What do you think?
Rate this book
Better Than Before
FAMILY SECRETS . . . Years ago, an adolescent crush and an unplanned pregnancy sent Carlie straight into the arms of Derek Pearson, the steady schoolmate who'd always loved her. Forgiving, dependable, it was Derek who picked up the pieces of her broken dreams - marrying her and accepting responsibility for both Carlie and her unborn child. Now, with her husband and five rambunctious children, Carlie had all she ever wanted. Her life was secure - until a class reunion brought back the father of her first-born child, a stranger whose very presence threatened to tear down her carefully constructed wall of silence. If he should discover the truth, she might lose not only her daughter, but the love of the husband she had come to depend on - to love - more than life itself.
- GenresRomance
252 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1992
3 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Judith Duncan
35 books16 followersWikipedia entry:
Judith Duncan is a popular author of romance novels published primarily by Harlequin Enterprises between 1983 and 2002. During the period when Duncan was actively publishing, she lived and worked in Alberta, Canada. She based many of her books in this region. She has been heavily involved in local writers groups in a variety of roles. In particular, she has been active in the organisation and running courses designed to develop writing and publishing skills
Judith Duncan is a popular author of romance novels published primarily by Harlequin Enterprises between 1983 and 2002. During the period when Duncan was actively publishing, she lived and worked in Alberta, Canada. She based many of her books in this region. She has been heavily involved in local writers groups in a variety of roles. In particular, she has been active in the organisation and running courses designed to develop writing and publishing skills
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 4, 2018
3.5 stars
This wasn't a bad book but man it was severely dated, you know when silent taciturn heroes and constantly sobbing heroines were in vogue. This book was drama for the sake of drama. H/h have been married for twenty years and have five kids. The hero is the silent type who keeps his emotions in check and heroine is the perfect home-maker. Then their high school reunion gets all their buried emotions out. You see in their senior year the heroine got infatuated with a new boy in town and had a stupid one-night stand with him which she regretted. When she feared that one-time had consequences she ran to her friend and the hero sister. The hero stepped in as her knight in shining armour, taking the blame, standing up to her parents, giving up his dreams of university and married her. Except for her confession on what happened that night they never discussed Kevin and swept everything under the rug. They have been happy the past twenty years even if the heroine notices that the hero tends to keep his emotions in check. But you see getting confirmation that Kevin is coming to town brings everything that was hidden to the surface.
First off all the heroine was a crying ninny. Her daughter was almost twenty so it wasn't like if the truth of her paternity was revealed it would lead to some custody battle. Second off all, all the bloody interruption between the h/H when they were having a honest conversation was annoying. The hero had loved the heroine since he met her at 14 and was hurt when the heroine got infatuated with Kevin; but in her defense she was a stupid teen. If they had talked about the past they would have realised how irrelevant Kevin was in their life, because with or without him these two would have ended up together. The heroine was a bit stupid and wrong to have never given Kevin the chance to be a father because he was just a stupid teenager and not some Lothario. Of course when he comes to town, they learn his wife is infertile and how much he wants kids. So, yup he learns about the paternity but as the hero points out to him, his selfish need to be a father will hurt his wife and destroy a secure girl's life. After I don't know how many litres of tears from the heroine the book ends. Not Judith Duncan's best work.
This wasn't a bad book but man it was severely dated, you know when silent taciturn heroes and constantly sobbing heroines were in vogue. This book was drama for the sake of drama. H/h have been married for twenty years and have five kids. The hero is the silent type who keeps his emotions in check and heroine is the perfect home-maker. Then their high school reunion gets all their buried emotions out. You see in their senior year the heroine got infatuated with a new boy in town and had a stupid one-night stand with him which she regretted. When she feared that one-time had consequences she ran to her friend and the hero sister. The hero stepped in as her knight in shining armour, taking the blame, standing up to her parents, giving up his dreams of university and married her. Except for her confession on what happened that night they never discussed Kevin and swept everything under the rug. They have been happy the past twenty years even if the heroine notices that the hero tends to keep his emotions in check. But you see getting confirmation that Kevin is coming to town brings everything that was hidden to the surface.
First off all the heroine was a crying ninny. Her daughter was almost twenty so it wasn't like if the truth of her paternity was revealed it would lead to some custody battle. Second off all, all the bloody interruption between the h/H when they were having a honest conversation was annoying. The hero had loved the heroine since he met her at 14 and was hurt when the heroine got infatuated with Kevin; but in her defense she was a stupid teen. If they had talked about the past they would have realised how irrelevant Kevin was in their life, because with or without him these two would have ended up together. The heroine was a bit stupid and wrong to have never given Kevin the chance to be a father because he was just a stupid teenager and not some Lothario. Of course when he comes to town, they learn his wife is infertile and how much he wants kids. So, yup he learns about the paternity but as the hero points out to him, his selfish need to be a father will hurt his wife and destroy a secure girl's life. After I don't know how many litres of tears from the heroine the book ends. Not Judith Duncan's best work.
August 31, 2019
Read this a long time ago. I remember this as having more drama and depth than most of these category romances. It was excellent and very sexy. I don't think she ever duplicated the talent she showed in this book, unfortunately.
October 17, 2021
1.5 stars
An over abundance of crying by the h + a surly husband whom refuses to talk about an issue that, clearly, has been bothering him for years = a marriage that should have been doomed. Except this is a Silhouette and as we all know, there will be an HEA.
An over abundance of crying by the h + a surly husband whom refuses to talk about an issue that, clearly, has been bothering him for years = a marriage that should have been doomed. Except this is a Silhouette and as we all know, there will be an HEA.
September 8, 2021
Book started good and interesting, later become quite boring with no plot development after the initial exposition of whole story line.
July 20, 2014
Classic. A must-read.
May 19, 2015
Absolutely amazing, sad that it had to end. I haven't read a book this good in ages. Loved all the characters especially the Hero with his quiet yet powerful presence. The small town setting added such a sweet and relaxing element to the story. I cried and smiled throughout the book. Will definitely reread soon
December 3, 2012
I have read this book so much that the seam is falling apart. I love it! Even though I'm not married, I can relate to Derek and Carly's marriage. And in the end - Love conqured all!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews