The Greek’s Billion-Dollar Baby is the first installment in the Crazy Rich Greek Weddings. Why do men automatically think that when a woman they slept with their solution is to propose. There are other solutions in which they can go they can share custody work on a parent plan but in this story Leonidas automatically thinks that he needs to marry Hannah in order to keep them both safe. When I read Leonidas story I felt so sad for him because his wife and child paid the price for his father’s criminal history. I knew that he would have a hard time forming another family because he blames himself for their death. Now as for Hannah she is a delightful person that had a horrible past because not only did she not have loving relatives but the one person that should have been there for her as a sister betrayed her. Now she has a one-night stand that has left her pregnant and she still needs to tell the man she slept with that he was going to be a father. I totally enjoyed the journey of these two characters and in the end after my crying I could see that their happily ever after was going to be beautiful. When true love is meant to be there are times that you have to let them go and if you are meant to be together then there will be a reunion.

As I've learned to expect, a beautifully written and fun read. Connelly writes wonderfully believable stories with flawed but truly good heroes and heroines

This is in the style of a Cinderella romance. Hannah has been let down by the people she should have been able to trust and rely on for love. Now she's celebrating New Year's Eve at a party in a hotel in Greece. That's where she literally bumps into a Greek adonis and the attraction is instant - so much so that they agree to have one night together. He's an extremely wealthy widower, riddled with guilt after the murder of his wife and son four years ago. He's been celibate ever since but can't resist this stranger. After an unforgettable night they go their separate ways . . . until Hannah finds him again to inform him about the consequences of their time together..... He's determined to keep her and their baby safe but is also adamant that he will never love Hannah....

This is a steamy romance with a couple who have both suffered tragic events in their lives. Can they help each other heal and find a love that lasts together? There are some heartbreaking and heartwarming moments in this fairy tale contemporary romance which is a lovely, easy read story to escape into.

Many thanks to the publishers for gifting me a copy of this book (via NetGalley) which I have chosen to read and this is my honest review after doing so.

I know others may not mind it but for this reader, I absolutely LOATH the dead ex trope and this book is a clear reason why I feel this way. Hero spent the ENTIRE story up until the last few pages obsessing about his dead wife! Heroine as made out to be as someone he settled with because he had no other option. Come on folks, is this really what we want to read in our romances? Really?...Ugh

Actual Rating 3.5 stars

A good romance novel set in a beautiful country. I really enjoyed the parts where Greece was depicted. Leonidas and Hannah's relationship was definitely something I did not expect. A one night stand leads to a pregnancy which leads to an emotional roller coaster ride for both characters. Leonidas, stricken with the lost of his wife and son by the hands of his father's actions with the mob, visits his hotel every new years eve to mourn. Hannah, escaping from a her now ex-Fiance who she found lying in bed with another woman bumps into Leonidas at a bar. Before they know it, they are having a night of passion.

Feeling guilt for letting his temptation get the best of him, Leonidas leaves Hannah alone in the hotel bed. Hannah, angered, heads back home. A few months later, she realizes she pregnant and wants to tell Leonidas. The whole journey leads Leonidas rushing to Hannah's side as she gives birth and questioning how he feels about her when he can't make the decision to love her as she leaves before their wedding. Each part of this novel was leading to something more unpredictable. I became invested in Hannah's character development because she grew so much form the beginning. She kept on her stance on not wanting to feel like she was second best. She was strong and grounded on what she wanted.

The one thing I was a bit put off by was Leonidas's attachment to his deceased wife. It was clear he felt all fault in her and his's son's death. It ate him alive and drove how he lived. I wish sooner rather than later he realized it was okay to fall in love again while still loving her. Other than that part, I enjoyed watching the chase and adventure of Hannah's and Leonidas's relationship. If you want a good romance read to swoon you and keep you on your toes, then this is the story for you!

A red-hot sizzler from fast-rising star Clare Connelly, The Greek’s Billion Dollar Baby is a sexy, intense and passionate romantic read you will not be able to resist.

He might be one of the richest and most powerful men in the world, but not even wealth and privilege could prevent the brutal death of Leonidas’ wife and child. Unable to forgive himself for the death of the people he loved most in the world, Leonidas has built a wall around himself and his heart and struck relationships off the agenda. Since the death of his wife, Leonidas has not so much as looked at a woman, however, when he meets innocent Hannah at a lavish Greek resort, he finds himself giving into temptation and indulging in a night of no-strings passion with a woman who has stirred emotions deep within him he hasn’t felt in a long time.
Hannah had been absolutely devastated when she had walked in on her fiancé making love to her cousin.

