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Daddy, Unexpectedly
From Friends to Lovers to…Parents?Claire DeAngelo's fantasy was the white picket fence and a husband and babies. She thought she'd found it, but now she's getting a divorce. Her ex's behavior is bordering on harassment, so it's lucky Claire runs into her college buddy—now undercover cop—Luke Devlin.
Luke can't believe his luck. He's investigating a smuggling ring, and Claire lives in the building he has under surveillance. What better way to keep an eye on the criminals than to move in! When Claire's ex becomes hostile, Luke's protective instincts take over and the attraction between old friends heats up.
Back in college, Luke was a carefree playboy. So when Claire discovers she's pregnant, she knows better than to expect Luke to be family material. She's finally getting that white picket fence and a baby…even if there's a piece missing!
Luke can't believe his luck. He's investigating a smuggling ring, and Claire lives in the building he has under surveillance. What better way to keep an eye on the criminals than to move in! When Claire's ex becomes hostile, Luke's protective instincts take over and the attraction between old friends heats up.
Back in college, Luke was a carefree playboy. So when Claire discovers she's pregnant, she knows better than to expect Luke to be family material. She's finally getting that white picket fence and a baby…even if there's a piece missing!
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
9 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
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January 28, 2019
She looked perfectly ordinary. Same wavy brown hair, same dark-rimmed glasses, her favorite suit. No one looking at her would ever guess she'd ridden on a motorcycle, brought a man home to spend the night and had a tattooed guy named Marty change her locks. pg. 56
How can I describe this book? It was very good. I enjoyed it a lot. Quite a testament to giving authors second chances. I did not enjoy McKenzie's The Daddy Project. This was great, though!
PREMISE
Luke Devlin (aka Lucky Devil) runs into Claire DeAngelo. They haven't seen each other since college, when they were study buddies. Claire is working her way through a divorce from her rich, scumbag, investment banker husband named Donald. Luke is two years sober and is a cop.
They hook up, then things get complicated. Let's break it down.
THE GOOD:
There's a LOT of good in this book. McKenzie sure weaves a romance novel skillfully here.
THE HERO
I actually like him. He's a cop who has been sober two years. He hasn't had sex in two years. He used to be a real womanizer and, of course, an alcoholic.
I like heroes to be real people. I want a good man, but also a real one and I feel McKenzie delivered on this. Luke is no angel. He regrets his past, but he goes to AA now and really tries to live their steps. This makes him refreshingly honest with Claire about most things.
"So, Luke Devlin in a bar drinking coffee," Claire said. "That's... different."
"I'm driving."
"Of course. Good point."
"But you could have had something with a little more kick than a diet soft drink."
Something akin to alarm flickered in her eyes and vanished, leaving him wondering if maybe he imagined it. "I'm not much of a drinker."
"Me, neither."
That made her laugh.
Should he tell her the truth?
Step one, he reminded himself. "I'm serious. I've been sober almost two years."
The amusement drained from her face. "Oh. Luke, I'm sorry I laughed. I shouldn't have." pg. 21
He's just completely honest with her about his romantic past and his romantic future. He talks about his ex-girlfriend, how she was an alcoholic, too, and about how she got in a car accident while driving drunk which ended her two-month pregnancy. He was very angry with her.
"I accused her of being careless and irresponsible, trying to trap me into marrying her, forcing me to have a baby I didn't want."
Claire snatched her hand away and picked up her fork again, averting her eyes.
He hated that she pulled away, mostly because he had no clue what it meant. Had he said too much? Sounded too harsh?...
"She knew I didn't want a family, and I didn't mean not at that particular time," and I didn't mean just not with her. I meant not ever. There's no way I'll bring another Devlin child into the world and have it grow up the way I did. Sherri knew that." pg. 52
Of course, there's things he's not honest about - like the fact that he's using her place to stake out the bad guys.
One of the things I like best about Luke is that he knows how and when to keep his fucking mouth shut. He's actually very smart. Very smart man.
"I've got my bike and spare helmet."
...
Come on, live a little, he was tempted to say. But that would get her back up and then she'd say no. Instead, he casually handed her a helmet as though he assumed she'd done this a hundred times. pg. 17
He never fucked her or tried to fuck her in college, because he was smart enough to know better. Rare.
Even though she thinks she's fat (she's a size 14) during the whole novel, he thinks she's beautiful and sexy. But he doesn't go on and on about this and he doesn't try to change or control her eating one way or another. He doesn't comment on her eating at all. This is so rare I'm actually gobsmacked. A man who knows to keep his fucking mouth shut about what a woman chooses to eat or not eat? Amazing. Completely unheard of.
