I enjoyed this book, but the book title didn't make sense. Really doesnt make any sense to have a review have 100 characters. Either you like the book or the review becomes a book report.

Sweet story! And so selfless of Harper - What an amazing gift she gives to her bestie and husband! Drew has a lot of growing to do, but the pull of Harper and her sweetness makes it impossible to walk away.

Secret Millionaire for the Surrogate is the second novel in the Marrying a Millionaire series, the first book I've read in the series, and also the first novel I've read by Donna Alward. The fact that I'd not read the first book in the series wasn't a problem, the main characters and their relationships to each other were easily explained in this novel. While it's a far cry from the steamier, angst-laden novels I usually read and review, I found myself liking all the well-drawn characters, the authors' writing style, and this rather sweet, clean, and not quite as simple as it seems romance, and it gets 4 stars from this reader.

The novel opens at the wedding of the two characters who were featured in the first book in the series, Dan and Adele. Adele is Harper's best and closest friend. Harper, a wedding and wildlife photographer, is her maid of honor and her only attendant. Dan's brother, Drew, is the best man, handsome and charming, and he tries to charm Harper into a fling, but she's a very different sort of gal, and rebuffs his advances, not because she dislikes or isn't attracted to him, but she's been charmed and jilted before, feels she's rather ordinary, and has put up walls to keep her from ever making that mistake again.

Harper knows that Adele is unable to have children due to having cancer at a young age, and she's got quite a wedding gift for the happy couple--she offers to undergo IV fertilization and carry and give birth to Adele and Dan's biological baby as their surrogate, and several months later, the procedure was successful and Harper is now carrying their baby. They choose to wait to tell anyone else until after her first trimester, but when Dan's brother, Drew, suddenly shows up looking for retail space to expand his business, Aspen Outfitters, his chain of sporting goods stores into Canada, he soon realizes that Dan, Adele and Harper are holding something back, and they finally 'fess up and admit that Harper is pregnant with their child. Drew questions Harper's motives, assuming there's a big payoff in her future, but is shocked and impressed to learn that Harper is giving her friends this amazing gift out of the goodness of her heart.

Drew is the secret millionaire in the title, although Harper hasn't a clue, and he's used to the women he meets wanting his money more than they want him. Harper couldn't be more different--and that difference makes him want to know her better, but Drew is also commitment phobic, loves travel and adventure, and so these two characters, who share a love of the outdoors, begin to form a friendship while Drew is in town and they enjoy each others' company.

Harper's family moved frequently during her childhood, so much in fact, that she never really had time to form friendships, or was in one place long enough to call it home. All she's ever wanted was a place to call home, friends and a family of her own someday. She offered to be a surrogate because she seldom dated the same person more than once or twice, and had resigned herself to the fact that she might never find the right guy or have a child of her own, and this might be her only chance to experience pregnancy.

Eight-year-old Drew once heard an argument between his parents, learned that his father was forced to turn down a lucrative job, which would have meant relocating, because Drew's mother refused to move the family, and from that point on, he saw marriage and family as a trap that would tie him down. He's well aware that he never wants to feel that he's settled for a humdrum and boring life, and he makes no secret of feeling that he may never be ready to settle down and raise a family. Could these two main characters be more different?

When the friendship and growing feelings between Harper and Drew deepen, they both know that his wanderlust and phobia about commitment and her nesting nature are diametrically opposed, and that eventually Drew will go back to his own home base. Drew finds the retail space for his new business, and there's lots to do before it opens. Meanwhile, Harper's pregnancy continues and she's developing feelings for the baby she's carrying, something that she never expected, and it worries her. Her developing feelings for Drew also worry her.

