This was my first Beverley Kendall book and it was an experience! The concept was what led me to pick this up! A reverse Jane the Virgin? I'm in! However, the writing in this was clunky and with so many characters it was hard to keep up with all the side characters. I did enjoy Whitney and Myles as individuals but together I had a hard time connecting to their romance.

One in a Million by Beverley Kendall is a fast-paced, heartwarming, and humorous romance that explores the intersection of fame, family, and the unpredictable nature of life. At the center of the story is Whitney "Sahara" Richardson, a world-famous pop star who seems to have it all—success, beauty, and a life meticulously planned to perfection. With four Grammys, an Oscar nod, and a billion-dollar clothing line, Whitney is at the pinnacle of her career. Her romantic life, too, is on track, with marriage and children on the horizon… at least, that's what she thought.

The novel takes an unexpected turn when a mix-up at the fertility clinic where Whitney has stored her eggs leads to a surprise that no one saw coming. Suddenly, Whitney is thrust into motherhood, with a daughter she never planned for, and the biological father—a man she has never met—reluctantly involved in the situation. The mix-up forces Whitney to confront her carefully constructed plans, and the resulting journey is both hilarious and poignant.

Kendall does a fantastic job of blending humor with emotional depth. Whitney's initially flustered reaction to becoming an accidental mother adds comedic value, but beneath the humor is a genuine exploration of what it means to be a parent, a woman in the public eye, and someone who has to grapple with life's unexpected twists. Whitney’s transformation from a confident, career-driven woman to a more vulnerable, authentic person is compelling and relatable.

The romance angle is equally engaging, with Whitney’s relationship with the reluctant biological father of her child providing a complex, evolving dynamic. He’s not exactly thrilled about becoming a father, which creates a fascinating tension as both characters navigate this new reality. Their interactions are both humorous and charged with emotional undercurrents, making their evolving connection feel authentic and nuanced.

At its heart, One in a Million is a story about personal growth, responsibility, and finding love in the most unexpected of circumstances. The book tackles the pressures of fame, the difficulties of unplanned parenthood, and the messy journey of self-discovery, all while maintaining a light, entertaining tone.

Kendall’s writing is sharp, witty, and infused with warmth, making the book a fun yet meaningful read. The pacing is perfect, and the story never feels rushed, giving the characters plenty of time to grow and for the reader to become invested in their journey.

'One in a million' is a surprise baby trope with a twist!
Whitney, a singer, actress, entrepreneur and businesswoman all in one, finds herself the biological mother of a beautiful baby girl following a mix up at a fertility clinic.

Her biological child's father, Myles, finds himself as a solo parent, after his then wife walks out on him following the revelation that she is not the biological mother.

Through this story, we follow Myles and Whitney as they co-parent their child, and also open themself up to the possibility of love in the unlikeliest of circumstances.

This was an enjoyable read, however there were elements that let it down. The author immediately turns Whitney from someone who didn't think about children or even want it at this current stage of her career, to someone who instantly develops and craves a relationship with her daughter. While this is a sweet notion and the inner dialogue is well established to cement why the character reacts in this way, it just felt a little rushed and created minimal impact and room for conflict/character growth.

In the same vein, the attraction/chemistry between Myles and Whitney also felt a little rushed, and lacked complete impact. While they are a beautiful couple and loved how the author describes their relationship with their daughter, I felt that watching them parent together more would have solidified the reluctant allies to lovers arc that I saw brewing.

There are so many elements that I appreciated in this story. I enjoyed how the author describes Whitney and likens her to the multifaceted roles a woman can play simultaneously. It was a beautiful, feminist approach to women empowerment. Also, the author beautifully demonstrates the environment that a baby with different ethnic backgrounds can face as they grow. Absolutely loved the representation!

