Must Like Kids

by Jackie Braun

"Children have a place and it's anywhere I'm not!"


It was one off-the-cuff remark. But when it goes viral, Alec McAvoy is labeled the playboy CEO of Best for Baby, who hates kids!

Enter Julia Stillwell, image consultant extraordinaire. The widowed mom of two has a knack for changing public opinion, and she'll teach Alec all he needs to know. But once they start this makeover, they don't want to stop--and that's when one little kiss leads to many, many others!

So now Julia's worked her magic, but is Alec's transformation only skin-deep? Or can this hunky executive convince her that he is ready to become a family man--so long as it's with Julia?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Harlequin, Chick Lit, Ebooks, Hqn

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Jackie writes sweet, low-heat contemporary romances. She is a three-time RITA Award finalist and four-time National Readers' Choice Award finalist. RT Magazine named her Series Storyteller of the Year in 2005. She has written 35 traditionally published books, most of which are still in print somewhere in the world. Since surviving two-bone marrow transplants for blood cancer, she has turned her attention to self-publishing. She loves to hear from readers. Email her at authorjackiebraun@gmail.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Reviews

[Cait · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was alright. I had issues with it because it was too fast paced. When I say that I mean that for what happened - meeting someone, falling in love etc - it happened in such a short time frame that it didn't feel believable.

And then when it jumps a couple of months at the end, that also didn't feel believable because it just seemed that the author was attempting to tie up loose ends and that was the easiest way to do so.

I also didn't like how the kids were written. They sounded way too grown up and had too good of a vocabulary for 6 and 9. The other problem that I had was that Alec the main guy wants to be their Dad, and is so happy that they're going to be a family, but he meets the kids all of 3 times. And the only substantial time that he spends with them is one night over dinner. It's just once again not believable.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually liked the book. I didn’t feel like we got to know the characters extremely well on a day to day type basis but we learned about their pasts and saw the emotions that came with it. Overall it was a little emotional and I was sad to see how she judged him and didn’t see how much he had grown and changed until after she broke his heart. It was also a short read which is what I was looking for.

[Soumika Banerjee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Mills and Boons type rom-com that sure will keep you occupied and help bring a smile to your face.

[Amanda Szigeti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute read ! Definitely a predictable ending but funny at times too !

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars ~ Newly hired as CEO for a large infant product company, Best for Baby, Alec made a remark to a journalist that's sent his career and the company stock spiraling. Now every mother who buys Best for Baby products thinks the CEO hates kids. It's not that Alec hates kids, they just make him uncomfortable after all he's a product of boarding schools and nannies. With the Board of Directors anxious to do damage control, Alec is given no choice but to cooperate with the image consultant they've hired. Julia's worked hard to make her image consultancy firm a success and the Best for Baby account means a lot to her. Alec may be powerful in the business world but in Julia's world he's a client who blundered big time and she's the one to clean up the mess. Researching his profile online, Julia expects some resistance to her PR campaign. What she hadn't expected was her immediate knock-out-the- knees attraction; and what's more unexpected is Alec feels it too. As they work to rebuild his image, Julia sees the sad and lonely little boy he'd once been. Being around Julia and her two kids, gives Alec a taste of what a family really is and what a home should feel like.

Even though it's been ages since I've read her books, I'm a huge Jackie Braun fan. I've found her stories to always be fun with just the right amount of deeper emotions. This story gave me all that and then some. I loved Alec and Julia, they complement each other perfectly. While this is written as a tender romance, I loved how each had vivid dreams and day dreams of the other. Ms. Braun uses Julia's kids to bring out both Julia's insecurities of dating again, and Alec's yearning for family and home. I really enjoyed this heartwarming romance.

