Unexpected

April 22, 2019
Rimmer (Before I Let You Go) showcases her talent with this sweet, lively contemporary set in New York City. Best friends since birth, habitual planner Abigail Herbert and commitment-phobic Marcus Ross know each other better than they know themselves. When Abby learns that an inherited condition is quickly diminishing her chances of carrying a pregnancy to term, she asks Marcus to help her conceive. Despite Abby’s plan to parent alone, Marcus realizes he wants to be more than just a sperm donor; he wants his child to know him as dad. When they learn how time-consuming artificial insemination is, they decide to go about it the traditional way, believing they will be able to keep their hearts out of the mix. However, neither is aware that the other is still affected by a kiss they shared months earlier. Their fun, loving longtime friends have already made bets about Abby and Marcus’s relationship remaining platonic, and the stakes are raised when the two start to have more-than-friendly feelings for each other. The ending is predictable but not clichéd, the flow is as smooth as the transition of the relationship, and the characters are wildly entertaining. This will delight fans of extremely modern romance.

May 1, 2019
The relationship between best friends Abby and Marcus becomes complicated when Abby decides to fulfill her dream of becoming a mother and Marcus agrees to play sperm donor. Abby Herbert is a popular video game streamer. While it's a dream job, Abby's real goal is to become a mother; she has even amassed a pile of parenting books and kept a thick binder of important information. When Abby receives news of her declining fertility at the age of 30, she feels like her time to be a mom is now or never. The only problem is that she's unattached and is having difficulties deciding on a sperm donor. Marcus Ross is Abby's roommate and best friend. He's also hopelessly in love with her. He'd do anything to make her dreams a reality and agrees to help her get pregnant. They get on well together, but he makes it clear that he won't allow Abby to be a single mom. He wants to be just as involved in raising her--their--child. However, the notion of co-parenting as best friends while keeping things strictly platonic is easier said than done. Abby's chutzpah in taking control of her future is commendable. The main issue with the book is that neither Abby nor Marcus seems mature enough to handle parenthood; when they begin their romance, it feels as if they're hurtling toward a huge mistake. Their apartment can't accommodate a baby in addition to Abby's work from home, as her bedroom is also her gaming studio. They ignore a doctor's advice on having legal precautions in place and attending counseling to make sure they're on the same page about parenting styles. The forward momentum hinges on Abby's tunnel vision for a baby and Marcus' being too much of a doormat to his best friend's whims to speak up. A friends-to-lovers setup that's overshadowed by a very bad idea.

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