An Heir for the Billionaire

Dynasties: The Newports #2

by Kat Cantrell

Mills & Boon Desire series delivers powerful, passionate romances…

Will a single mum and her baby become an instant family for this all-business tycoon? 

After learning her billionaire father is dying, Nora Winchester O’Malley rushes to his bedside in Chicago — and right into an old friend’s arms. Reid Chamberlain is there to comfort the young widowed mom when she needs it most. But what passes between them isn't mere compassion…it’s sheer passion. 

Reid has been all business for so long, shutting down his emotions as he built up his hotel empire. Now Nora and her adorable child have come along, stirring up demons he must face to have a shot at a future…

Genres: Harlequin Desire, Harlequin, Romance, Contemporary Romance

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 1, 2016

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Kat Cantrell read her first Harlequin novel in third grade and has been scribbling in notebooks since she learned to spell. What else would she write but romance?

When she's not writing about characters on the journey to happily ever after, she can be found at a taekwondo tournament, watching Big Bang Theory or dancing with her kids to Duran Duran and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Kat, her husband and their two boys live in North Texas. She was the first Harlequin So You Think You Can Write winner and a former RWA® Golden Heart® finalist for best unpublished series contemporary manuscript.

Reviews

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

An Heir for the Billionaire is Kat Cantrell's contribution to the multi-author Dynasties: The Newports mini-series and introduces us to Nora Winchester O'Malley and Reid Chamberlain.

"I’m a selfish workaholic who can never be a father..."

Overall we're brought an easy read which isn't particularly complicated considering Nora is widowed and raising her toddler son whilst her childhood friend and somewhat of a hermit, Reid, has no inclination for a family. Both have daddy-issues which was pivotal to their story and decisions, but it wasn't overplayed which I appreciated and, as is Kat's MO when it comes to her characters, both are wildly attracted to one another leading to some heated moments between them.



I enjoyed these characters together and the dose of cute injected by Nora's son, Declan. For me this was pure predictable romantic escapism and that's okay, I need that on occasion and it's what I expect when I do pick up a Harlequin, especially one of Kat Cantrell's.

Copy generously received courtesy of the author for an honest and unbiased opinion.

[Maria Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Heir for the Billionaire is the second book in the Dynasties: The Newports series written by different authors but featuring connected families. After reading this one, I can honestly say that the author has done a great job of making me want to pick up the rest of the series, and I've already added them to my to-read list!

Nora O'Malley (nee Winchester), a widow with a two year old son, has reluctantly returned to Chicago to be at the bedside of her estranged but dying father. Her two sisters, Eve and Grace are there for moral support too as the three of them deal with his illness and the revelation that they have a half-brother, and a Newport at that. The stress of the hospital visit is relieved by the surprising delivery of a sumptuous meal for the family, by none other than her old childhood friend Reid Chamberlain. Having suffered his own family tragedy that turned him into a reclusive workaholic, he's in a unique position to understand Nora's loss and also her hesitation to get involved in any kind of committed relationship. An affair while she's visiting though? That's something he can't deny he wants, even if he'd always said he'd never get involved with a woman who has a child , fundamentally believing he's not father material. Their re-connection as friends and new relationship as lovers is a balm to both of them, healing some of the wounds left by loss. But when Nora is ready to go back home, will Reid be able to let her go?

What an enjoyable romance! The explanation of the background to the characters is just right – the perfect amount of information to enable the reader to pick this up as a standalone and feel comfortable knowing where it fits in the series, while still giving some hints as to the relationships that will be the focus of other books. This can be tricky to do when it's not the same author writing all the books in the series, but it's well handled here.

The strength of this story comes from the characters, and I really liked both Reid and Nora. Nora has had a fractious relationship with her father for years, and when she got the chance to get out from under his thumb she did so. Even now, she refuses to take any family money, preferring to live on her army wife pension and support her son with her own funds. She knows that money can't buy you love, and feels that keenly when she thinks of her own father. However she has a very good relationship with her two sisters who are happy to have her home even if just for a little while, and delight in being able to spend time with her and her son. Reid also comes from a very wealthy family, and experienced some of the same kinds of issues with his father, though he was close to his mother and siblings. He grew up in the same social circles as Nora and they were close friends until they started to drift apart as teenagers. Rekindling their friendship now reminds him of the better times. And they are both very aware that they aren't kids anymore. From the moment they meet again as adults there is a delicious sexual tension between them. Their love scenes were some of my favorites in this harlequin line, sensual and dramatic.

The scenes with Nora's son Declan were sweet and funny, showing the reality of raising a two year old without being annoying or cliche. As the story progresses and Nora and Reid spend time together, it becomes clear that they are falling for each other, though neither wants to be the first to admit it. Reid definitely has cold feet about his ability to be a father figure to Declan. I loved seeing how they dealt with their issues, opened up to each other and took the steps needed to get to their happy ending. This is going on my favourites list and I'll be looking for more from this author!

Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher for review.

This review also appears at Harlequin Junkie: http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-an-...