Angry, betrayed and humiliated, she had gone to the airport and booked herself on the first flight out of Australia to a lavish Greek holiday resort where she stumbles onto the most handsome and saturnine man she has ever clapped eyes on. An innocent who has only had one boyfriend, Hannah is stunned when Leonidas asks her to come up to his penthouse with him where they quickly find themselves tumbling into bed with one another. However, little do they realize that steaming up the sheets will have unexpected consequences…

Hannah and Leonidas are going to be tied together by their one night of love for the rest of their lives. But when passion leads to something far deeper than either one of them ever imagined, will they grab this chance of happiness with both hands? Or will they let fear condemn them to a lifetime of loneliness?

The Greek’s Billion Dollar Baby is everything you could possibly want from a Harlequin Presents novel and so much more besides. Intensely emotional, scorching and wonderfully poignant, Hannah and Leonidas’ love story is poignant, dramatic and one which will hold readers in thrall from beginning to end.

Clare Connelly has penned another winner with The Greek’s Billion Dollar Baby and one which will go down a treat with Harlequin Presents fans the world over!

Who is Hannah? How does Leonidas meet her? Who is Thanos? What is his relationship to Leonidas? When Leonidas sees Hannah for the second time, what is going on? Why is he upset that she is there? What changes that emotion? How? Who are Amy and Brax? See how Leonidas almost loses everything in his life for a second, or maybe third time. How will it turn out? Who are the winners and losers!?!??

RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M. Brennan.

This was the first story I’ve read by Clare Connelly and I definitely enjoyed it. The writing was great, and the story good. The reason for the four stars was that the characters were a little cookie cutter. It seemed a little formulaic.
Leonidas Stathakis was a broken man due to the murder of his wife and son years prior. An act of revenge, not towards Leonidas, but towards his father has left Leonidas dead inside. On paper, he’s one of the richest men in the world, but he’s all business. He leaves the partying lifestyle to his younger brother. That is until New Year’s Eve. That night, his life changes forever with a one-night stand with Hannah.
Hannah never wanted more from Leonidas than to take her virginity. She’d left her fiancé, the man who wanted her to stay a virgin until their wedding night, when she caught him with her cousin. The same cousin she was raised with.
Enjoying herself on the island of Chrysa Vrachia, Hannah makes the decision to lose her virginity. She doesn’t know who Leonidas is, other than a stranger in a bar, but she heads out with him. Afterwards, she leaves, and they both resume their lives. That is, until she finds out she’s pregnant. Now she’s informed Leonidas, and the lion comes out. He wants her to marry him so that he can protect her and their child, to make sure that nothing happens to either.
This is a quick, enjoyable read. I’ll definitely be checking out more of Ms. Connelly’s works.
** I received an ARC of this story from the publisher and Netgalley, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

The Greek's Billion-Dollar Baby by Clare Connelly is book One in the Crazy Rich Greek Wedding Series. This is the story of Hannah and Leonidas.
Hannah is heartbroken after finding out her fiancé and close cousin have been together. Hannah has set her mind to find a man spend the night to move past her innocence that didn't help her at all. Leonidas is harden man who lost his wife and son due to mob connections. Now he is set on staying alone and never really feeling anything again. But then he meets Hannah who the spark and embark on a passionate night that they end up not being able to walk away from.

Hannah runs from her home after finding her fiancé in bed with a cousin she considers a sister. So travels to Chrysa Vrachia to escape the pain. She runs into Leonidas literally and is totally fascinated with him, and since she is determined to lose the virginity she saved for marriage to a stranger, why not him. What she doesn't know is Leonidas is running from life as he lost his wife and child through a vendetta against his mob father. He travels a different road and has a different life but is determined to do it all alone. The only love he needs is love of a deal to make money. Hannah wants her one night to be with him, sounds like a plan but what neither figured was the one night has consequences. Now both are not on the same page he wants to marry to protect his child, she wants love that he can't give. Sounds like a brick wall, except Ms. Connelly wrote this story and her stories always give you more than just the ordinary outcome. An amazing author with another fantastic story. The best part there is another one coming in this series

After being betrayed by those she thought she could trust Hannah heads to the island she had heard so much about from her mother. While there she meets Leonidas and feels an immediate chemistry and connection with him, and they spend a steamy evening together.

Leonidas is on the island to honor the memory of his wife and child. He feels guilty and responsible for what happened to them, so he is determined to never be happy or experience love again but nothing prepared him for Hannah.

When their evening had unexpected results Hannah contacts Leonidas to let him know. All she wants is for him to be in their child’s life, but Leonidas convinces her the only way she and their child will be safe is if they marry so he can protect her. What started out as a marriage of convenience started to change as feelings develop but is Leonidas willing to leave his wife in the past or are they destined to go their separate ways?

This is an emotional story about healing and new beginnings between two people who are damaged by their pasts.

Listen, I know what I am getting when I open a Harlequin Presents novel: a fun, quick, fairytale-like romance. But because these are such quick stories, I expect the main couple, in this case, regular gal, Hannah, and Greek billionaire Leonidas, to have a lot of page time. Unfortunately, Hannah and Leonidas spent most of the book apart, contemplating their ~emotions~ and not growing their barely-there relationship.

I love an unexpected pregnancy, but when Leonidas plunked Hannah on his private island and left her, I was a little over it. I also have no idea how Hannah decided she loved him. Girlfriend didn’t spend any time with him! Overall, I think the execution of this story could have been better, and the emotional depth improved. That said, it was entertaining for an hour or two on a plane. When I didn’t want to throttle the main characters.

**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**

I have complicated feelings about this book. Did I think it was terrible? No. Did I think it was great? No. There are a few things I can say with certainty. I do think the book had potential but in the end it was buried under the heroes never ending lament for his deceased wife and child. Now, do not get me wrong, I have experienced more loss and grief than many have and I know how hard the past can be to let go of. The anger, the guilt, the intense desire for things to be the way they once were and yes, even falling down the whole of depression that is so deep you don't think you will ever make it out. I will say that this is a scenario you see often in books but there is a line where it stops being a plot device and simply turns into drudgery. I feel that was unfortunately the case with this book. The way the story unfolded left me with not one single feeling that Leonidas cared for Hannah or the child he had made with her. They were a responsibility at best and an unwelcome burden at worst. I felt really bad for Hannah, who had her own painful baggage and had such a need to be loved. In the end he does an abrupt about face but for me the damage was done and I simply couldn't buy it. If this is not more than enough, add in the fact Hannah looks like the dead wife AND they meet and hookup at a place that holds special meaning to him and the wife. Then the frosting on the cake was...we learn that there were problems in the marriage! WHAT!!?? So yeah, this book was not a winner for me.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Publishing for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I enjoy Harlequins they are a quick relaxing read. This was a bit different. I still liked the book but didn't love it. Leonidas was sooo frustrating. He got a bad deal, yes his wife and son died but look at what's in front of you. He used his fear as a crutch. Hannah fell in love in one evening. Fast but ok and she put up with alot. It's a HEA of course but it was close. 3 stars

Losing his wife and young son through a vendetta against his mob-boss father, stole any heart that Leonidas Stathakis ever possessed. He has no room in his life for a relationship, and even less room for love. He can give a woman one memorable night, but beyond that, only making money is important. He buried his heart with his wife and son, but when Hannah May bumps into him on his fourth New Year's Eve alone, his body comes roaring back to life. One night, that's all he ever gives the women that parade through his life. Hannah won't be any different.

Hannah runs from her home in Australia after finding her fiance in bed with her cousin, the woman who she considers a sister. Traveling to Chrysa Vrachia soothes her heart, but she's determined to lose her virginity to a nameless, faceless man in retaliation for what her fiance has done. Enter Leonidas. She is fascinated with this stranger but too shy to approach him. Literally running into him seems like fate stepping in to give her the night of passion she wants. What happens though, when one night turns into 9 months? When Leonidas demands marriage to protect his child from the same horrible death of his first child, can Hannah protect her heart as well?

I liked this story. Leonidas is such a tragic figure. Hannah brings light to his life that he didn't realize he missed. The two of them together make no sense, until they make complete sense.

Ok, I have serious problems when the hero just can't get past the dead wife. This story is about Hannah who finds her fiance is cheating on her with her own cousin. She goes to Greece to escape the pain. There she meets Leonidas, who is gorgeous and mysterious.

This guy lost his wife and son when they were murdered. He has a huge amount of guilt for not having been able to save them. It's been years and he won't let himself touch another woman. But one night with Hannah changes that. But the next day his guilt returns and he breaks off with Hannah.

Of course she finds out she is pregnant and there's a great deal of back and forth with them. Always it comes down to Amy, the dead wife. He just keeps comparing them and can't let the past remain in the past.

This story had too many loose ends for me but the worst-I just felt like Leonidas was settling. I don't think he really loved Hannah like she deserved to be loved.

Clare Connelly is one of my all time favorite authors. Her latest book The Greek's Billion Dollar Baby features a cheating finance, a dead wife, a passionate one night stand and an unexpected pregnancy. Overall I enjoyed the book however I had to take off 1 star. I just couldn't get past the fact that Hannah resembled Leonidas dead wife.
#TheGreeksBillionDollarBaby #NetGalley

I want to rate this 4.25 but had a couple issue that in the end it was more of a 3.5.

