I wanted to love this book—the plot was incredibly intriguing and full of potential. While I genuinely appreciated the individual journeys of the main characters and found them both likable and admirable, the overall chemistry between them fell flat. At times, their connection felt stiff and ungrounded, when it could have been something truly special. That said, this modern romance is still worth a read for its creative storyline and a few well-placed surprises that keep you turning the pages. And I will add that it's a book that has stuck with me over time, which I don't discount.

Quick Take:
What do you get when you cross a fertility mix-up, a diva with a billion-dollar brand, and a brooding lawyer with a control problem? A gloriously chaotic, Jane the Virgin-adjacent rom-com that gives “reverse love story” a whole new meaning. The drama is juicy, the chemistry is simmering, and the parenting vibes are actually kind of swoony.

Tropes:
👶 Surprise Baby (with a twist)
🌪️ Enemies-to-Lovers (but make it civil)
🏠 Forced Proximity via Parenthood
🎤 Celeb x Civilian
💼 Power Couple Energy
🎬 Would 1000% watch the movie

Blush Meter: 🔥🔥.5 / 5
Kisses that smolder, tension that crackles, and enough steam to fog up a courtroom window—but it’s all tastefully done and very grown-up.

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5
Fast-paced, high-glam, and full of heart. For fans of slightly messy, slightly magical love stories with main characters who (mostly) use their words like functional adults.

In-Depth Review:
You ever start a book and immediately feel like you’ve stumbled onto the pilot episode of your next comfort TV show? That’s One in a Million. It opens with a fertility clinic mistake so outrageous it sounds like it was cooked up in a writer’s room—and I loved every second of it.

Whitney Richardson—aka Sahara to the fans—is the kind of heroine you want to immediately add to your brunch group chat. She’s a triple threat: Grammy-winning singer, breakout movie star, and CEO of a fashion brand that probably has a waitlist longer than the new Taylor Swift vinyl drop. She’s fierce, fab, and fiercely independent… until she gets a little call from a fertility clinic that turns her whole world upside down.

Enter Myles Redmond Jr., Esq.—California lawyer royalty, president of the Bar Association, and a man whose entire vibe screams “I wear suits even on Sundays.” When his already-doomed marriage ends in a blaze of apathy and abandonment, he’s left raising baby Haylee on his own… or so he thinks. Turns out, Haylee’s egg didn’t come from his ex—it came from Whitney. Surprise, you’re co-parents now!

Cue the scandal. Cue the side-eyes. Cue the reluctant co-parenting with a side of slow-burn tension.

What follows is a high-stakes, surprisingly grounded story of two people from radically different worlds thrown into the most unexpected kind of intimacy—parenthood. Whitney never planned to be a mother like this, and Myles definitely didn’t think the mother of his child would be an international superstar with a skincare line and a killer walk-in closet.

But life is weird like that.

Their journey is less about sudden fireworks and more about the slow, satisfying sizzle of two people learning how to trust, support, and eventually fall for one another—not despite their baggage, but because of the way they carry it. There’s drama (oh hi, awful ex-wife), moments of pettiness (necessary!), and the occasional clash of egos. But there’s also an unexpected softness in how they show up for each other. And when the chemistry finally bubbles over? Let’s just say... I needed a fan and a slice of humble pie.

Now let’s talk pacing—because if I have one critique, it’s this: One in a Million sometimes moves like it’s afraid you’ll get bored and leave. There are a lot of character names flying around (some of whom I suspect are cameos from Beverley Kendall’s other books), and at times the exposition gets a little heavy-handed. If this were a film, I’d say the editor needs to trim a few monologues and cut away sooner. But as a reader? I still devoured it in an afternoon. It’s dopamine lit, and the pages practically turn themselves.

And the dialogue? Sharp. Sassy. Real. Whitney doesn’t suffer fools, and Myles—once he pulls the stick out of his briefcase—is actually quite endearing. He messes up (sometimes spectacularly), but he owns it. And I respect a man who can issue a full apology without needing a therapist to draw him a map.

