All He Ever Needed

Million Dollar Baby #1

by Tay Mo'Nae

Finishing her master's degree was the only Indigo was worried about, when she decided to throw caution out the window and succumb to one night of passion she never expected the results following that night.

Silas was tired of being controlled and his parents trying to dictate his life. Relationships were never on his radar, enjoying the freedom being single gave him. The moment he learns he was about to become a father, his fight or flight senses kicks in and insecurities surface.

Two people who unknowably are more alike than they think, are thrown into a situation and forced to face it head on. Will they be able to come together and be parents?

Genres: Romance, African American Romance, Audiobook, Workplace Romance, Urban, Surprise Pregnancy, African American

222 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 2023

About the author

Tay Mo'Nae is a 27-year-old Urban Romance author who pens about Black Love. She create stories to help her readers escape reality and create a movie in their head. She loves writing about characters that at least one reader can relate too.

With 50 books under her belt, Tay Mo'Nae hopes to gain at least one new reader with every release and have them connect to her characters and story in some way. If she would have to explain her writing she would say she loves "penning complicated characters that find a path to love".

Reviews

[Topeka · Rating 2 out of 5]

First, I did like the story. But there were just SO many grammatical errors, that it made the book almost unbearable to read. Words left out, incorrect words used,…etc. It was bad. I really hope the author gets a new editor. Or maybe she could have some friends start proof-reading her work before it’s published. Because the story is really good, and she seems to be really talented, but all the errors were definitely a turn-off. Maybe there will be a revised edition that I can give a much higher rating to, in the future. 😊

[WellReadRuby · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️!
We are back in New Haven!! Omg, I didn’t know going into this book we would be following up with Law’s (hero from Fell for the Wrong One) friend! In Fell for the Wrong One, we learn of Silas wanting to sleep with his new maid and here we are where the book opens up with a glorious one-night dream come true for both Silas and Indigo. Indigo is doing a double major masters in chemistry and chemical engineering. She’s in her last semester when she finally takes her boss, Silas, up on letting him have her. Let’s just say she’s reminded of their one-night-stand the day of her graduation! 😩🥴 I love a surprise baby and oops baby situation and will eat it up every time! I will admit I forgot how trash Silas's parents are but at the end of the day, Silas had to do what was best for him, Indigo, and baby(s). Their love story was very strained due to Silas's insecurities and trauma from his childhood and I’m glad he had a friend like Law to talk some sense into him. Getting back to Indigo y’all know I loveee me an engineer again I’m eating it up! What got me is that I thought the Dr. Foe situation was going to be more and I’m glad/surprised it wasn’t! This couple didn’t need any more road black between them! Indigo and Silas were more alike than not and having control was major to both of them for different reasons. Indigos family was a stark difference from Silas and thank goodness for that! Overall this was a nice low-angst book, dramatic with the mom is something else and that lady needs help! It was nice to see this love story mentioned in the previous book and how it plays out! Silas really hit the jackpot with Indigo and vice versa. This book has spice, low angst, oops baby, funny moments with Indigo's family especially her sister! LOL, Silas getting his foot stuck in his mouth saying things so wrong lol( quote on previous page), and some of your favorites from Butter Ridge Falls and New Haven and it is a good read! Definitely recommend! I can’t wait to see which friend is next?? Caspian? Rhys? Maybe Aspen??

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Sihle 🪻🌸🌷🌼🌝 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t have much to say, the story is what it is👍🏽

[JBucky · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ This was a good little one, two!

Silas, an only child millionaire, meets Indigo, an independent, intelligent scientist, and their lives are forever linked after one night together!

Although the plot seems simple, it was NOT without a little drama 🤣! I really couldn't tolerate Silas at first, but he eventually grew on me a little! I don’t know if it was a full redemption. Although Silas grew on me, his Mama DID NOT!. I would have caught a CASE behind that woman; she did WAY TOO MUCH!!

Anyway, Indigo was my favorite character, I enjoyed her the most because she didn’t take a lot of sh**. The book was solid!

[Goddess’ Smut Library 🩷 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very cliche and not much depth to the story

[artsandgrace *ೃ༄ · Rating 1 out of 5]

All He Ever Needed Was A Kick in The Nuts and Lots of Slaps in The Face, more like it.

Honestly, what? Silas was a shame to all the Silases out there. He ain’t it. Indigo should’ve ended up with Dr. Foe. Like, you add in someone as sweet as Dr. Foe, one without ulterior motives, and NOTHING happened from that? And what do you mean she lost attraction to Dr. Foe once she knew he lost his wife years ago?! What’s wrong with a hot, kind, attentive widower?!

Indigo also had no backbone. She let Silas stomp over her just like that.