This was an enjoyable read, and I am grateful to NetGalley, Beverley Kendall and team who provided me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed this follow-up to 'Token'. In this second book in the series, we meet Whitney, a billionaire singer, actress and clothing designer (think Rihanna). While Whitney has been unlucky in love, she had frozen her eggs 5 years prior in the event that one day she did meet the right man. Unfortunately for Whitney, her eggs got mixed up in an error at the fertility clinic and she is now the mother of six month old baby - with a white man. While she initially considers giving up her rights, she decides not to meeting her baby. The only problem is, the childs father is reluctant to let Whitney is as he is afraid of losing his baby. I was worried at first that this book would be much like the first and would lean a lot on the fact that they are an interracial couple with a biracial child but I was happy that it was touched on but not the entire basis of the book. this is also a cute somewhat slow burn, secret dating book. I really enjoyed it and was surprised by the twists that were included towards the end of the book to help bring a full circle explanation of everything that happened. If you are ok with the baby trope and like lots of spice, you will definitely enjoy this book!

A unique take on the secret baby trope!

I love a good secret baby trope. The way the author designed this story makes it stand out from the rest of normal romance books. The guy is the one with the baby and the woman is the billionaire. Such a unique twist from the normal guy billionaire and regular woman. The characters love story grew as they learned to maneuver coparenting together. Such a cute story and truly one that will have you rooting for this couple to work out.

Hi! Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-arc. I unfortunately had to DNF this book and cannot give an in depth review. The MMC in this book just really missed the mark for me and I couldn’t connect with the story. Interesting premise, would try another book by this author!

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc. It was one of my highly anticipated reads for this year. I love the cover and the storyline was very well written. I loved the characters of this book.

3.5 stars! Interesting story! Love the twist to surprise baby where the FMC is the one surprised! It brings a nice fresh perspective. Also like the conversation of parenting a biracial child was good too. I do wish the foundation of the MCs relationship was bit more since I feel like there wasn’t much development in that.

Ok so this was a really crazy twist on the surprise baby trope because not only does our FMC find out she has a daughter but also that the father she’s never met wants to keep her. Together our characters have to navigate these crazy turn of events and let me tell you it’s FULL OF DRAMA. We have a crazy ex-wife, parental insecurities, trust issues and even tabloid gossip! Honestly I was saying what more could happen to these characters! 🤣 I absolutely loved Whitney however I wanted to shake Myles. I totally get he has a lot of trust issues and this whole ordeal was a rollercoaster but I feel like the situation was harder for Whitney and she was always having to talk him through everything and prove she wanted to be in her daughters life. Overall I was very amused and entertained throughout my reading

One in a Million by Beverley Kendall is an adorable romcom with a beautiful cover!!! This is a fairy tale esque story that will bring readers to their knees with laughter and heart flutters. Definitely a great time .

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Graydon for giving me an opportunity to read this as an ARC!

I'm a huge Jane The Virgin fan, so the moment that I saw the summary for this book I was immediately interested in reading it! I love a good SURPRISE type of book! One In A Million follows Whitney and Myles who unexpectedly find out that they have a baby together. The big twist, they have never actually met each other and quite frankly they come from two completely different lifestyles. Whitney aka "Sahara" is a woman who can do it all! Actor by day, popstar/business owner by night. Myles is a highly successful lawyer who has been in one too many failed marriages, but his whole life changes when his daughter is born and that thrusts him into another failed marriage.

I adored Whitney! I think she is such a strong and motivated character and it's what I loved most about her. It also warmed my heart to read about her giving her all to a daughter she didn't even know existed a few days earlier. As someone who has a strong mother who did everything she could to provide for her children, Whitney reminded me so much of my own mom.

I will be honest and say that I didn't like Myles from the very start of this book. He was so selfish and had zero empathy for Whitney. It was hard for me to believe that a father who cares so deeply about his child would want his child to grow up without a mother. Especially when the mother was fighting to be in her child's life. So when it came time for their romance to blossom I found myself advocating for Whitney to find someone else lol. So it made their romance very unbelievable and quite honestly too rushed for me. I also think that is the point where I lost interest overall in the story.

I think this book is great for romance lovers who want a juicy dramatic plot packed into a fun short book! It's plot is unique and still very well worth the read!