She looked fine to him. Better than fine. She had curves in all the right places, but if he told her that, she'd probably think he was lying, or coming on to her. He'd been around enough women to know that when they ordered diet drinks instead of regular, salad instead of fries and generally worried about their weight, the smart thing to say was nothing. pg. 26
He always praises her in bed and tells her how beautiful and sexy she is, but doesn't try to address this subject out of bed or make her feel pressured one way or another. He gently and quietly wants her to start feeling okay with her body. Makes small steps to get her comfortable with lights-on sex and trying to break her of the habit of shielding her body with a sheet all the time. Again, in a gentle, teasing, easy way. He never pushes it.
He knows that she's fucked up about alcohol for some reason, but doesn't push it.
Just basically a mensch on this particular front: knowing how to keep his mouth shut, not pushing her about things, letting her open up at her own pace. Just very patient. Men who are patient are SO FUCKING HOT. I live for patient heroes in romance novels. They are so sexually exciting. Gentle and patient men are my jam, yo. He's so gentle with her.
Great with consent, great attitude towards sex. I'll talk about this more in my HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN? section.
Another thing I thought was great is that he's a cop and he can and frequently does protect her from her scumbag ex-husband. This is one of the main fantasy elements of a romance novel. Being stalked by your evil ex-husband? Kind man with a gun on the police force is sexually and romantically interested in you and will literally make sure you are protected at all hours of the day and night. But at the same time McKenzie does a great job of not crossing the line into him being too protective or overbearing. It's really a perfect balance. Very hard to achieve, I have to give props to McKenzie on this one. Very well done.
He helps her cook, he cooks for her.
THE HEROINE:
I really liked the heroine as well.
She is so adorable and cute. She blushes really easily and I love how Luke gently teases her and makes her blush a lot.
"What kind of coffee would you like?" ....
"What are my choices?"
"You can have anything you like."
"Can I?"
Even the tip of her nose turned pink. pg. 34
Adorable. Sexy and adorable how easily she blushes, and sexy and adorable how cutely and sweetly he teases her and makes her blush.
Because Claire has the idea that she's chubby, constantly tries to lose weight, and is constantly on a a diet, you'd think she'd have low self-esteem. Not so. She stands up to men like a champ and instantly kicks men to the curb if she finds out they are scum. I'm very happy about this. She has no qualms about "What if I never find another man?" or other insecure shit that keeps women tied to scum. She's just like, "Goodbye. Next." No hesitation. No waffling on if she should take her ex back. No second-guessing herself. It's beautiful.
She's a real person with real problems. I prefer heroines who are not perfect. She she's a size 14 and insecure about it. She married a rich investment-banker scumbag who is now stalking her.
Just like Luke is not a mensch sometimes so is Claire not always a good person. I find this highly unethical. I understand WHY she is making these decisions, but I think they are wrong. She's a more real character and a more flawed one than is usually presented in romance, and I like it. But she doesn't cross over into being a jerk.
It's really cute and adorable how she decides to let loose and do 'bad' things since she's finally getting free from her ex. 'Bad' things include: riding on a motorcycle, having sex with Luke, eating lasagna.
OTHER THINGS McKENZIE DOES WELL:
Great job of depicting the super-awkward conversation about . I love real, awkward, frank conversations in romance novels. McKenzie is doing what Marin Thomas was doing in The Bull Rider's Secret. Something that I don't see often in romance and it always pleases me when an author includes them.
McKenzie also addresses stuff. She doesn't just brush issues under the carpet, she has the MCs and the people around the MCs address it. It's great. People call themselves on their shit, or other people call them on their shit. She never just pretends like it's not happening.
THE BAD:
Wouldn't recommend this to anyone with an ED or in remission from an ED. Lots of dieting and weight-loss talk, lots of self-hatred for being size 14 and for not being able to 'stick to carrots and rice cakes.'
They call the cat "Cleo" at the beginning of the book, but then it is named "Chloe" from then on. Editor did not catch this.
HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
Since this is an American Romance by Harlequin, the sex is not described enough for my tastes. We WERE having a described sex scene - much to my delight - but it was interrupted by unforeseen circumstances.
Luke is exactly the kind of man I like to see in romance novels.
1.) He thinks Claire is great. You may think, "Well, duh" but you'd be surprised how many romance heroes don't actually seem to like the heroines. Luke thinks Claire is adorable, but he also admires her and is a little in awe of her ability to stand up for herself.
2.) He enjoys gently teasing Claire so that she blushes. It's cute. He never goes too far or is obnoxious about it. They both enjoy it.
3.) He's great with consent.
"You're sure about this?"
She leaned into him, smile gone, eyes even darker.
Please let her say yes.
"I'm sure." pg. 35
...
Aw, hell. He'd recognize that smolder anywhere. And yeah, he wanted this, really wanted it, but this had to be her call. Completely. She might not want to make the first move, but she needed to give him another sign if she wanted him to make it. pg. 35
4.) He sees it as his personal responsibility to turn her out. My favorites are men who take pride in coaxing multiple orgasms out of women, aren't going to rush things, and are quietly determined to make sure to show her a good time. It's so rare in real life and a huge part of the fantasy element women are looking for in a romance novel.
