Leanne Banks writes witty and sexy series romance. With Millionaire Dad, she adds a new nuance and depth in her writing. It is witty and sexy, but it is also deeper and more intense. If you are put off by “baby books,” make an exception for this one and give it a try. It’s a pretty good read.

On a snowy evening in Colorado, psychologist Marley Fuller’s car keeps sliding off the road and getting stuck. She is rescued not once, but twice, by self-made man Joe Caruthers. Marley trusts Joe, even considers him heroic for helping her. Joe doesn’t see himself as a hero. He came up the hard way and is nobody’s fool. He’s alone and likes it that way – or so he thinks.

After the second rescue, Marley invites Joe back to her place, and plies him with candy to learn more about him. She believes her virtue is safe with him for two reasons – she’s definitely not his type (and tells him so) and she’s not interested in men after having been jilted. Her virtue isn’t as safe as she thinks – Marley may not be his type and she may not be looking, but both are intensely attracted to one another. They share a passionate kiss, but neither thinks they will ever see each other again.

Turns out they were wrong – Joe owns a camp for troubled youths and the director wants to hire a hot-shot psychologist for a consultation. That hot-shot, of course, is Dr. Marley Fuller. Joe and Marley meet again, and Marley’s assistant sees right off what Marley can’t or won’t see – that Marley makes herself less attractive on purpose and that Joe, a notorious bachelor, wants Marley.

Joe is extremely distrustful of women after a bad relationship with a gold-digger. He is also extremely tender and caring with the women he loves – his own mother’s hard life ended far too soon. Marley finds it hard to believe Joe could love her for herself. Just when Joe begins to trust Marley and she begins to believe in herself and Joe’s feelings for her, she finds herself pregnant.

Joe and Marley’s slow resolution to the pregnancy, his lack of trust and her fierce independence are thoughtful and touching. Marley’s being a vegetarian while Joe’s fortune was made in steak restaurants is a delightful irony. Marley’s assistant and Joe’s reunion with some childhood friends (including a hero from author Banks’ How to Catch a Princess trilogy) make for good reading. What works less well is Joe’s lack of trust in women. Given that his mother took care of him while his father walked out, I found his “all women want are my money” mind-set less than believable.

Another couple of problems seem small, but need mention nonetheless. Early in the book, the author writes, “Joe wanted to see if Marley truly rocked his world. . . “. If Joe and Marley were teenagers, that line would work, but for grown ups, I don’t think so. Later, Marley is involved in a car accident which becomes a running theme throughout the story. Given the attention cars have throughout this book, the author seemed to give this one short shrift.

The love scenes Banks is known for are in full force in Millionaire Dad. I’ve enjoyed several books (including Expectant Father and The Five-Minute Bride) by this author; she is very consistently in the B range. Her earlier books were witty and sexy. This book is witty and sexy and touching. I look forward to the next one.