Bonus points: No endless miscommunication trope. No dragging the drama just to hit a word count. These two act like adults, and for that, I salute Beverley Kendall.

Final Thoughts:
One in a Million is the kind of book that belongs on your “read when I need to feel something without crying into a pillow” shelf. It’s breezy, heartwarming, and glammed up just enough to feel like a rom-com fantasy, without sacrificing emotional resonance. If you liked Jane the Virgin or The Perfect Find, this is 100% in your lane.

It’s not perfect—but neither is parenthood, fame, or love. And maybe that’s the point.

Would I watch the movie? Absolutely.
Would I recommend this to every friend who likes a little chaos with their cinnamon roll hero? Already have.
Did I swoon a little when Myles got it together and made his feelings crystal clear? Like a full-body swoon.

Beverley Kendall gave us a grown-up fairy tale with footnotes in reality—and I am so here for it. 💕

3.5 stars

As a huge fan of Jane the Virgin, I was excited to pick this book up because of its similar vibes and its spin on a fertility clinic mixup. However, the execution fell a little flat to me.

Whitney was an interesting character and although I truly enjoyed her, the introduction of so many characters took away from her spotlight in my opinion. I think they were there to show parallels between their lives and Whitney's, and to provide a way to show how much of a good friend she is, but again I didn't find that necessary.

The development of her romance with her "baby father" Myles felt a bit off. I understood his hesitation with her in the beginning and his overprotectiveness of their daughter. However I didn't understand his sudden shift in emotion for her and the way he was now in love with her.

Finally I would have loved to see more scenes of them co-parenting. I would have loved to watch the dynamics of that, so that it would feel less like the kid was a prop or plot device and more like the kid was an actual developed character in the story.

The epilogue was cute tho. And I definitely look forward to reading more from this author!

Thank you netgalley and harlequin publishing for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

One in aMillion has a fun premise and some solid moments, but it didn’t quite hit all the right notes. Whitney “Sahara” Richardson is a compelling character on paper as she is famous, successful, who is thrown into a wild situation. Sometimes the execution leans more surface-level than diving deeper. The celebrity angle adds relatability, and the surprise baby twist keeps things moving, but the story could’ve used more depth and stronger character development. Not a standout, but still a light, entertaining read if you’re in the mood for something glossy and low-stakes. Thanks Net Galley and Graydon House for the ARC!

While a very interesting premise that does warrant the title ONE IN A MILLION, it fell short for me. The familial relationships were nice but I didn't feel the chemistry between the leads enough.

This book was such a whirlwind of different emotions. Think Jane, the virgin meets the book world. This story was told so well and seeing the characters struggle with their inner thoughts. Was executed so beautifully they found love in places it was the most unexpected, but still made the best of what they had. All in all this was such a fun quick and easy read

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. the beginning of the book drew me in quickly and I had high hopes. It fell a little short for me. Cute reverse love story.

First read my Ms. Kendall and it won't be the last! I enjoyed this book a lot! The fake dating really set the bar high for me. I felt a connection with the main characters and how they didn't get along at first but over time fell in love!

This story exceeded all my expectations. We open with a couple arguing before they find out the paternity results of their child they conceived by surrogate. Turns out the baby is obviously part black and both parents are white. While the father loves his daughter and is committed to being her dad no matter the results, the mother does not feel the same. Turns out the child is his, but not hers. Enter the real mother, Whitney. She is a pop superstar and had harvested and frozen her eggs so she had options later in life. So when she gets a call that not only were her eggs used by mistake, but that a baby already existed. Now she has some big decisions to make, but first, she wants to meet her child.