"I've never done this before," she said.
This being...? he wondered, but didn't dare ask. - Note: good keeping his fucking mouth shut here. Such a smart hero.
"I mean, I've never brought another man here."
Is that right? Now it was up to him to make sure she didn't regret it. pg. 36
I was really hopeful and excited for him to fuck Claire's brains out and make her unable to remember her own name. She really deserved it. She really deserves some multiple orgasms. I know I didn't get to enjoy the sex scene, because this isn't Blaze, but I'm going to pretend he's as good in bed as he thinks he is.
SIDE RANT Hero-Wants-to-Go-Slow-And-Heroine-Hurries-Him-Into-Quick-Fucking Trope.
I hate this. I HATE IT. It goes like this: The hero is thinking to himself how slow he's going to be with her and how much foreplay he's going to do with her and etc. etc. I'm getting very excited and settling in for reading about some great sex with lots of foreplay and multiple orgasms given multiple ways. Things are very happy. THEN, the author has the heroine - the heroine! - say something like "Hurry up." or "Just fuck me" or whatever, and my heart shatters and all my dreams are dashed to the ground. What the FUCK are you thinking, author!? Don't promise me hot sex, promise me a guy who can deliver or allegedly deliver on this, and then COP OUT by making THE WOMAN beg for some quick jackhammer fucking!!!!! DON'T DO THIS SHIT. It's so disappointing and frustrating. I feel like authors who do this are just TOO FUCKING LAZY TO WRITE A GOOD AND DETAILED SEX SCENE. (This isn't specifically directed at McKenzie, I know her hands are tied by this line.)
A momentary flash of uncertainty ripped through him, and he reminded himself that he needed to take this slow. She deserved to be worshipped, not ravished.
Apparently she had other ideas. pg. 38
ANYBODY can experience a man just fucking you. Who the fuck cares. There is nothing sexy or romantic about it. There is nothing special about it. YOU may want me to believe it's super amazing that he's just pounding into her, but AS A WOMAN, I want a long, drawn-out, full-of-foreplay sex scene where the man is really great in bed. I'm not reading fucking ROMANCE NOVELS for some quick rabbiting. I WANT TO READ ABOUT GOOD, GOOD SEX.
Quick fucking can be good!
OK, granted. However, this trope usually occurs the very first time the couple has sex. I want to see what the man can do. My sexual fantasies DO NOT revolve around having a penis sawed in and out of me for about two minutes. PLUS, Claire has just gotten out of a horrible relationship. Do you think she, or any woman in their right mind, would ask Luke to SKIP ON THE FOREPLAY? Is a WOMAN writing this?!?!?!?!
The ONLY way this trope is acceptable is if the hero laughs, refuses to be rushed and ignores the heroine's pleas to go faster, slowly pushing her into orgasmic bliss. I've seen this happen and I'm telling you it is the only way to play this trope where I'm not going to rabidly tear your throat out with my teeth.
So any authors reading this, please take notes. I'd rather you GO TO BLACK and FADE OUT than tease me by telling me you are going to deliver with long, hot sex and then just have THE HEROINE 'want' and 'beg' to be quickly fucked and ask for the foreplay to stop. Please don't. No. Why on earth do you think I'm reading romance novels? Do you think women want quick, uninteresting fucks in their real life and then quick, uninteresting fucks in their fantasies?!?!?!!!?!? It's very sad. :( Please do everyone a favor and if you are going to write sex scenes in your novels, at least make ONE be long and drawn-out. Thank you.
THIS HAS BEEN A PSA FROM CARMEN.
TL;DR Little gem of a romance novel. I really, truly enjoyed it. McKenzie was able to write a hero AND a heroine that I liked. Quite a feat. They were both flawed and made some huge mistakes, but were basically good and kind people.
Luke was surprisingly smart and good with women. Usually heroes THINK they are great with women, but the author is showcasing things that would never fly. Luke actually delivers. He knows when to speak up and when to stay quiet. He's patient and gentle with her emotionally. He knows just how much to tease her without going over the line, he knows just how protective to be about her ex-husband without becoming the other side of the same coin. Just because he's a cop doesn't make him think he is better and smarter than her, and he doesn't use his job as a cop to beat her into submission or control her life 'for her own good' which I've seen in TONS of cop-romances. Enjoyed seeing an alcoholic hero who was in AA and battling every day.
Even though Claire does some unethical things in this novel that made me upset, I never felt like she was a bad person. Just a human one.
This book is a good example of why I continue to read Harlequin series romance.
5 Stars with the caveat that it does not include good enough sex scenes.
ROMANCE CATEGORIES:
Former Alcoholic - maybe I should rename this category to "Alcoholic in Remission?"
BBW Romance - She's a size 14.
Contemporary Romance
Non-Virgin Heroine
Cheating - She's technically still married to Donald when she has sex with Luke. The divorce hasn't been finalized.
