerk side, with him
seeming more concerned about the effect on his life than what it means for
Meghan. Things fall apart when his attempt to make things right goes very
wrong. I hurt for Meghan, who was hoping for his heart, not his head. I loved
seeing the sibling discussions that helped the unhappy pair find their way back
together. Isaac's big moment was sweet and emotional, and I liked seeing him
finally get his priorities straight. The epilogue was a terrific wrap-up for
the series. I liked seeing both couples a few months down the road.
One of the things I enjoyed about this book was seeing
more of Kendall and Max. They were a terrific example for Meghan and Isaac; if
only they could see it.
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