Hannah had escaped to the Greek island of Chrysa Vrachia to recover from the betrayal. Betrayal of her fiancee, who she found in bed with her cousin. This island was a place she had always longed to visit and now was the perfect time for her to escape, begin to heal and regroup.

As Hannah was contemplating her life her eyes fell on a man, and her whole world turned upside down. Something that she's never felt before, strong desire, for a stranger. She was considering something totally out of character, approach him and offer to buy him a drink. But fate worked in her favor and as she was up and walking towards the bar they ended up bumping into each other. From that point on Hannah's life changed forever.

Hannah and the stranger, Leonidas had an instant connection and attraction. They both agreed to one night of passion and then each would go their separate ways.

Leonidas, spent every New Year's eve at his hotel, Chrysa Vrachia for the past four years. Four years of mourning the death of his wife and son. Because of his inability to protect them they where murdered. Because of his Father's sins and his falling short in protecting them. He's lived in limbo and shut himself away from all emotional and physical connection. He's denied himself the physical touch of a woman, until he runs into Hannah.

The two spend a passionate night together. But the next morning the guilt that Leonidas feels, as well as the powerful connection with the woman has him running away.

Month's later Hannah realizes she's pregnant and has to inform Leonidas. She goes in search of him and reveals to him that they are going to have a baby. He's shocked but determined they will marry as this is the only way he can protect her. Hannah has always craved family and love. She lost her parents at a young age. She was then taken to her Aunt and Uncles to live. She felt she was a burden to them and was never given any love or affection. So Hannah thought that maybe she could finally have her family. She also wanted to protect her daughter at all cost.

Leonidas makes it very clear to Hannah that he will never love anyone, his love is for his dead wife and son. But they can make the marriage work. Hannah thinks that possibly things could change, he could change and open his heart to love again. Their physical connection is so strong that Hannah believes that's a start.

Their relationship at first is business like and formal. But Hannah see's the hurt that Leonidas has endured and is determined to try and make their marriage work. She slowly works on him opening up and a relationship slowly evolves. They decided that their physical attraction is a good basis to start and build on. But Leonidas makes it clear on numerous occasions that he will never be able to love again.

When Hannah realizes she is in love with Leonidas she confesses her feelings. He is shocked and reiterates he can never love her. Amy and his son will always have that place in his heart. She tells him that she can not marry him. She leaves the island that they have been staying (his private island home). Months later Leonidas is in London, where Hannah has been living and working. He's there for business, kind of. He's not been able to forget Hannah. He receives an urgent call from his security team (who have been watching over Hannah) that Hannah is in the hospital having the baby, a month early. He rushes to the hospital and of course realizes he truly loves her and wants to begin a new life.

This was what was so difficult for me, the dead wife. We are told he loved her but also they had problems throughout the story. Then towards the end this scene really bothered me. Hannah realizes the morning of her wedding day that she loves Leonidas and she has to tell him before the wedding. As she walks in he's holding a paper (picture) he puts it down behind him as she approaches. She confesses her love, he says he can love her just Amy and is son. When she pleads with him to try, he reiterates that he's can't love her. Then hands her the picture. The picture looks almost like Hannah, but it's not its Amy. He goes to the hotel every year at New Years, where he met her and proposed to her on New Years Eve and he was thinking of her that evening. So that whole scenario really bothered my. It felt to me the author left things unclear on his dead wife and his love for her. Also, he tries to say that he didn't think of his wife when they were making love but yet everything else points to his wife. Sorry for the rant, but this just could have been written a little better, in my humble opinion. It did take aways from the romance, for me anyway.

Other's might not be bothered by this whole dead wife issue, but I was. It was well written and I probably would have given it a 4.25 if not for that underling problem.

I don’t usually like romance stories where the hero has a dead wife. Well this hero has a dead wife and son, I was prepared to hate it- I didn’t. Leonidas was rich, sexy and handsome as hell but he was a tormented wreck until he met Hannah one New Year’s Eve. Hannah was an angry disappointed virgin who’d just found her fiancé in bed with her cousin. So when these two angry, hurt human beings literally ran into each other sparks went flying. This story was well written and it wasn’t boring or full of internal pages and pages of dialogue from their heads. There was really great dialogue between these two characters and you got to meet them and fall in love with them. I really enjoyed this story and I sure hope this author is going to write Thanos’s story because I love him already. I wish she’d written him more into this story. I gave it four stars because there were lose ends but still a good story and great ending.