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Evermore #4
Her Surprise Baby Christmas
One sinful night with consequences, at Christmas time...
“You’re beautiful,” he’d said, and she’d wondered if he was a little drunk. She’d wondered if he was very drunk. Only he wasn’t – he didn’t seem under the influence. He kissed her as he lay her down on the bed and pushed out of his shirt. Her fingers traced his naked chest, finding the ridges of his muscular abdomen, reveling in the unfamiliarity of this.
She’d been a good girl all her life.
No more.
No longer. Not tonight.
“I want you to make love to me,” she whispered, saying the words aloud for her own confidence, for her own conviction. Afraid, perhaps, that she might change her mind and chicken out at the last minute.
“Love has nothing to do with it,” he said, but pushed up to smile, a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
And his words were reassuring, because he was right. Sex and love were two distinct prospects.
“Sex. I want to have sex with you.”
It's a one night stand, nothing more. But when innocent Bella falls pregnant to the dashing Greek billionaire Vitalo Katrakis, there's only one solution: marriage!
He promises her the world for their baby, a life lived side-by-side, raising their child as a family - the one thing she's always coveted. Only a dark secret from their past has the power to tear this couple apart.
There's too much at stake for the truth to come out, but nothing stays secret forever...
Book four in the bestselling The Evermore Series is a Christmas romance filled with heat and heart, and hurts of the past.
A steamy, full-length contemporary romance that will set your soul on fire.
“You’re beautiful,” he’d said, and she’d wondered if he was a little drunk. She’d wondered if he was very drunk. Only he wasn’t – he didn’t seem under the influence. He kissed her as he lay her down on the bed and pushed out of his shirt. Her fingers traced his naked chest, finding the ridges of his muscular abdomen, reveling in the unfamiliarity of this.
She’d been a good girl all her life.
No more.
No longer. Not tonight.
“I want you to make love to me,” she whispered, saying the words aloud for her own confidence, for her own conviction. Afraid, perhaps, that she might change her mind and chicken out at the last minute.
“Love has nothing to do with it,” he said, but pushed up to smile, a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
And his words were reassuring, because he was right. Sex and love were two distinct prospects.
“Sex. I want to have sex with you.”
It's a one night stand, nothing more. But when innocent Bella falls pregnant to the dashing Greek billionaire Vitalo Katrakis, there's only one solution: marriage!
He promises her the world for their baby, a life lived side-by-side, raising their child as a family - the one thing she's always coveted. Only a dark secret from their past has the power to tear this couple apart.
There's too much at stake for the truth to come out, but nothing stays secret forever...
Book four in the bestselling The Evermore Series is a Christmas romance filled with heat and heart, and hurts of the past.
A steamy, full-length contemporary romance that will set your soul on fire.
172 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 11, 2018
378 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
Clare Connelly
517 books405 followersFor all things Clare Connelly, please see www.clareconnelly.co.uk, the official home of Clare Connelly on the web.
Clare Connelly grew up in a small country town in Australia. Surrounded by rainforests, and rickety old timber houses, magic was thick in the air, and stories and storytelling were a huge part of her childhood.
From early on in life, Clare realised her favourite books were romance stories, and read voraciously. Anything from Jane Austen to Georgette Heyer, to Mills & Boon and (more recently) 50 Shades, Clare is a romance devotee. She first turned her hand to penning a novel at fifteen (if memory serves, it was something about a glamorous fashion model who fell foul of a high-end designer. Sparks flew, clothes flew faster, and love was born.)
Clare has a small family and a bungalow near the sea. When she isn't chasing after energetic little toddlers, or wiping fingerprints off furniture, she's writing, thinking about writing, or wishing she were writing.
Clare Connelly grew up in a small country town in Australia. Surrounded by rainforests, and rickety old timber houses, magic was thick in the air, and stories and storytelling were a huge part of her childhood.
From early on in life, Clare realised her favourite books were romance stories, and read voraciously. Anything from Jane Austen to Georgette Heyer, to Mills & Boon and (more recently) 50 Shades, Clare is a romance devotee. She first turned her hand to penning a novel at fifteen (if memory serves, it was something about a glamorous fashion model who fell foul of a high-end designer. Sparks flew, clothes flew faster, and love was born.)
Clare has a small family and a bungalow near the sea. When she isn't chasing after energetic little toddlers, or wiping fingerprints off furniture, she's writing, thinking about writing, or wishing she were writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
July 1, 2021
What in the hell?