I loved everything about this book. Myles choosing his daughter over his obviously crappy wife was so amazing. I loved how he loved his daughter, even though I didn’t always love the decisions he was making to keep her with him. Whitney and Myles had a very unconventional start but they both were instantly committed to their daughter. This book was a bit different than I expected but in the best ways. Worth a read.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

this one was interesting. the whole premise is definitely one in a million.
I wanted more character development in the sense that it just felt like they all of a sudden were together and we missed a lot of their conversations

also i coulda done without the twist with his ex wife

Unfortunately I did not like this read that much. While I thought the premise was interesting and kind of new... the execution was a little shotty. The author focused on unnecessary things and introduced alot of characters in the beginning which caused just slight confusion. Beyond the unrealistic part of the book, I did not feel the chemistry between the FMC and MMC.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing & NetGalley for this e-arc.

I was excited to read this one because of its interesting premise. I rooted for them as soon as they began their romantic relationship. Nevertheless, I thought the novel was beautifully written, and I liked reading it. A little more character development would have been nice. This book was enjoyable to me. Simply put, One in a Million is a story of maturation, accountability, and discovering love in the most unlikely of situations. While keeping a lighthearted, enjoyable tone, the book covers the demands of celebrity, the challenges of unexpected parenting, and the messy process of self-discovery.

This book was alittle different from what I am used to in terms of reading books. This book follows the main FMC Whitney and the MMC Myles as they navigate each other through a fertility mix-up. While I enjoyed the banter between the MMC and the main FMC, the romance felt a little rushed and not quite convincing especially since Whitney seems to have her whole life together and the the MMC was going through it with his wife. I understand that the unbelieveable birth of their daugher made them closer together, but the age gap was also a little different especially with the book cover seeming as though they are both younger. Overall, I would recommend it to other women because it did have a good drama filled plot. It just was not particularly for me, but I can see how it can be for other people.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC.
This book was an absolute banger! It was giving Jane the Virgin meets a modern Hollywood star. It starts off similar to Jane the Virgin with the mistake happening with artificial insemination. However, they used someone else’s egg (our main character) to create a baby with the MMC’s sperm. From there a divorce, a budding relationship, and a beautiful coparenting relationship between our two main characters. This was definitely messy but the way they handled it together was so beautiful to see and I loved that the author took time to really develop their relationship. I’d definitely give it a read and I’d love to read more from this author!

This was so good! Like I have no words how to explain this surprise baby had me hooked since chapter one. The tension between these two was just chef's kiss. I loved everything in this and I have no other ways but love love love love love.

Readers who enjoy stories that delve into the complexities of human relationships and the intricacies of family life, all while maintaining a lighthearted and humorous tone, will be captivated by this book. If you're drawn to characters who navigate unconventional family structures and grapple with high-stakes personal choices, then this book is tailor-made for you. Prepare to be swept away by a heartwarming and witty narrative that explores the depths of emotion and the power of resilience in the face of life's challenges.

A wild fertility clinic mix-up brings a celebrity and a lawyer together as unexpected co-parents. The plot was unique, though the chemistry didn’t fully land for me. Still, a fun and twisty read—thanks for the ARC!

I love celebrity stories and the tension in this story had me hooked! Unfortunately I’m not a baby trope girl. So it wasn’t my favorite.

Still I believe the story was written well and I had a good time reading it. I would’ve liked to see a bit more character development but all in all not a bad story.

The premise for this one is we good and I was excited to read. I liked Whitney a lot and her relationship with Haylee was so endearing and amazing to see. Myles irritated me a lot in the beginning. He was too hostile and possessive with the baby. He acted as if what happened only happened to him instead of to him and Whitney. Once they started their romantic relationship, I was rooting for them. Once Myles got over himself, he was quick to admit when he was wrong and I loved how they dealt with things like adults. I enjoyed this book.

I didn't know what to expect with this book but for a baby trope I was NOT expecting that storyline. Nonetheless, I was very much intrigued from the very beginning. The plot is filled with drama and love with a little bit of sassiness.

The only downside for me was trying to keep up with all the different characters that were introduced. Not sure if this book is apart of a series or interconnected world amongst other books, but it was alot.

I wasn't 100% sold on the twist at the end, but overall this was an ok read.