This is my first read in Harlequin's new line, Harlequin Kiss. As the line title suggests, in this book the romance in real time stayed with the kiss and while the hero and heroine were intimate that part of their relationship was merely a mention and kept strictly behind the closed bedroom door. The line is touted as "fun and flirty" and that it was. In my opinion, this book is suited for romance readers of all ages, including teens

[Kate ✨ is a dreamer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was pretty good, but it being a Harlequin KISS book brought it down a few notches. Harlequin KISS books are known to be very clean. No sex, no foreplay, and in this case, that was bad. In one instance they were kissing & the next it was a month later & your thinking "did they do it?" And a few pages later, he mentions it in an offhanded way.
Well, HOW WAS IT?!?!?! They obsess over kissing each other, but not one peep about the sex?
Huh?
The lack of romance in this book was it's downfall.
(And the cover, he looks nothing like that. On the cover he looks a guy who works for a fashion magazine)
And the lack of descriptions put me a little...off kilter. I have no idea what she looks like. The only adjective I got was stunning and gorgeous.
Nor do I know what his color of hair is, just that he was gorgeous, and has green eyes.
Not good.

[Abril · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 2

I was expecting so much more for this book and was a little let down. It was an ok book but I really wished that the heroine and hero would have had more scenes with the heroine's kids. I realize that the heroine didn't want to intermingle the hero with her kids and all that, but I really wished she would have.

Really pretty sad, it was such a blah read that I made myself finish but there was no sparkle what so ever in their relationship.

[SuperWendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable story. The hero is CEO of a Big Baby Products company who steps into a firestorm when he tells a reporter he isn't all that wild about children. His company hires the heroine, an image consultant and single mother, to head up the damage control campaign. Liked that the author showed a single mother heroine juggling a demanding job and motherhood. Liked that the hero had baggage and, while uncomfortable around children, wasn't a jerk-face. A solid read.

[Melissa Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked Alec and Julia's story. Alec runs a baby department store and made an off the cuff remark about not likening children. His board hires image consultant Julia to improve is image or he is out. Julia single mother of two is trying to balance work and her kids but at times it's difficult. Alec is brought around her kids and it starts to improve his image but they both start to fall for the other. I loved the ending.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The characters are likeable enough, and while the romance seemed to be based on more than heated attraction, elements were lacking. The biggest problems for me were first, the ending seemed cut short, and the second is more difficult. It's more like I can't exactly describe what exactly was missing. Because I can't define it the whole story became tainted by the vague sense that a few somethings are missing and it grates in the back of the mind because you just don't know what it is.

[Elle (Ligia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, to hell with it! This is a total five-star! :D
How I wish it wasn't over. *pout* I wanted it to last longer!

I stayed up until 4am last night reading it. And when I woke up today the first thing I did after making coffee was read what I had left. Study? What's that word? This was better! ;)

Ah! I loved this book. Even though I wish the ending had lasted longer. It was pure perfection. Yay!

[Marjorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bachelor operating a baby business states he doesn't like kids. His board hires a image consultant to help repair his reputation since the business is losing money. Naturally the image consultant has kids and is a widow. Do Alec McAvoy and Julia Stillwell find their happiness? Not without some troubles, including one child who is not in favor of the relationship. Wonderfully written!

[Brianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very different concept that I liked. The hero grew on me throughout the book. There is one memorable part where he really stood up for himself that was a little gut trenching but also showed how much he had grown,IMHO

[Dalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Linniegayl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for review at All About Romance. I'll post a link when the review is posted.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my full review:

http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-mus...

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet romance with a unique plot. 3.5 stars.

[Riki Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story that was devoured in one sitting. A riveting story from Harlequin Riva series that caught my attention from the first page to the last word. A pleasure to read from Jackie Braun.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of those light, cute and fun reads. Not a really long book so its a great book to pick up if you just want something light and fun.

[June · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice story but moved just a little slow for me. I felt it would have been better with more dialogue, but who knows what they would have talked about...

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

light read,pleasant.

[Bungluna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable romance in the city between two professional adults. The timing was a bit off for my taste, but other than that good for a snowy afternoon.