And what are feelings, anyway? This book is so detached from feelings it was monotonous throughout the book. I don’t even feel the “love” between the two main characters. They should’ve ended up as co-parents. Their situanship felt platonic through and through.

Disappointed.

[Nastacia · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF AT 38%

The author wrote the MMC refer to the FMC as "female" one too many times. Example: "This was the first time I had been in a situation like this with a female..."

That really was the last straw.

TURNOFFS:
1. FMC is virgin. Hate this troupe.
2. Gets knocked up her first random sexual encounter with...HER DAMN BOSS. She is his maid. Hate the pregnancy troupe.
3. MMC is a controlling, chauvanistic a$$hole. There is NOTHING endearing about that man.
4. I don't like the the FMC just goes along with his controlling as when she doesn't even know him.
5. And, AND he was a selfish sexual partner. Just EWW!

Just not enjoyable. Flat characters. Had me rolling my eyes too many times.

['The Book Queen' · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story.

[OnceUponAStorybook · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Hear my Heart by this same author and I loved it so I decided to give something else by her a try. Now don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the story but for the most part I was uninterested in this.

I wasn’t that invested in the characters but I particularly didn’t like our MMC, the way he would act rubbed me the wrong way. And the FMC just seemed weak minded in my personal opinion.

Also felt like the characters had no chemistry, they should just coparent and call it a day.

[ReadnliftwithShar · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ I had the pleasure of meeting Silas and Indigo in this new book coming from Tay Monae. Indigo is in her final year of graduate school and is working as a maid for Silas. They had chemistry but never crossed the line in the past. One night they finally let their guard down and subsequently turned their lives around. This book has an accidental pregnancy, STEM rep, meddling parents, and characters that clearly want each other. The story captivated me and I was so invested in how things would progress. Silas is resistant to settling down but wants to be in charge of decisions Indigo made towards their future children. He acted like money would solve things but he learned quickly that Indigo is independent and is not looking for a handout. There was a distinct difference in both families response to the pregnancy news. Indigo’s family was super supportive and genuinely happy. Meanwhile, Silas’ parents had me so heated, I wanted to lay hands on his mama because how dare you ma’am? I was very pleased with how Silas handled the situation with his parents, though it took longer than I would have liked. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it!

[Erin Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Silas & Indigo

3.75 ⭐️ What happens after you have a one night stand with your boss & find out you’re pregnant?!?!? You would think all hell broke loose & there would be tons of drama but no it wasn’t. Story was kind of boring 😬 very much cutesy vibes and melodramatic.

Review is for ebook & audiobook.

[Lily Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.75-3.85) This was a good little story.

Silas x Indigo

I’m glad that Silas stepped up, and put his best foot forward despite not wanting certain things for his life. As time passed his heart, and approach seemed to change towards Indigo, and parenthood.

I would have loved an extended epilogue, but this was cute.

[Ebony · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up to a 3. I just don’t see how or where Indigo and Silas began loving each other. I really think they’d be better off as co-parents.
There was literally 20 minutes left in the book and he was talking about he didn’t know if he and Indigo were in a relationship to his friends but he literally juuuusssttt told her she was “HIS!”??
Silas’ mom is absolute TRASH.

[Sheronda H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I go into books blind and I usually don’t read the summary. With that being said I didn’t expect the surprise pregnancy. Silas’ parents, mostly his mother was trash. But I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading the next one.

[Alexis💛 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Good 4.5

This the first time in a while where the main MC got on my nerves the most…It’s always the main FC but this one Lordddd Silas was getting on my nerves but my God was Indigo patient with him 👏🏽

Then once you meet Si’s parents you see exactly why he is the way he is but Indigo was able to show him a new world

Loved Indigo’s parents and sisters also Si has a great group of friends

[Bug · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story !

I enjoyed these characters . Indigo may have been a maid but that was just a day job. She had two degrees and was a hard worker. she met her match with Silas … and drove him down with her resolve and spirt. Loved the story will be checking out other books

[nosha · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75⭐️ It’s like I didn’t have a problem with it after I finished …but it’s like the more I think about this book as a whole, the more irked I get. Like that’s it ? Very cliche . No depth . Just idkkkk . I’m not moved .

[Tsholonki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had this book on my TBR list for so long and it did not disappoint well except a few grammatical errors and spelling but otherwise really good story. I have a few words for Indigo but spoiler alert but I get it sis, I'd do it too.

[Jacquie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid 3.5, not my favorite Tay Monae book but not at all bad! I think it missed for me because Indigo was pregnant the whole time. I love a surprise pregnancy trope so that doesn’t bother me at all but I needed something outside of that to attach to the characters more. Indigo and Silas are likable, the whole friend group is. I liked the plot with Silas’ disaster of a mother, it was an interesting element. The story is good I just wasn’t super attached to the characters as a couple. As individuals they’re great!