So, what will happen to the relationship between this mismatched pair? Will they find a way to make their relationship work? Will Harper be able to give up the baby she's carrying, a baby that belongs to Dan and Adele? What will happen after Harper has the baby? To find out, you'll have to read this well-written, rather sweet and enjoyable romance.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

Donna Alward’s follow-up to Best Man for the Wedding Planner has a premise worthy of Janice Kay Johnson, especially with a title like Secret Millionaire for the Surrogate. The Surrogate‘s premise is dependent on the first book: if you’d like to read both, then this might be a tad spoilerish, but it can’t be helped. At the end of Planner, when heroine Adele Hawthorne marries the reunited love of her life, Dan Brimicombe, her best friend and business partner, Harper McBride, offers her a gift of unusual, profound proportions – since Adele had a hysterectomy in her youth, Harper will carry a Dan-fertilized-Adele-egg for her. For Adele and Dan, it’s the completion of their dream and the three embark on making this come true. Adele and Dan’s wedding, however, also brings Drew Brimicombe, Dan’s younger brother, into Harper’s life, a man who travels the world, making his freedom and business interests the centres of his life. Nevertheless, “he was warm and funny and put people at ease” and Harper wants to be close to him. Drew, in turn, is blown away by Harper’s generosity, genuinely enjoys her company and is attracted to her. Harper is cautious with her heart, however, and kindly declines his invitation to spend some happy days together amidst the beauty of Banff.

A few months go by and Harper is in the early stages of her surrogate pregnancy. Drew returns to Banff to oversee a possible new store for his successful outdoor gear and clothing business, Aspen Outfitters. He and Harper reunite, in a friendly way, attracted to each other, but remaining cautious, sharing lunch and a few hikes, an ice cream cone, and dinner. Harper is going to see through this profound commitment to Dan and Adele and Drew always has his “wandering feet” … “Settling down wasn’t even on his radar, let alone leaving everything he’d worked for behind.”

Alward can’t write flighty, shallow characters if her life depended upon it: Harper and Drew are deeply drawn, nuanced, and share a thoughtful inner life and profound outer one, centred on the experience of nature’s beauties. But differences divide them. Harper is a woman who yearns for roots and belonging. An abandoned baby with a loving, but peripatetic adopted family, she wants a home and family. Her introvertish ways, lack of confidence in her attractiveness, and a hurtful encounter with a love-em-and-live-em lover left her without many internal resources to take any risks with her heart. Drew, on the other hand, has always stayed away from commitment and attachment, afraid of being tied down and not being able to wander and travel the world as he sees fit.

So, opposites, but with a shared love of nature and the outdoors, a conversational compatibility, and physical attraction: ” ‘ … guess we’re kind of opposite in a lot of ways.’ ‘Except we like the outdoors.’ ‘Except that.’ ” Two decent, thoughtful people, cautious about changing the fulfilling lives they’ve built and averse to risking their hearts. That’s the Alward stamp and why I continue to read her. She really knows how to write real: decent, cautious characters, who are careful about being hurt and equally careful about hurting others. Harper’s decision-making regarding Drew says it all: “She’d never denied that he was attractive or that she was attracted to him. It was more about choosing not to pursue something that would be short term and not, well, meaningful.” Honest with herself, clearly seeing the other, and making a good decision, yes? Absolutely.

But Alward also has the romance-writing wisdom of what the heart yearns for and Harper, while she won’t give up her stand for love and commitment, also won’t deny what she’s feeling: ” … she wasn’t going to close herself off anymore. She was going to feel, dammit. Feel everything. Even when it hurt.” Alward’s heroines are the ones who more often than not take the emotional risks, but they’re also the ones who don’t compromise on a full and heart-open commitment from the hero. Harper doesn’t wait for Drew: she takes what she can from their short time together, tells him how she feels, and then she lives her life – with her commitment to Dan and Adele and the life she carries for them. (As a side note, Alward handles well the emotional messiness for these three characters: the attachment, gratitude, complexity of what Harper, Adele, and Dan embark on.)

It’s Drew who has to overhaul his emotionally cautious life, it’s Drew who has to realize that his love of adventure and travel doesn’t have to be “given up”, that for love to work, it requires compromise and putting the other person first. If that person loves you, as Harper does, then, you’ll find a way to have what she needs and what you want. The quiet essence of romance, that’s what Alward has consistently written, no less in this her second and better book of the duet. With Miss Austen, we say that Secret Millionaire for the Surrogate offers “real comfort,” Emma.