Rape / Abuse Survivor
Police Romance
He's a Police Officer (vice) and She's a Realtor
NAMES IN THIS BOOK:
How can I describe this book? It was very good. I enjoyed it a lot. Quite a testament to giving authors second chances. I did not enjoy McKenzie's The Daddy Project. This was great, though!
PREMISE
Luke Devlin (aka Lucky Devil) runs into Claire DeAngelo. They haven't seen each other since college, when they were study buddies. Claire is working her way through a divorce from her rich, scumbag, investment banker husband named Donald. Luke is two years sober and is a cop.
They hook up, then things get complicated. Let's break it down.
THE GOOD:
There's a LOT of good in this book. McKenzie sure weaves a romance novel skillfully here.
THE HERO
I actually like him. He's a cop who has been sober two years. He hasn't had sex in two years. He used to be a real womanizer and, of course, an alcoholic.
I like heroes to be real people. I want a good man, but also a real one and I feel McKenzie delivered on this. Luke is no angel. He regrets his past, but he goes to AA now and really tries to live their steps. This makes him refreshingly honest with Claire about most things.
"So, Luke Devlin in a bar drinking coffee," Claire said. "That's... different."
"I'm driving."
"Of course. Good point."
"But you could have had something with a little more kick than a diet soft drink."
Something akin to alarm flickered in her eyes and vanished, leaving him wondering if maybe he imagined it. "I'm not much of a drinker."
"Me, neither."
That made her laugh.
Should he tell her the truth?
Step one, he reminded himself. "I'm serious. I've been sober almost two years."
The amusement drained from her face. "Oh. Luke, I'm sorry I laughed. I shouldn't have." pg. 21
He's just completely honest with her about his romantic past and his romantic future. He talks about his ex-girlfriend, how she was an alcoholic, too, and about how she got in a car accident while driving drunk which ended her two-month pregnancy. He was very angry with her.
"I accused her of being careless and irresponsible, trying to trap me into marrying her, forcing me to have a baby I didn't want."
Claire snatched her hand away and picked up her fork again, averting her eyes.
He hated that she pulled away, mostly because he had no clue what it meant. Had he said too much? Sounded too harsh?...
"She knew I didn't want a family, and I didn't mean not at that particular time," and I didn't mean just not with her. I meant not ever. There's no way I'll bring another Devlin child into the world and have it grow up the way I did. Sherri knew that." pg. 52
Of course, there's things he's not honest about - like the fact that he's using her place to stake out the bad guys.
One of the things I like best about Luke is that he knows how and when to keep his fucking mouth shut. He's actually very smart. Very smart man.
"I've got my bike and spare helmet."
...
Come on, live a little, he was tempted to say. But that would get her back up and then she'd say no. Instead, he casually handed her a helmet as though he assumed she'd done this a hundred times. pg. 17
He never fucked her or tried to fuck her in college, because he was smart enough to know better. Rare.
Even though she thinks she's fat (she's a size 14) during the whole novel, he thinks she's beautiful and sexy. But he doesn't go on and on about this and he doesn't try to change or control her eating one way or another. He doesn't comment on her eating at all. This is so rare I'm actually gobsmacked. A man who knows to keep his fucking mouth shut about what a woman chooses to eat or not eat? Amazing. Completely unheard of.
She looked fine to him. Better than fine. She had curves in all the right places, but if he told her that, she'd probably think he was lying, or coming on to her. He'd been around enough women to know that when they ordered diet drinks instead of regular, salad instead of fries and generally worried about their weight, the smart thing to say was nothing. pg. 26
He always praises her in bed and tells her how beautiful and sexy she is, but doesn't try to address this subject out of bed or make her feel pressured one way or another. He gently and quietly wants her to start feeling okay with her body. Makes small steps to get her comfortable with lights-on sex and trying to break her of the habit of shielding her body with a sheet all the time. Again, in a gentle, teasing, easy way. He never pushes it.
He knows that she's fucked up about alcohol for some reason, but doesn't push it.
Just basically a mensch on this particular front: knowing how to keep his mouth shut, not pushing her about things, letting her open up at her own pace. Just very patient. Men who are patient are SO FUCKING HOT. I live for patient heroes in romance novels. They are so sexually exciting. Gentle and patient men are my jam, yo. He's so gentle with her.
Great with consent, great attitude towards sex. I'll talk about this more in my HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN? section.
Another thing I thought was great is that he's a cop and he can and frequently does protect her from her scumbag ex-husband. This is one of the main fantasy elements of a romance novel. Being stalked by your evil ex-husband? Kind man with a gun on the police force is sexually and romantically interested in you and will literally make sure you are protected at all hours of the day and night. But at the same time McKenzie does a great job of not crossing the line into him being too protective or overbearing. It's really a perfect balance. Very hard to achieve, I have to give props to McKenzie on this one. Very well done.
He helps her cook, he cooks for her.
