Dr Naughty: A Doctor's Baby Romance by Tara WyldeMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Three and a half stars.
First off I think the blurb AND the title are both misleading. Sort of.
Dr James Ashby is a super wealthy cancer doctor who founded a company called Dovecote Biotech. He is in clinical trials for a new cancer treatment which, if validated, could significantly improve cancer survival rates and make the company millions. Unfortunately, he is being harassed by an efficiency consultant called Sean Nasmith who was brought in by some of the investors. Nasmith is trying to invoke the morality clause in James' contract and expel him from the company he founded. James likes to work hard and play hard and has a bit of a reputation as a ladies' man, and maybe he has recklessly driven whilst under the influence ...
When he wakes up one Monday morning lying beside a stained toilet in a low-rent motel with absolutely no recollection of anything that happened on Sunday he realises he is on the brink of losing his company. His best friend and lawyer Tom tries to cover for him but suggests he needs some kind of image make-over, maybe a 'nice' respectable girlfriend to give the press and shareholders the impression that he's cleaned up his act.
Diana is the Uber driver who picks James up after his lost weekend. As she drives him home and then to work they chat and, half-asleep, James jokes that he should marry her when she offers her advice on a hangover cure.
Diana and James agree to a corporate marriage, possibly with benefits if they both agree, for up to 18 months. Diana will receive $1 million in compensation, which will get her out of her monetary difficulties, and James will get instant respectability. What could go wrong?
On the face of it, this looks like a billionaire playboy needs fake wife to keep the business - read loads of those before, one of my favourite romance storylines - but it isn't quite. First, James doesn't have the requisite long list of bitchy model ex-girlfriends/ mistress. In fact, other than the odd incident like his lost weekend, he really doesn't do more than work and look after his dog. Second, James and Diana's relationship become real pretty quickly, they got on well with each other right from the start and although there are the usual misunderstandings, secrets and arguments by and large the two of them act like adults and resolve them without all the usual angst.
Third, and this is a doozy, the plot thickens! I don't want to spoil this for anyone else so I won't say more but this is not just a standard marriage of convenience plot. Oh, and there's lots of random smexy times just thrown in every so often. Whilst this is in no way disjointed or rough, I definitely feel it is clear that it was written by two people because there seems to be two different stories here, perfectly blended together, it's a sweet marriage of convenience romance, a steamy billionaire romance, it has a subplot, there's a baby, I could go on!
Overall, this was engaging, sexy, funny and surprising. Recommended.
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