[Judyrudy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Heir for the Billionaire is Kat Cantrell’s contribution to Harlequin Desire’s: Dynasties: The Newports. I love friends to lover’s themed stories and this one was one of the best I’ve read in a long time. Take a friend who has lost his way and mix in a single mother of a two year old and you have one fantastic beach read.

Not only did Nora O’Malley have to deal with a father that had never been a true father to her, she also had to deal with his illness. I absolutely loved watching Reid recognize that he could be something he never thought possible. Reid not only helped her deal with her father and he also learned how to be more of a father than her own.

I absolutely loved reading An Heir for the Billionaire. I was a quick read that I read in one sitting. I’d like to disclose that I received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Heir for the Billionaire is Kat Cantrell’s contribution to the Dynasties: The Newports series. Drama, secrets and family strain gives the story depth and adds pressure to flawed characters who must overcome pride all for the better good of the people in their lives.

Reid Chamberlain is a lone-wolf due to a past that has held him captive. He is broken and flawed and just wants to be left alone. But when news that Nora Winchester O’Malley is back in town, Reid cannot help but look her up. Of course upon meeting Nora, Reid can’t help but feel that familiar tug of attraction between him and the single mom. Nora on the other hand, has put aside her indifference towards her father and returns to Chicago to be by his dying side. She hadn’t expected to find comfort in the arms of Reid of all persons. But the sparks between her and Reid combust but will Reid finally detach himself from his past to give Nora and her young son a chance in forever?

Overall, An Heir for the Billionaire is a beautifully written story that captures the essence of forgiveness and love. Kudos to Kat Cantrell on penning an all out entertaining novel!

Recommended
4.5 Stars

[Lynn Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes looking up an old friend is just what you need!

Nora Winchester O’Malley may dislike her billionaire father for the way he treated she and her sisters growing up, but she still rushes home to Chicago when she hears that he’s dying. She can’t leave her sisters holding the bag … and a part of her hopes for that grand gesture of love that has always been missing from her father’s heart.

Reid Chamberlain has a past that holds him back in life and makes him prefer to be alone … but when he hears his old friend is back in town, he can’t resist looking her up! The comfort is still there between them … along with an attraction neither of them can ignore. Will Nora and her young son be able to thaw Reid’s heart, or will this just be a temporary distraction for him?

[Harlequin Books]

"Books from the Dynasties series are character driven contemporary romances that showcase powerful men and the strong women that capture their hearts. Reid has a grim outlook until Nora brings the light back into his life, a bit like a modern Beauty and the Beast" (4 stars @ RT Book Reviews).

Miniseries:

[Nicci Carrera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good writing. I wish there had been a conversation between them about his real inner thoughts about his fears instead of that all staying inside his head. That conflict was really good and he never fully told her. But the story is romantic, hot and touching.

[G Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Another amazing book by Kat Cantrell!

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so loved this book The story line is like no other.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s refreshing to see a romantic female protagonist that breaks with the mold, the common variety, run-of-the-mill female who waits upon the male to pleasure her or show her mind-blowing ecstasy. The women do participate, panting, screaming, chanting his name or locking him between their thighs. But so many of them seem to lack a certain agency, keeping him and their desires at bay until almost reluctantly made to feel passion as he pushes them against a wall, fencepost, desk or what have you.

Mrs. Nora Wincester O’Malley, on the other hand, is a bracing blast of fresh air. (You might deduct points for her failing to keep her maiden name but she’s at odds with her father and wanted to distance herself from him as much as possible. She could have taken her mother’s maiden name but that’s a little too innovative for HQ novels). Having been married once and bearing a child from her husband, she’s come to terms with her spouse’s tragic loss overseas. She loved him fiercely and mourned him with all the love in her heart. Now she’s ready to move on.

Nora had a friendship with Reid Chamberlain, a satisfying childhood and adolescent relationship that withered when he started running with the popular set. This previous attachment forms the basis for their current attraction and re-connection. It’s very satisfying to read about a romantic couple that were fast friends in their youth but are a little uncertain how to take up the reins where they left off. Both of them are altered people from when they last knew each other and have to learn to join up again.

The novel takes some pains to show how their differences make getting together again a little dicey. Reid has become reclusive and closed off, vastly changed from the party boy she once knew; Nora is fiercely devoted to her one-year-old son Declan. She makes it clear that no man is going to separate her from her little boy to whom she is utterly dedicated. But Reid is equally firm in stating he doesn’t get involved with women with children. Ever.

What makes their initial rendezvous so eye opening is that Nora is up front and very decisive in what she wants from Reid. She’s not auditioning him to be father material—only a man who can take her and her toddler are to be considered for that.

Reid wants her but, more than that, he craves her renewed friendship and is worried sex will spoilt it. What Nora desires is more basic. She acknowledges the erotic heat flashing between them, something new that she doesn’t recall from their adolescence. She is determined to explore it, get between the sheets with him and, in one blistering scene, she takes the reins in bed, telling Reid to be still and let her be in control.

Yowza. When’s the last time you saw THAT in a Harlequin romance? Their shared past means they have more than sexual chemistry going for them, however. Their conversations revolve around her sick father (a real presence in the book not just a cheap ploy to keep them talking) and Reid’s fear that he’ll make a poor father even as he falls further under the spell of Nora and her delightful child. It’s a female/male romance with the distinction of true adulthood between its main characters and enough action with the subsidiary characters to make it fleshed out and gripping.