THE HEROINE:
I really liked the heroine as well.
She is so adorable and cute. She blushes really easily and I love how Luke gently teases her and makes her blush a lot.
"What kind of coffee would you like?" ....
"What are my choices?"
"You can have anything you like."
"Can I?"
Even the tip of her nose turned pink. pg. 34
Adorable. Sexy and adorable how easily she blushes, and sexy and adorable how cutely and sweetly he teases her and makes her blush.
Because Claire has the idea that she's chubby, constantly tries to lose weight, and is constantly on a a diet, you'd think she'd have low self-esteem. Not so. She stands up to men like a champ and instantly kicks men to the curb if she finds out they are scum. I'm very happy about this. She has no qualms about "What if I never find another man?" or other insecure shit that keeps women tied to scum. She's just like, "Goodbye. Next." No hesitation. No waffling on if she should take her ex back. No second-guessing herself. It's beautiful.
She's a real person with real problems. I prefer heroines who are not perfect. She she's a size 14 and insecure about it. She married a rich investment-banker scumbag who is now stalking her.
Just like Luke is not a mensch sometimes so is Claire not always a good person. I find this highly unethical. I understand WHY she is making these decisions, but I think they are wrong. She's a more real character and a more flawed one than is usually presented in romance, and I like it. But she doesn't cross over into being a jerk.
It's really cute and adorable how she decides to let loose and do 'bad' things since she's finally getting free from her ex. 'Bad' things include: riding on a motorcycle, having sex with Luke, eating lasagna.
OTHER THINGS McKENZIE DOES WELL:
Great job of depicting the super-awkward conversation about . I love real, awkward, frank conversations in romance novels. McKenzie is doing what Marin Thomas was doing in The Bull Rider's Secret. Something that I don't see often in romance and it always pleases me when an author includes them.
McKenzie also addresses stuff. She doesn't just brush issues under the carpet, she has the MCs and the people around the MCs address it. It's great. People call themselves on their shit, or other people call them on their shit. She never just pretends like it's not happening.
THE BAD:
Wouldn't recommend this to anyone with an ED or in remission from an ED. Lots of dieting and weight-loss talk, lots of self-hatred for being size 14 and for not being able to 'stick to carrots and rice cakes.'
They call the cat "Cleo" at the beginning of the book, but then it is named "Chloe" from then on. Editor did not catch this.
HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
Since this is an American Romance by Harlequin, the sex is not described enough for my tastes. We WERE having a described sex scene - much to my delight - but it was interrupted by unforeseen circumstances.
Luke is exactly the kind of man I like to see in romance novels.
1.) He thinks Claire is great. You may think, "Well, duh" but you'd be surprised how many romance heroes don't actually seem to like the heroines. Luke thinks Claire is adorable, but he also admires her and is a little in awe of her ability to stand up for herself.
2.) He enjoys gently teasing Claire so that she blushes. It's cute. He never goes too far or is obnoxious about it. They both enjoy it.
3.) He's great with consent.
"You're sure about this?"
She leaned into him, smile gone, eyes even darker.
Please let her say yes.
"I'm sure." pg. 35
...
Aw, hell. He'd recognize that smolder anywhere. And yeah, he wanted this, really wanted it, but this had to be her call. Completely. She might not want to make the first move, but she needed to give him another sign if she wanted him to make it. pg. 35
4.) He sees it as his personal responsibility to turn her out. My favorites are men who take pride in coaxing multiple orgasms out of women, aren't going to rush things, and are quietly determined to make sure to show her a good time. It's so rare in real life and a huge part of the fantasy element women are looking for in a romance novel.
"I've never done this before," she said.
This being...? he wondered, but didn't dare ask. - Note: good keeping his fucking mouth shut here. Such a smart hero.
"I mean, I've never brought another man here."
Is that right? Now it was up to him to make sure she didn't regret it. pg. 36
I was really hopeful and excited for him to fuck Claire's brains out and make her unable to remember her own name. She really deserved it. She really deserves some multiple orgasms. I know I didn't get to enjoy the sex scene, because this isn't Blaze, but I'm going to pretend he's as good in bed as he thinks he is.
SIDE RANT Hero-Wants-to-Go-Slow-And-Heroine-Hurries-Him-Into-Quick-Fucking Trope.
I hate this. I HATE IT. It goes like this: The hero is thinking to himself how slow he's going to be with her and how much foreplay he's going to do with her and etc. etc. I'm getting very excited and settling in for reading about some great sex with lots of foreplay and multiple orgasms given multiple ways. Things are very happy. THEN, the author has the heroine - the heroine! - say something like "Hurry up." or "Just fuck me" or whatever, and my heart shatters and all my dreams are dashed to the ground. What the FUCK are you thinking, author!? Don't promise me hot sex, promise me a guy who can deliver or allegedly deliver on this, and then COP OUT by making THE WOMAN beg for some quick jackhammer fucking!!!!! DON'T DO THIS SHIT. It's so disappointing and frustrating. I feel like authors who do this are just TOO FUCKING LAZY TO WRITE A GOOD AND DETAILED SEX SCENE. (This isn't specifically directed at McKenzie, I know her hands are tied by this line.)
