Crime And Passion by Marie Ferrarella released on Oct 24, 2003 is available now for purchase.
THE WHISTLEBLOWER
No sooner did number-crunching dynamo Ilene O'Hara uncover fraud in her company than she needed protection for herself and the son she'd been hiding from detective Clay Cavanaugh, a man she still loved. When Clay appeared as their protector, she wondered if the truth would destroy their fiery connection—or bind them forever? Clay had the reputation of being a ruthless law enforcer—and a Casanova. After Ilene, he ensured that love never entered the equation again. But now, years later, she needed his help. As the forbidden attraction between witness and protector raged out of control, Clay could tell she was keeping a secret from him. But would it stop him from taking the ultimate risk?
Marie Rydzynski was born on March 28 in West Germany to Polish parents. She moved to America at the age of four. For an entire year, Marie and her family explored the eastern half of the country before finally settling in New York.
Marie swears she was born writing, "which must have made the delivery especially hard for my mother." From an early age, Marie's parents would find her watching television or tucked away in some private place, writing at a furious pace. "Initially, I began writing myself into my favourite shows. I was a detective on '77 Sunset Strip,' the missing Cartwright sibling they never talked about on 'Bonanza' and the 'Girl from U.N.C.L.E.' before there was a 'Girl from U.N.C.L.E.,' not to mention an active participant in the serialized stories of 'The Mickey Mouse Club.'" Marie began to write her first romance novel when she was 11 years old, although she claims that, at the time, she didn't even realize it was a romance! She scribbled off and on, while dreaming of a career as an actress.
Marie was only 14 when she first laid eyes on the man she would marry, truly her first love, Charles Ferrarella. During her days at Queens College, New York, acting started to lose its glamour as Marie spent more and more time writing. After receiving her English degree, specialising in Shakespearean comedy, Marie and her family moved to Southern California, where she still resides today.
After an interminable seven weeks apart, Charles decided he couldn't live without her and came out to California to marry his childhood sweetheart. Ever practical, Marie was married in a wash-and-wear wedding dress that she sewed herself, appliqués and all. "'Be prepared' has always been my motto,"the author jokes. This motto has been stretched considerably by her two children, Nikky and Jessi, "but basically, it still applies," she says.
In November of 1981, she sold her first novel for Harlequin. Marie, who now has written over 150 novels, has one goal: to entertain, to make people laugh and feel good. "That's what makes me happy," she confesses. "That, and a really good romantic evening with my husband." She's keeping her fingers crossed that her reader's enjoy reading her books as much as she enjoyed writing them.
Ilene O'Hara blows the whistle on her fraudulent boss, and after a threatening drawing is left at her home, she needs to go into protection. The guy who protects her just happens to be Clay Cavanaugh, the love of her life who she broke up with six years ago - and who is the father of her son, Alex. He doesn't know this, because she feared telling him of the pregnancy because she feared he would marry her out of duty and not love, and she had seen how that sort of marriage destroyed her parents and made them not care about her.
Guess what, Ilene? In this day and age, it is perfectly normal and natural to raise a child without getting married. Mature, capable adults discuss these sorts of things and make arrangements accordingly.
Ilene is definitely not a mature, capable adult. In fact, I couldn't stand her! To be frank, she acts like a complete bitch from start to finish. Clay, although not perfect, deserves much better! He's the one continually trying to talk to her and sort things out, even encouraging her to tell him if the child is his, but her response is to be a complete cow, continuing to lie to him about Alex's paternity and saying all manner of mean and unfair things to him, or simply refusing to have the conversation with him that he seeks. I hated her! I didn't care if her boss did away with her. She's not as bad as the harridan in Mallory Kane's Gone, but close. Her appalling behaviour hangs over all the proceedings, making it hard for me to care.
Of which there isn't much! This has a very thin plot to accompany Ilene's selfish, uppity attitude. I don't know why it's called Crime And Passion, because there's very little of either!
I (double underline) hate (end double underline) stories where the heroine keeps a child from the hero. Because that little tidbit taints the whole story. And this one didn’t even have a really good reason to keep the truth from the guy. She knew he’d be furious when he learnt she lied to him, yet she kept on doing just that.
So, it leeched all the enjoyment out of the story for me, though it was nothing to write home about in the first place.
CRIME AND PASSION - CAVANAUGH FAMILY SERIES #2 (Clay and Ilene O'Hara)
THE WHISTLEBLOWER
No sooner did number-crunching dynamo Ilene O'Hara uncover fraud in her company than she needed protection for herself and the son she'd been hiding from detective Clay Cavanaugh, a man she still loved. When Clay appeared as their protector, she wondered if the truth would destroy their fiery connection — or bind them forever?
Clay had the reputation of being a ruthless law enforcer — and a Casanova. After Ilene, he ensured that love never entered the equation again. But now, years later, she needed his help. As the forbidden attraction between witness and protector raged out of control, Clay could tell she was keeping a secret from him. But would it stop him from taking the ultimate risk?
Just because Clay Cavanaugh wanted to save himself the grief if something happened to his lady love, he drove her out himself.
Because she believes that when Clay found out about their baby, he'd want to marry her and it won't be because he loved her, Ilene O'Hara skips town for her baby's birth.
When brought together after six years, the situation is all fraught with danger with Ilene's life and her baby's life on the line. Clay being a police detective is protection detail that Ilene gets and the safe house none other than Clay's father's where Clay lives as well.
They were in love then, they are in love now. They resolve their issues and speak the L word. All set for forever.
Loved this story of Ilene, Clay and their Alex. I really liked how their love story had taken shape (again) before (for lack of a better way to say it), the bad guys came back in the picture. Also liked that Andrew wasn't the one to share about Alex. Even to let Ilene know he knew....the rest of what I liked....well you'll have to check it out yourself.... it's a good read!!