This story more than satisfies and makes up for scads of tepid or disturbing romances where the men splash their testosterone-laden presences all over the women with the superior assurance that they’ll get their own way because the ladies want it, so the gals might as well give in to them.

Sex and partnership between equals. How—romantic.

[Dj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will a single mom and her baby become an instant family for this all-business tycoon suffering from losing his mom, sister, and dad in a plane crash? After learning her billionaire father is dying, Nora Winchester O'Malley rushes to his bedside in Chicago—and right into an old friend's arms. Reid Chamberlain (hotel change CEO) is there to comfort the young widowed mom when she needs it most. But what passes between them isn't mere compassion…it's sheer passion. Reid has been all business for so long, shutting down his emotions as he built up his hotel empire and shutting out his sister’s kids afraid he’ll be like his dad who purposely killed his family. Now Nora and her adorable child Declan have come along, stirring up demons he must face to have a shot at a future…

Always love a story with kids...

[karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first it seemed this novel did not belong in this series. But I loved Nora and Reid’s story. Once again a horrible father figure ruins a son’s confidence and instills fear that genetically they may be flawed.
Nora fought hard to not live under-her father’s reign and helped save Reid.
I wish their was more on Reid’s family.

[Mattie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok, but wouldn't want to re-read. I liked that the hero kept going after the heroine once they met again and kept breaking his own rules. I didn't like that heroine chased after him when he left at the end. Np.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. I haven't read the first in the series, but there was enough backstory that I didn't feel lost. This was a friends to lovers story, with some family drama thrown into the mix. Nora has returned to Chicago and the bedside of her estranged, dying father, hoping for some change in their relationship. While there she sees her old friend Reid Chamberlain, who has changed a lot from their high school days.

Reid has devoted himself to his business ever since a family tragedy, becoming something of a hermit. Hearing that his old friend Nora is back in town, he surprises her by sending food to the hospital for her and her family as they deal with her father's illness. Her appearance in his office to thank him brought back memories and made him want to know more.

I loved the development of their relationship. From the moment they met again there were incredible sparks flying. Reid has fond memories of their friendship and has nothing like it in his life now. He also can't deny the intense attraction he feels for her, and is torn about whether to pursue it. Their encounter in his office was fantastic, with both of them feeling the heat. An agreement to have dinner that night promised to be interesting indeed. And it was, until a phone call about her son brought everything to a screeching halt.

Reid freaked when he found out that Nora is a mother. Because of his own problems with his father and what his father did to the rest of the family, Reid is convinced that he is unable to be a father to anyone. Therefore he makes it a rule never to get involved with a woman who has a child. He said some really awful things as he basically kicked her out of his apartment. I loved seeing him suffer over the next couple days, as he dealt with the guilt of the things he said. I also laughed out loud at his assistant's comments and advice, followed by his brother's advice.

Nora has also been affected by her father's treatment of her. It has left her with an abundance of caution when it comes to men and their attitudes toward children. She would be more than happy to take advantage of the attraction between herself and Reid, but she isn't going to let herself fall for him.

From this point on, Reid and Nora spend as much time together as possible. In spite of claiming it is just an affair, it is obvious that there is more to it for Reid. I loved his protectiveness toward Nora and Declan, and how he goes out of his way to give her the support and comfort she needs. And even though he claims that he isn't cut out to be a father, his connection with Declan is really sweet. I especially loved that first encounter between them - Reid was all but terrified of the boy, but handled the situation beautifully. It was interesting to see Reid try to fight what was happening between him and Nora, thinking that he was protecting them. I loved the way that Nora saw beneath Reid's hard exterior to the vulnerable man underneath. As they all spent time together, she fell more and more under his spell, wishing for more but knowing it wasn't possible.

I loved how Reid became a different man when he was with Nora and Declan, and cried for him when something happened that brought back all his old fears. It was wonderful to see that Nora had enough confidence in her own feelings and belief in his, that she refused to put up with his running away. I loved seeing her go after what she wanted and Reid's reaction to it. The epilogue was terrific as we see a totally different Reid.

The family drama is interesting as the Winchester patriarch is dying after dropping a couple really big bombshells. It has created some serious conflict between his daughters and the Newport brothers. There is also the relationship he has, or doesn't have, with his daughters, who suffered from his neglect while growing up and his manipulations as they got older. I loved that the three girls were so close, giving each other the support that they needed. I also loved seeing how Nora had had the strength of will to walk away from it all and live her own life. I'm looking forward to reading Eve and Grace's stories.

[Melody Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good read. I really enjoyed this book and will be continuing on with the series.

I highly recommend!

[Tigger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating 2.50 stars

[Renáta Janotová · Rating 2 out of 5]

Někdy přemýšlím, proč takové knížky čtu, proč si je půjčují z knihovny. Asi proto, že je to nenáročné, když se dobře trefím, tak sexy a mám to přečtené za chvíli.