A momentary flash of uncertainty ripped through him, and he reminded himself that he needed to take this slow. She deserved to be worshipped, not ravished.
Apparently she had other ideas. pg. 38
ANYBODY can experience a man just fucking you. Who the fuck cares. There is nothing sexy or romantic about it. There is nothing special about it. YOU may want me to believe it's super amazing that he's just pounding into her, but AS A WOMAN, I want a long, drawn-out, full-of-foreplay sex scene where the man is really great in bed. I'm not reading fucking ROMANCE NOVELS for some quick rabbiting. I WANT TO READ ABOUT GOOD, GOOD SEX.
Quick fucking can be good!
OK, granted. However, this trope usually occurs the very first time the couple has sex. I want to see what the man can do. My sexual fantasies DO NOT revolve around having a penis sawed in and out of me for about two minutes. PLUS, Claire has just gotten out of a horrible relationship. Do you think she, or any woman in their right mind, would ask Luke to SKIP ON THE FOREPLAY? Is a WOMAN writing this?!?!?!?!
The ONLY way this trope is acceptable is if the hero laughs, refuses to be rushed and ignores the heroine's pleas to go faster, slowly pushing her into orgasmic bliss. I've seen this happen and I'm telling you it is the only way to play this trope where I'm not going to rabidly tear your throat out with my teeth.
So any authors reading this, please take notes. I'd rather you GO TO BLACK and FADE OUT than tease me by telling me you are going to deliver with long, hot sex and then just have THE HEROINE 'want' and 'beg' to be quickly fucked and ask for the foreplay to stop. Please don't. No. Why on earth do you think I'm reading romance novels? Do you think women want quick, uninteresting fucks in their real life and then quick, uninteresting fucks in their fantasies?!?!?!!!?!? It's very sad. :( Please do everyone a favor and if you are going to write sex scenes in your novels, at least make ONE be long and drawn-out. Thank you.
THIS HAS BEEN A PSA FROM CARMEN.
TL;DR Little gem of a romance novel. I really, truly enjoyed it. McKenzie was able to write a hero AND a heroine that I liked. Quite a feat. They were both flawed and made some huge mistakes, but were basically good and kind people.
Luke was surprisingly smart and good with women. Usually heroes THINK they are great with women, but the author is showcasing things that would never fly. Luke actually delivers. He knows when to speak up and when to stay quiet. He's patient and gentle with her emotionally. He knows just how much to tease her without going over the line, he knows just how protective to be about her ex-husband without becoming the other side of the same coin. Just because he's a cop doesn't make him think he is better and smarter than her, and he doesn't use his job as a cop to beat her into submission or control her life 'for her own good' which I've seen in TONS of cop-romances. Enjoyed seeing an alcoholic hero who was in AA and battling every day.
Even though Claire does some unethical things in this novel that made me upset, I never felt like she was a bad person. Just a human one.
This book is a good example of why I continue to read Harlequin series romance.
5 Stars with the caveat that it does not include good enough sex scenes.
ROMANCE CATEGORIES:
Former Alcoholic - maybe I should rename this category to "Alcoholic in Remission?"
BBW Romance - She's a size 14.
Contemporary Romance
Non-Virgin Heroine
Cheating - She's technically still married to Donald when she has sex with Luke. The divorce hasn't been finalized.
Rape / Abuse Survivor
Police Romance
He's a Police Officer (vice) and She's a Realtor
NAMES IN THIS BOOK:
May 4, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. Claire had always done the right thing. She studied hard through high school, and college. She was the one that always had her feet planted on solid ground. She found out her husband was cheating on her, and sent him packing. They were in the middle of a divorce. One day she had just gotten home from work. When she walking to her condo from her car, she spotted her old college study buddy Luke. In just a few days, she decided to throw caution to the wind for the first time in her life. She rode on the back of Luke’s motorcycle, brought him back to her condo and enjoyed spending time with Luke. I loved the relationship between Luke, and Claire. You could really feel something special between the two. Luke moved in to protect Claire from her ex. He also moved in to help his investigation. He needed to spy on another apartment building. With Luke being a detective He felt he couldn't be honest with Claire. When Claire found out, she felt used. The relationship was strained, but when you love someone, Love always wins! This was a great romance, with a happy ending!
Sample from chapter 3
In one swift silent move he stood, zipped his jeans and retrieved his gun from inside his jacket. Claire’s eyes went wide. Shh, he silently cautioned her again. He moved to the bedroom door, confident that his ability to silently cross the carpet like a cat gave him the advantage, bad enough someone had picked the lock and broken into the place, but to interrupt him when he was about to have sex for the first time in a really long time? Whoever this was deserved to get shot. He was halfway down the short hallway when a shadow slanted across the floor ahead of him. He flattened himself against the wall and waited. By the time the shadow maker appeared, he was ready for him. He slammed the man face first against the opposite wall and jerked one of his arms behind his back.