Donna Alward’s Secret Millionaire for the Surrogate is published by Harlequin Books. It was released on January 1st and may be found at your preferred vendors. I received an e-ARC from Harlequin Books, via Netgalley.

Secret Millionaire for the Surrogate
Marrying a Millionaire – Book 2
Harlequin Romance #?
By Donna Alward

January 2019

Contemporary Romance


For one night Harper McBride had put aside her camera and been part of a fairy tale. It hadn't been her own, her best friend had gotten married, and then Harper had given them an offer that had been both selfless and priceless. Adele couldn't carry a child of her own, so Harper had offered to act as surrogate for Adele and her new husband Dan.

Drew Brimicombe had returned to Banff to consider a new location for expansion, but it also served as an excuse to visit his brother Dan and new sister-in-law Adele. The fact that he ran into Harper was a pleasant surprise, but as she'd explained at the wedding, she wasn't interested in the little he had to offer. But they could be friends, and when he notices Adele and Harper acting oddly, he learned the unexpected news that Harper was carrying his brother's baby. Of course it was Dan and Adele's baby, but it was a bit disconcerting.

Even more, he recognized it for the overwhelming gift of love Harper had given. While in town, and spending time with Harper, he finds she is a woman who enjoys the outdoors, is passionate about photographing nature, and caring of her friends and family. A perfect woman, but he knew not for him. He had no intention of ever settling down in life and wanted to always look for his next adventure.

Secret Millionaire for the Surrogate was a poignant follow-up to Best Man For the Wedding Planner . It was touching to watch Harper go through her pregnancy, and the different emotions she faced. Similar to all mothers, but Harper wasn't the mother. Also, Adele and Dan at times seemed more concerned and focused on the baby, although their concern of her taking extended hikes alone now was valid. Thankfully, Drew was able to step in and be her unexpected support. He was turning in to her hero without him realizing it himself.

Kathy Andrico - KathysReviewCorner.com

Harper felt it was odd being the person in front of the camera instead of behind. She was used to being the wedding photographer . Adele was harper’s best friend and it was Adele’s wedding day. Harper was the only bridesmaid and Drew stood up with his brother Dan. Harper was no good at flirting and even worse when it came to personal space and touching. She never quite knew where to put her hands or where to look. Harper was not confident when it came to men especially good looking ones who said the right things without trying. They had a habit of just turning around and walking away just when you thought it was safe enough to believe . to trust. Drew told harper her would like to get to know her better but Harper said no. He did also say her nature pictures were great and why didn’t she decide to devote herself to them. Harper told him the wedding and other occasions photography paid the bills so she could do some nature photography. Adele had cancer at a young age and couldn’t have children of her own. Harper told her she would be her surrogate and carry a baby for her. She had just taken a pregnancy test and she was pregnant. Adele and dan would have their child. Adele had made Harper feel like she had a home and some roots. Drew didn’t stay in one place for very long cause when he did he got itchy to be on his way again. But Adele was hovering over harper a little too much but harper didn’t want to hurt Adele and didn’t say anything. Than Drew showed up when Harper was at dans and Adeles and dan told Drew about the baby and all harper was doing for them. He told harper she was doing something amazing but at first he wondered what she was getting out of it. Harper was attracted to Drew but knew it would go nowhere. Drew was going with Harper the next morning why she went looking for nature pictures to take. Drew was normally up this early to have some time to hike in nature before he had to be to work. Today he would be with Harper. He knew he couldn’t be interested in her romantically as she was the surrogate carrying his brothers baby- his niece or nephew. But he liked her, he had since the wedding. She challenged him even when she was sweet and unassuming. Drew made his fortune and was a millionaire as owner of Aspen Outfitters and always liked to move around and not settle in one place. Drew had heard his parents arguing when he had been young and his father had given up his dreams for his family. Drew had feared settling down every since.
I did really enjoy this book. I loved Drew and Harper together and how they interacted with each other. I also loved there was a slow build up to their romance. I loved Adele’s and Harper's friendship. I loved that Harper was willing to carry Adele and Dan’s child even knowing it would be painful to give the baby up when it was born. I also loved the relationship Harper had with Jumy her employee at the shop. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend it.