I was’t sure what to expect with this book as I was unfamiliar with the author. Pretty much right from the beginning I had a hard time putting this book down. The characters felt believable and I wasn’t sure exactly how things would play out. Obviously, I was aware of the romance but I wasn’t sure how they would connect and was hoping it would feel natural which I’m happy to say it does. I wasn’t expecting the behind the scenes twist that occurs but it made the story feel authentic and not formulaic like some romances. I also liked seeing how the couple navigated the rough times. It made their connection that much more believable. This book really surprised me and I would tell others to check it out because I liked it far more than I expected.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

Whitney “Saharah” Richardson, a successful musician, tour performer, and businesswoman, might seem too busy to start a family. However, her decision to have her eggs frozen at a fertility clinic was driven by a personal reason, not her hectic schedule. A one-in-a-million mix-up at the clinic changed her life forever.

The other half of the fertility mix-up is Myles Redmond, a father head over heels in love with his infant daughter Haylee. Myles and his wife Holly used a surrogate However, shortly after Haylee’s birth, Holly took off, which was ultimately the beginning of the end of their marriage. Although having no problem being a single father, Myles wants to do the right thing by letting the biological mother know that she has a precious little girl.

Whitney’s encounter with Haylee was instantaneous love at first sight. A mutual attraction blossomed between Whitney and Myles as they navigated their challenging situation, with Haylee at the forefront of their thoughts. However, fighting their attraction soon became impossible. Meanwhile, Holly continued to haunt Myles.

I loved the concept of this story. A secret baby twist with a twist was interesting to read. Also, this book follows Token, Kendall’s previous book. While One in a Million is undoubtedly a standalone book, it was delightful to reunite with familiar characters like Kennedy and Aurora. Overall, this book successfully blended sweetness and steam, making it an enjoyable and easy read.
Many thanks to Canary Street Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

The plot of this book sounded so interesting to me. Whitney is a superstar and such a strong fmc. She's a singer, actress, and business owner, saving motherhood for later. Then she finds out there was a mixup at the clinic and she's a mother to a six month old girl, Haylee, with a man she's never met. Sharing custody with Myles is full of tension as he demands she give up her parental rights and in general makes things even more difficult than they already are. I liked the story but got a little lost with all the side characters, some of them totally unnecessary to the story. I loved their HEA, but the romance was rushed toward the end of the book and could have used more focus.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

DNF @ 41%

I loved the unique premise but unfortunately this book isn't working for me so I'm gonna put it down. I really didn't like the implication that the baby needed a mother for her psychological health (implying that anyone who doesn't have a female parent is part of an incomplete family unit). Besides that I just really didn't love how Whitney needed to constantly prove to Myles that she was good enough for her daughter. He acknowledges that he has unfair standards but it just rubbed me the wrong way to have her trying to gain his approval so he would allow her to have a role in her daughter's life. She did nothing to deserve that distrust and I also hated that her having a career seemed to be a disqualifier but his career wasn't. It's also kind of icky that the plot revolves around a Black woman proving herself to a White man. On top of that, I'm also feeling no romantic connection at the 41% mark. This book was really not for me but I think it will find its audience with Jane the Virgin fans.

My first impression when I requested this book was that the FMC looks just like Aaliyah 😍 when it was mentioned in the book, I was like “she must have been her inspiration”.

“One in a million” was the perfect title for this book because what are the odds that Whitney is the biological mother of a 6 month old child that she didn’t know existed due to a fertility clinic mixing up her frozen eggs with another woman’s.

The whole situation was unique and surreal. I applauded Whitney for stepping up and taking care of her child regardless of what the father wanted from the very beginning. She definitely had a right to know her child and “co parent” with a total stranger. With her being a celebrity made things 10x more difficult but her and Myles did a great job navigating parenthood. Their chemistry was intense from beginning to the end. I love how the story unfolded and it was well paced. Once Whitney came into the picture I knew, they were going to be together. Beverley Kendall storytelling was amazing and I’ll definitely read another book written by her.