Sample from chapter 3
In one swift silent move he stood, zipped his jeans and retrieved his gun from inside his jacket. Claire’s eyes went wide. Shh, he silently cautioned her again. He moved to the bedroom door, confident that his ability to silently cross the carpet like a cat gave him the advantage, bad enough someone had picked the lock and broken into the place, but to interrupt him when he was about to have sex for the first time in a really long time? Whoever this was deserved to get shot. He was halfway down the short hallway when a shadow slanted across the floor ahead of him. He flattened himself against the wall and waited. By the time the shadow maker appeared, he was ready for him. He slammed the man face first against the opposite wall and jerked one of his arms behind his back.
April 12, 2013
Good book. I've liked Claire since the first book and it's fun to see her get her own story. She is busy dodging phone calls from her ex-husband who has been harassing her when she runs into Luke. He is working undercover doing surveillance on a condo in her neighborhood. They were study partners and friends in college but had lost touch with each other afterward. As they reconnect there is a spark of attraction. Claire decides to step outside of her usual way of doing things and accepts a dinner invitation from Luke, then invites him in. While he is there her ex enters her home with a key he still had and makes a nuisance of himself. The next day Luke offers to move in as protection until she moves. He is also planning to use her place to conduct surveillance on that other condo without telling her about it.
I liked Claire's relationship with her friends and how well they worked together. They also had a bond of friendship that showed whenever one of them needs support. They have been great help for Claire during her divorce. When she runs into Luke she remembers what good friends they were in college and how much she had liked him. I loved the way that she embraced the the idea of doing something different and found herself enjoying the ride on his motorcycle. She also felt her attraction to him flare up during that ride. When they arrived back at her place I loved the way that she showed him that she wanted him, and didn't let her ex's interruption derail those wants. Even though she didn't think her ex was dangerous he made her nervous enough to accept Luke's offer to move in, but also admitted to herself that she was really loving his presence for more than security. The only problem was his declared intent that he would never marry and have children due to his own childhood. Even though she knew there was no future she couldn't help falling for him and was furious when she found out about his deception. She had to decide what to do about telling him about the baby knowing his feelings about having children. I liked the way that she told him she wanted all or nothing from him. Even though she loved him she wasn't going to trap him into marriage. I liked her reaction to his appearance at the end.
I had a lot of respect for Luke. Even though he was quite a playboy in college he had never been anything less than respectful of Claire. Once he got out of college and started as a cop he finally took responsibility for his actions and dealt with his drinking. Even through everything he and Claire went through he was able to hang on to that. I loved the way that he was so protective of Claire when her ex broke into her place. I also felt that that protectiveness is what took priority in his feelings rather than using her for surveillance. I liked the way that he felt guilty about not telling her. He was somewhat disturbed by the fact that his relationship with her felt different than anything he had experienced before, especially considering his commitment issues. When he first found out about the baby he was angry, but her demand of "all or nothing" really made him think. I loved his "all" at the end.
The epilogue was fantastic and I loved seeing the three women together with their families. I'd love to see them make "guest appearances" in future books.
I liked Claire's relationship with her friends and how well they worked together. They also had a bond of friendship that showed whenever one of them needs support. They have been great help for Claire during her divorce. When she runs into Luke she remembers what good friends they were in college and how much she had liked him. I loved the way that she embraced the the idea of doing something different and found herself enjoying the ride on his motorcycle. She also felt her attraction to him flare up during that ride. When they arrived back at her place I loved the way that she showed him that she wanted him, and didn't let her ex's interruption derail those wants. Even though she didn't think her ex was dangerous he made her nervous enough to accept Luke's offer to move in, but also admitted to herself that she was really loving his presence for more than security. The only problem was his declared intent that he would never marry and have children due to his own childhood. Even though she knew there was no future she couldn't help falling for him and was furious when she found out about his deception. She had to decide what to do about telling him about the baby knowing his feelings about having children. I liked the way that she told him she wanted all or nothing from him. Even though she loved him she wasn't going to trap him into marriage. I liked her reaction to his appearance at the end.
I had a lot of respect for Luke. Even though he was quite a playboy in college he had never been anything less than respectful of Claire. Once he got out of college and started as a cop he finally took responsibility for his actions and dealt with his drinking. Even through everything he and Claire went through he was able to hang on to that. I loved the way that he was so protective of Claire when her ex broke into her place. I also felt that that protectiveness is what took priority in his feelings rather than using her for surveillance. I liked the way that he felt guilty about not telling her. He was somewhat disturbed by the fact that his relationship with her felt different than anything he had experienced before, especially considering his commitment issues. When he first found out about the baby he was angry, but her demand of "all or nothing" really made him think. I loved his "all" at the end.
