Second Chance Dad

by Angela Benson

CHRISTMAS BELLS, WEDDING BELLS? Five months before Christmas, his old love gave to him a child he never knew he had. But Dillon Bell had been betrayed once before by this woman; dare he believe Monique's son was truly his? Three months before Christmas, Dillon was embracing daddyhood, but now faced a different dilemma. For Monique had warmed his icy heart. Had him whistling Christmas carols and dreaming of Christmases yet to be together. But on the eve of Christmas, a night of joy and forgiveness, would Dillon find the strength to give him and Monique their second chance?

171 pages, ebook

First published December 1, 1997

About the author

Though Angela Benson began writing fiction in Miss Milizo's fifth grade English class, her first book was not published until 1994, more than thirty years later! Since then, Angela has published twelve novels, two novellas, and a nonfiction writing book. Her books have appeared on national, regional and local bestseller lists, and she has won several writing awards, including Best Multicultural Romance from Romantic Times magazine, and Best Contemporary Ethnic Romance from Affaire de Coeur magazine. She was a finalist for the 2000 Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award in Multicultural Romance.

After publishing seven contemporary romance novels and one novella with Kensington and Harlequin, Angela made a faith move to Christian fiction in 2000 with the publication of Awakening Mercy, the first book in her Genesis House series from Tyndale House Publishers. Awakening Mercy was a finalist for both the RITA Award given by Romance Writers of America (RWA) and the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction. The second book in the Genesis House series, Abiding Hope, was published in September 2001. Abiding Hope was awarded the Emma Award for Best Inspirational Romance presented by the Romance Slam Jam. The third book and final book of the series, Enduring Love, is not yet scheduled.

BET Books, now Harlequin's Kimani Press purchased the mass market rights to Awakening Mercy and Abiding Hope in 2000 and released mass market editions of the titles in June 2002 and June 2003, respectively.

Angela's first hardcover title, The Amen Sisters, was released in September 2005 by Walk Worthy Press. The Essence bestselling title won the Emma Award for Best Inspirational Romance. The trade paperback edition was released in November 2007.

Up Pops the Devil, published by HarperCollins (Avon A) in August 2008, was Angela's eleventh novel. It was selected the November 2008 African-American Book Club Pick at Books-A-Million and was featured in the September-October 2008 issue of UPSCALE Magazine.

Angela's twelfth novel, Sins of the Father (Avon A), hits bookstores in September 2009. Her second novella, Showers of Blessings, in the A Million Blessings (Dafina) anthology, was published in March 2010.

Angela has a diverse education and work history. She majored in mathematics at Spelman College and Industrial Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), and worked for fifteen years as an engineer in the telecommunications industry. She holds Masters degrees in operations research and human resources development. Her most recent degree is a doctorate in instructional technology from the University of Georgia. Dr. Benson is now an associate professor of educational technology at The University of Alabama.

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 ½ Stars ~ Ms. Benson quickly pulled me into this heartfelt second-chance romance.

Monique and Dillon were high school sweethearts. Monique was a child abandoned on a bitter aunt who took every opportunity to tell her what a burden she was. Dillon was from a loving close knit family, secure with the knowledge that that love would always be there to support him. And Dillon and Monique were soul mates with a love so strong and nearly overwhelming for their youth. When Monique fell pregnant she ran leaving only a cold note of rejection for Dillon. She loved Dillon and her unborn child, and she knew that Dillon's love for her meant he would insist on supporting her, even if that meant giving up on college and his career dreams. From her own painful childhood of being unwanted, she was fearful that in time Dillon would come to see her and their child as burdens to resent. Dillon was devastated and desperate to find her. Only when he did finally find her, she was married to an older man and obviously pregnant. It took years for him to get over her betrayal.

Now ten years later, Monique returns. She tells Dillon of her son, their son and the reasons why she left. All the pain and anger comes back, and Dillon again feels betrayed by the woman who had once owned his heart. It's been three years since her husband died and Glenn is struggling from the loss of the only father he knew. Monique knows that Glenn needs the love of his biological father and that loving close knit family he is apart of. Monique will do anything for her son, even face the anger and hate of the man she still loves.

This is an emotional heartwarming romance and a first time reading this author. I enjoyed Monique and Dillon's journey to a second-chance HEA. The Bell family had three sons, I'm wondering and hoping, Ms. Benson gave Dillon's brothers a romance journey too.

[Shannan Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with Angela Benson's writing when I read one of her later reads, Delilah's daughters for a book club discussion last year. Thankfully I was able to find some of her older works at the library and loved this one just as much as I did the current ones. It was a very engaging story that I was able to read in about a day, and loved every minute of it.

[Tigger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my third time reading this book,
I so love this story!