TITLE: The Pregnancy Test
AUTHOR: Erin McCarthy
SERIES: The New York Girlfriends
Book 1: The Pregnancy Test
Book 2: You Don’t Know Jack
Published: 2005
REASON FOR READING:
Wanted to read more books by RAW authors.
SUMMARY:
This story is the story of Mandy Keeling, a Brit living in New York. Although she owns a business she’s pretty much living off of her rich parents. Mandy finds out she’s pregnant and figures out that she needs to grown up and take responsibility for her life, and now the life of her baby.
THOUGHTS/OPINION:
So Mandy Keeling finds out she’s pregnant by a guy that she’s been seeing for the past 6 months. When she tells Ben that she’s preggo he wants her to terminate the pregnancy. When she refuses he offers her $5,000 if she’ll pretty much just go away. She, being the bright girl that she is and knowing a complete ass when she sees one, refuses the money and, thank heavens, gets out of his life! Ok, she didn’t know he was an ass for 6 months but she figured it out!
Mandy also figures out that she can’t live on her parents’ money any longer, she needs to buck up and find a “real” job, one that has health insurance and normal hours which will make child care easier after the baby comes. She sells her business that she’d bought with mommy and daddy’s money (and has never turned a profit) and goes for a job interview that one of her friends got her at her work. The problem is that the guy she’s interviewing with, Damien Sharpton, is considered an ogre. They call him Demon Sharpton because he’s such a hard ass to work for. Despite a horrible first meeting and interview that ends badly, Mandy gets the job.
Employee and employer see very little of each other for 2 months…even though Mandy is Damien’s assistant she knows how to hide from him so that he won’t notice her slightly increased belly and know that she’s pregnant (she does a lot of IMing, texting and emailing). Damien can’t seem to get Mandy out of his mind and Mandy is having some pretty erotic dreams about her boss. Damien finally insists that Mandy take a trip with him so that he can get to know her and get her out of his mind (yeah, like that ever works) and things start coming together for them. They actually become friends while on the trip and find that they like each other very much.
Damien has some serious issues with his past and doesn’t want to get into a relationship but he wants to have hot monkey sex with Mandy…if only for the time they’re on vaca. This is saying something since the man hadn’t had sex in 3 years and has had no urge to do so until now. Yes, that’s right 3 years. Damn. Mandy and Damien end up falling in love and in spite of all the issues that surround them…Mandy’s pregnancy, Ben the jerk who has come back in to her life, Damien’s completely messed up past…they find that with each other they can overcome just about anything.
I really enjoyed this story from cover to cover. There were more than several parts when I was laughing out loud at things the characters would say or do. Mandy was an amusing, complex character that I thoroughly enjoyed reading about. Damien didn’t feel that he deserved to be happy and tried really hard to be mean but he was such a nice person, I really liked him. He acted the hard ass because it kept people away from him. I can’t even imagine going through what he had and coming out anywhere near normal. But Mandy helps him through and it’s all good in the end. Of course – I have to have my HEA! lol
Was the author new to you and would you read something by this author again?
No she wasn’t new to me. I read My Immortal which was pretty good and then started Fallen but it was a DNF for me. Just couldn’t get into it. I think I’ll stick with reading her “lighter” stuff cuz I liked it much better.
Are you keeping it or passing it on?
Keep
Did you enjoy the book? Yes
Would you recommend this book to others? Yes
Score: 3.75 out of 5
This sounds like a really sweet story. I love the stories when the guy falls for the pregnant girl when the baby isn’t even his. It says a lot about his character right there, don’t you think?
Oh me too, Christine. And Damien was so concerned about her health and the baby it was very touching. There was one part where he was getting a little anal about it but she nicely put him in his place! lol
I felt exactly the same way about this book. So cute! Damien and Mandy together were just adorable. I absolutely adored the way he was w/ her when he found out she was pregnant and the way she put him in his place. ha!
Good review. 😉
Awww sounds cute, wished I liked stories with babies in them but I don’t.
I have the first of Erin’s books My Immortal or Fallen I can’t remember I’m thinking I need to pick her up again!
Okay that last comment came off harsher then I would have liked. What I meant to say is If I liked stories revolving around babies I would probably pick it up. However, I really don’t like to have kids in my romance story so I think I will pass.
However, LOL Tracy you did a great review and I’m tempted.
Sorry for sounding so harsh sheesh
haha! Sarai you crack me up! I understand about the babies thing. She was pregnant throughout the story so the ony baby hadn’t been born yet! 🙂 It didn’t sound harsh – no worries.
Thanks Holly – it was a really cute book and yes, they were adorable together.
LMAO @ Sarai! It’s okay. In general, I prefer to read romances without kids in them, too. However, pregnancy doesn’t bother me as much. It’s an out of sight out of mind thing. LOL
I loved this book when I read it. I thought it would be kinda icky but had loved everything else Erin had written so persevered. I’m glad I did. I’m so happy you liked it. Try ‘Heiress For Hire.’ It’s my favourite Erin McCarthy.
Sarai – It’s so funny but IRL i’m not a fan of kids, I’m not maternal and do not wish to have children but I love a goood romance with kids in. I don’t know why….
Babies! I’ve got to read it. Thanks for the recommendation! I’m such a sucker for secret babies. *ducks*
Sayuri – yeah, it was a good one. I’ll have to check out Heiress for Hire. I’m in the “I need to read more RAW authors” mode since it’s only a few weeks away.
Ciara – yes this baby was well hidden! lol
I like your rating scale. 3.75 🙂 Still haven’t figured it out yet, lol. Great review, I haven’t read her, but I’ll definitely be picking up her work!
Well I only usually only do the whole and half marks in the rating system…but this seemed to warrant just a little more star power – but not necessarily up to the next mark. You feel me? 🙂 Katie – let’s face it I have no idea why I do half the things I do either! lol
Hi Tracy, Great review!!! I have read Heiress for Hire and it was a fabulous book (in my humble opinion). I haven’t read this one and I have to admit that I would totally steer clear of something like this, but after reading your review I am definitely tempted.
Definitely read Heiress for Hire which features a farmer for a hero. Check out the link. How can you not be tempted (this is how I picture the hero)!
http://bp2.blogger.com/_D8ttxDJcYa0/SI_PgxzuuZI/AAAAAAAAAO4/8CDWnQ3jAsQ/s320/CampbellBrown.jpg
Hi Jill! I finally did get Heiress for Hire and have it in my TBR. I’ll let you know! 🙂