The epilogue was fantastic and I loved seeing the three women together with their families. I'd love to see them make "guest appearances" in future books.
December 2, 2023
I didn't like it, there were way too many secrets about important things on each of their parts (him about using her apartment for surveillance and her about possibly being pregnant). They each knew the other would be mad about the secret they were keeping and yet continued to keep their secrets. P.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2022
Good read
Perfect afternoon read. Interesting storyline. Great character development. The book flowed without major drama meltdowns.
Definitely recommend this book. Apparently I am not reading this series in order as this is my first time reading this author and this is book 41.
Perfect afternoon read. Interesting storyline. Great character development. The book flowed without major drama meltdowns.
Definitely recommend this book. Apparently I am not reading this series in order as this is my first time reading this author and this is book 41.
January 12, 2017
Great story, but wasn't too fond of the ending, kind of leaves on a cliff hanger. The romance was very sweet in this story
September 5, 2025
loved the main characters
The storyline was excellent but I really enjoyed the friendship of the three women snd the growing relationship of the couple.
The storyline was excellent but I really enjoyed the friendship of the three women snd the growing relationship of the couple.
December 5, 2021
nice story
April 15, 2015
I really wanted to like this book. I loved Kristi's story, and after reading it, I downloaded Sam and Claire's stories. I really liked Sam's story and was looking forward to reading Claire's.
The author is great at writing likable characters. Claire and Luke are both likable yet flawed enough to make them realistic. I liked Rex and felt the author did a good job with animals and kids.
My problem with the book was there were too many subplots. This started out as a great book. I loved the friction between Claire and her ex and thought there was enough tension with that plot to propel Claire and Luke's story along with whether they could overcome the misperceptions about their shared past. Instead the author threw in so many subplots, some of which were much more worthy than two sentences (Claire's date rape in college) and some of which needed to be discussed by the hero and heroine (Luke's recovery from alcoholism), that weren't addressed enough yet were all overshadowed by the unplanned pregnancy (didn't feel the need to put spoiler alert because of the cover and title). In other words, there was such a good story going and then all of a sudden it fell into the trope of unplanned pregnancy and pushed everything else to the back burner. For example, I also expected a great storyline with the book that Donald wanted from Claire yet the explanation was glossed over in a sentence.
In other words, this had all the makings of a five-star book until the pregnancy angle took over.
I'll definitely read more from this author because I like her voice and her subject matter, but out of this three book series, this wasn't my favorite.
Open-door scenes, no bad language, some adult themes (date rape and alcoholism).
The author is great at writing likable characters. Claire and Luke are both likable yet flawed enough to make them realistic. I liked Rex and felt the author did a good job with animals and kids.
My problem with the book was there were too many subplots. This started out as a great book. I loved the friction between Claire and her ex and thought there was enough tension with that plot to propel Claire and Luke's story along with whether they could overcome the misperceptions about their shared past. Instead the author threw in so many subplots, some of which were much more worthy than two sentences (Claire's date rape in college) and some of which needed to be discussed by the hero and heroine (Luke's recovery from alcoholism), that weren't addressed enough yet were all overshadowed by the unplanned pregnancy (didn't feel the need to put spoiler alert because of the cover and title). In other words, there was such a good story going and then all of a sudden it fell into the trope of unplanned pregnancy and pushed everything else to the back burner. For example, I also expected a great storyline with the book that Donald wanted from Claire yet the explanation was glossed over in a sentence.
In other words, this had all the makings of a five-star book until the pregnancy angle took over.
I'll definitely read more from this author because I like her voice and her subject matter, but out of this three book series, this wasn't my favorite.
Open-door scenes, no bad language, some adult themes (date rape and alcoholism).
June 14, 2013
In Daddy Unexpectedly by Lee Mckenzie, Claire DeAngelo has always dreamt of having a family of her own and having her house with a white picket fence but her ex-husband had other ideas that put her dreams on hold. Now alone again she will start to build her life the way she wanted it to begin with.
Luke Devlin and Claire were study partners while in college. He was attracted to her back then, but he didn’t want to ruin their friendship as most other relationships in his life, so he never acted on it. Read More...
Luke Devlin and Claire were study partners while in college. He was attracted to her back then, but he didn’t want to ruin their friendship as most other relationships in his life, so he never acted on it. Read More...
August 27, 2013
This was a great book. I liked how Luke was an undercover cop protecting his love from years ago. Those kinds are always good ones. This book was so good I loved the characters I hated (the ex). Just all written so well. Awesome book!!
April 12, 2013
it was an ok read...
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June 30, 2016Miniseries: Fatherhood
Category: Home and Family
Category: Home and Family
May 29, 2013
For a pregnancy novel, I was slightly disappointed. It wasn't very emotionally done to me, which makes me feel like it wasn't written properly. I couldn't even try to relate, which sucked.
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