Thanks to author Donna Alward, NetGalley, and Harlequin Romance for providing me with a digital ARC of MARRYING A MILLIONAIRE duet Book 2 - SECRET MILLIONAIRE FOR THE SURROGATE, which provided the opportunity to read the book and write an unbiased review.
Donna Alward is a favourite author. Her beautiful writing whisked me away to Banff and the Rocky Mountains with photographer Harper, her best friend Adele, Dan, Drew and a grizzly bear!
This happily-ever-after love story with sweet romance, a touch of humour, and heart-breaking conflict was an engaging
read.
Although SECRET MILLIONAIRE FOR A SURROGATE is a standalone, I recommend buying both books in MARRYING A MILLIONAIRE duet. Read Book 1 - BEST MAN FOR A WEDDING PLANNER and Book 2 - SECRET MILLIONAIRE FOR A SURROGATE for double the pleasure! This duet would make a great gift for that friend who enjoys reading sweet romances.
5 stars
Posted on Goodreads 01/05/19

An act of love changes the course of four lives in Donna Alward's, Secret Millionaire for the Surrogate. Life is not always a fairytale, bad things sometimes happen to good people. However, if we spend all of our time focused on the bad, we could miss out on the good. With the Marrying a Millionaire series Alward mixes fantasy with a strong dose of reality and shows the true meaning of love. Two brothers, best friends and a wedding are a recipe for romance.

Secret Millionaire for the Surrogate
Donna Alward
Harper McBride is the maid of honor to her best friend Adele. Drew Brimicombe is the best man and brother of the groom. During the wedding reception, Drew hits on Harper. She turns him down. She is not a fling sort of girl. Harper is a wedding photographer who is also likes the outdoors and to photograph nature. Drew made his fortune as the owner of Aspen Outfitters and always likes to move around and not settle in one place. He wants to expand his business to Canada and visits his brother’s town to check out a real estate opportunity. While visiting his brother Dan, he runs into Harper visiting Adele. The attraction is still there. It was during this visit that he finds out that Harper has agreed to be Adele’s surrogate. He is angry and thinks Harper is doing it for nefarious reasons. Harper is doing it because Adele is her best friend and has issues getting pregnant. Drew is still not convinced and spends time with Harper as he is working through the real estate deal. As they spend more time together, the attraction deepens. They have a lot in common. Both are reluctant to commit. Drew is afraid to settle down because of an argument he overheard his parents having when he was younger. As the pregnancy continues, so does their time together with Drew there helping Harper. Drew’s feelings become stronger but the fear cripples him until he talks to his father about the argument. Afterwards, Drew knows what he has to do. Harper also realizes that a home doesn’t have to be in one place, but it is wherever the person you love is.
I enjoyed this story. The romance started out slow and gradually built up between the two characters. Both were very likable. I was rooting for them to get together throughout the story. This was a cute read and I recommend it to anyone looking for a sweet romance.

this was a sweet book. I like how the main characters finally connected. I also like how giving Harper was to carry a baby for her closest friend.

First book by this author . Good book
Nice plot and enjoyed the characters
Harper and Drew had a chemistry I enjoyed

*ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Secret Millionaire for the Surrogate is the first Donna Alward book I've read but it certainly won't be the last. The unique story line combined with interesting, likeable characters will have you hooked from page one. This is the first book that actually made me tear up in a long time. A definite 4.5 stars for me.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Well this was an unusual book. I can not imagine being a surrogate! What an enormous gift! Harper seems to good to be true. She is a wonderful photographer and friend. She has problems with relationships though. Drew is a rich guy with his own issues! They get thrown together because her best friend marries his brother and she is carrying his niece or nephew! He is a commitment phobe. For me this was just such an odd premise, I couldn't get past that I guess. I rate it a 3.