Happy Publishing Day to Beverly Kendall!

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spicy: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

What are the chances of being the biological mother of a married couple’s 6 month old child you had no idea existed?

“Had to be one in a million. Or more.“ - Whitney

Whitney Richardson, better known to the world as Sahara, just received the news of a lifetime. There was a mix up at the fertility clinic and her frozen eggs were used in place of another women which resulted in the birth of a beautiful six month old baby girl.

Talk about you only see this onscreen. Hello Jane the Virgin, with a lovely twist!!

Now Whitney has to decide what role, if any, she wants to play in this little girl’s life as she gets down to the bottom of this fertility fiasco.

I wish I could say I loved Daddy Myles from the start, but I absolutely despised him and his holier than thou attitude. He was rude, condescending and put so much blame on Whitney who truly played no parts other than a concerned biological mother who wanted the best for her child. And yet, he kept dishing low blows her way. She handled every one with grace and allowed him to process his feelings and make amends, but he seldomly held space for her to do the same. I was happy with the ending for Whitney’s sake, but wish Myles had taken out those frustrations on the appropriate parties throughout her transition into immediate parenthood.

Wow! I was not expecting that plot twist towards the end, it took a rather nefarious turn. Some people needed to face more dire consequences for their actions. Something about that not happening dampened the ending for me. That triggered an interesting feeling, the Black woman grins and bears it. Makes do with what she’s dealt and makes magic out of the sticky situation she was put in. While her white counterpart causes a muck of everyone’s life, gets a slap on the wrist and is free to move on without further consequence and the ability to commit similar acts. This aspect is the only thing I wish were a bit different, but otherwise a strong and unique plot.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing | Graydon House for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Warning: This book does involve the discussion of infertility, medical negligence, divorce, parental rights, fertility fraud

2.5

I finished this book yesterday, and it was such a fun, fast-paced read! It puts a unique twist on the surprise baby trope—a fertility clinic mix-up turns a superstar into a mom, and now she has to co-parent with a complete (and very sexy) stranger.

The premise hooked me right away, and I loved how entertaining the plot was. The characters were okay—I really admired Sahara’s determination and how she always found a way to spend time with Haylee while still respecting Myles’ boundaries. And Myles? I loved how much he cared for Haylee and how he would do anything to be a great dad and give her the world.

That said, I felt the romance fell a little flat. I was hoping for more focus on the co-parenting dynamic, but their relationship felt a bit rushed, and there weren’t many standout moments with their daughter. This was a bit of a letdown because, as I mentioned before, I think both Sahara and Myles are great parents. However, instead of showing us this through actions, the author mostly just told us they were.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read! If you’re in the mood for something light and fun, this one is worth checking out.

One in a Million had such a unique and captivating premise! It follows Whitney, a world-famous celebrity, and Myles, an attorney, brought together by an unexpected twist—a mix-up at a fertility clinic. The forced proximity between them, combined with their very different lifestyles, makes for a truly immersive slow-burn romance.

The chemistry between Whitney and Myles was electric, I loved how their story unfolded and loved watching them grow closer despite their differences. Whitney’s strong, driven character perfectly balanced Myles’ hesitation and resistance. And of course, the surprise baby trope added an emotional depth that kept me invested until the very end. Plus, I did an immersive read, which made the whole experience even better.

Tropes you’ll find:
Surprise baby
Forced proximity
Celebrity x attorney
Interracial romance
Slow burn

The storyline was well-paced, and the emotional journey of both characters felt authentic and satisfying. If you’re into stories that mix fame, family, and romance with a slow burn, you’ll enjoy this one!

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing | Graydon House and Harlequin Audio for providing an e-ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review!

What a yummy romance!
Such a unique premise I was hooked right from the begging. Reverse surprise baby trope?! yeah I was captivated.
This book was a great mix of over the top-only works in romance happenings, and real life parenting and falling in love feels.

Will be recommending to friends and followers.