I love that Indigo is a scientist, working her way through college. She was smart, assertive, confident, she would not let Silas run her or his momma run her off and I love that for her! Silas was interesting, I read Fell For The Wrong One so I already enjoyed the whole friend group. I love that he came from money but still built his company from the ground up, he wasn’t kicked back working for daddy! Even though he was pushy he wasn’t disrespectful to Indigo and I love that he always had her back. As individual characters I really enjoyed them both I just didn’t get attached to the coupledom and I need that in my reads.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice read.

********SPOILER***************
The book was a nice read but basic if you’re an avid reader. A lot of grammatical errors and lots of repetition. However I feel like the author could improve the writing style with the proper guidance.

The story was about the typical bachelor fooling around, denying wanting to ever being in a relationship and ends up falling for the girl by the end of the book. Unbearable mother I felt like she could have been offed lol.

*Spicy pregnancy*

[BayLe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Charging this lady w/ obsessive use of the word “orbs”.

[Jailai · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was amazing omg 😭😭😭😭🥺🥺🥺🥺.

[Stella · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let me just say this loudly: this book should’ve been called Rich Baby Daddy

Silas is irritating as hell. Every five seconds he reminds us he’s rich, successful, powerful, self-made, blah blah blah. He’s selfish, controlling, only cares about sex, and on top of that he “gambles for fun,” which is wild to me.

Indigo, on the other hand, is written like the biggest doormat alive. The book wants me to see her as brilliant scientist, sweet, innocent, pure, but how are you a virgin who’s never dated and then your FIRST sexual experience is with your boss who is a millionaire and you were a maid?? Were you not scared of repercussions? And she doesn’t even consider the power imbalance or how she’s literally being taken advantage of. Man literally encouraged her to drink before sleeping with her 😑. She talks a big game about independence, but then she spends 90% of the time letting Silas run her entire life. Then she turns around and asks him, “So what are we?” Girl… PLEASE.

And don’t even get me started on the misogyny. Silas basically implies that Most girls aren’t into science, let alone want to make a career out of it, what in the misogynistic fuckery is this???? And instead of checking him, Indigo smiles and absorbs it like a pick-me sponge. And this girl ate that shit up and trying to humble brag of how hardworking she is and I am like the pick me alert is high. Also I remember early on in the book, she mentioned about how ohhh she liked how her career working in chemistry/lab does not have a lot of women as she likes to be the one to like I guess break those odds, and I am like you sound like you only want to do this for your ego. It gives me the vibes of “ I am different and special because other girls don’t do this.”

This book leans HARD into those annoying tired stereotypes about Black relationships.

You’ve got:
— The emotionally unavailable Black man with trauma from his family who doesn’t want to be “tied down.” But runs around sleeping with the whole town, sowing his seeds 🙄.
— The young brilliant hardworking Black woman who becomes a baby mama and somehow stays complacent as long as he provides financially.
— The dynamic where the woman is supposed to accept scraps because he’s “broken but wealthy.”
— The man is a whore and the girl, a pure untouched virgin.

It’s the same old harmful formula dressed up as romance. I hated that.

And honestly, the ending? Terrible. I did not want them together.
If anything, they should’ve become co-parents, not a couple. THAT would’ve been a more interesting and healthier storyline. Show me how they could’ve raised a kid together without forcing a toxic romance.

And I’ll say it: Indigo should’ve ended up with the boss from her new lab job. He actually seemed like a stable adult. But no, we get the stereotype instead. Man = whore. Girl = virgin. And they’re magically meant to be. Enough.

The only bright side?
Her family, her sister, her cousin, and even some of Silas’s friends were warm, supportive, and actually felt real. The community around Indigo was lovely. The couple themselves? A whole mess.

[JazzReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

like it

This was my first book by Tay Monae. I like the fact that this book was different from the other books I read. I really enjoy Indigo being a chemist and standing on how her parents raise her to be independent. Indigo was my favorite character in this book.

[Yanique (YanCanWorld) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5ish maybe?
The book could use some editing. Orbs, irises and hearts flipping were a bit much but I still enjoyed the story.

I liked how the author wrote the characters, it gave you a clear sense of who they were. I loved Indigo and I knew Silas would come to his senses soon.

[Brittanny Pinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, I just felt like it was rushed, or maybe I enjoyed it so much I didn't want it to end

[Markita_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 🌟
R E A D !

[Taees_Cozy_Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet romance. I am glad it ended how it did.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was going to piss me off but it was a really good story! I still think Indigo should have two pieced his mama. Hopefully there is a novella that will give me that. 😒

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book from the start, but I wasn't a huge fan of the MMC; he did grow on me toward the end.