Author, you can’t have an evil mother slither across the pages trying to seduce a hero who has besotted with her husband/hismentor’s wife for decades and is now married to the evil mother’s daughter and NOT have a confrontation! Any confrontation!?!?
Opening: the h’s mother married an underage boy-toy to nudge the hero into action. H and the mother have had an unrequited emotional affair for years. H has angry pity-sex with the heroine the night of the mother’s wedding, and when I say pity-sex he’s the one he’s pitying. HP rules apply and the divorced, but virginal heroine ends up pregnant. He didn’t know the h was the evil woman’s daughter. They marry because…he’s Greek and that’s what they do. The quivering, less than alpha H dithers about telling his new wife (the daughter) that he was in love/lust with her mother for years as well as postponing delivering the news to the ever-panting mamacita.
That’s it. He delivers the news to the mother off page, and there is no confrontation/scene between the heroine and the mother despite a backstory of the heroine suspecting her mother had had an affair.
Author, you can’t have an evil mother slither across the pages trying to seduce a hero who has besotted with her husband/hismentor’s wife for decades and is now married to the evil mother’s daughter and NOT have a confrontation! Any confrontation!?!?
Opening: the h’s mother married an underage boy-toy to nudge the hero into action. H and the mother have had an unrequited emotional affair for years. H has angry pity-sex with the heroine the night of the mother’s wedding, and when I say pity-sex he’s the one he’s pitying. HP rules apply and the divorced, but virginal heroine ends up pregnant. He didn’t know the h was the evil woman’s daughter. They marry because…he’s Greek and that’s what they do. The quivering, less than alpha H dithers about telling his new wife (the daughter) that he was in love/lust with her mother for years as well as postponing delivering the news to the ever-panting mamacita.
That’s it. He delivers the news to the mother off page, and there is no confrontation/scene between the heroine and the mother despite a backstory of the heroine suspecting her mother had had an affair.
February 10, 2025
SPOILERS
Handsome 25 year old Vitalo, was a wealthy Greek businessman.
He respected his mentor and friend Senator Andrew Cassidy, but when Andrew introduced Vitalo to his wife Kat, he couldn't help but be dazzled by her and she by him.
In her late 30's, Kat was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.
She had two daughters, Sofia and 11 year old Bella.
The couple invited Vitalo to stay at the family home.
Kat did her level best to catch him on his own. She told him she was lonely and thought her husband was losing interest in her.
She went into Vitalo's bedroom late one night and told him she fell in love with him.
She begged him to take her away with him, and offered herself to him.
Vitalo came close to breaking the bonds of friendship and loyalty to his mentor, but at the end he refused to sleep with her.
A year later Andrew Cassidy died, and Kat became more aggressive in her pursue of Vitalo, but he tried to do the right thing by his dead friend, even though he wanted Kat with great ferocity.
Ten years went by, Vitalo and Kat kept meeting, she continued to flirt and throw sexual innuendos.
In his attempt to stay away from her, Vitalo slept with a lot of women, and was fantasising about Kat.
Kat was to marry a man decades younger than her.
A week before the wedding, Kat begged Vitalo to make love.
She wouldn't marry the other man if Vitalo told her he loved her but Vitalo was adamant.
He attended the wedding in a bad psychological state.
He stepped out into the lobby and saw a very beautiful girl.
There was only one way to forget about Kat, sleep with another woman.
Bella was in her early 20's. She was Kat's daughter.
She too was fighting her own demons.
When a very handsome stranger, a quest at the wedding, propositioned her, she accepted even though she was a virgin.
Never in her life has she done something so spontaneous as this.
She blamed champagne.
Both Vitalo and Bella felt that they knew each other from somewhere.
Later Bella mentioned that the bride was her mother.
Vitalo felt guilty, he'd spent 10 years trying to do the right thing by his friend and now he'd slept with the man's daughter.
Nine weeks later Bella visited him at his office to tell him that she was pregnant.
She believed that a child had the right to know its father.
He did not even recognise her, making Bella wonder just how many women has he slept with.
He told her, what happened with them was a one time thing, so why was she there?
His manner was ice cold it killed something inside her.
She left.
Two weeks later he received a visit from Kat.
She had a fall out with her new husband. He wanted them to have a child but Kat told him she was 42 years old when she was actually 48.
Kat then, started flirting with Vitalo, throwing sexual innuendos.
She hugged him and for the first time Kat's closeness did nothing for him.
She told him she was going to be a grandmother. Her daughter Bella was pregnant.
Vitalo found Bella the next day and asked her to marry him. They should raise the child together, and he would treat their marriage with respect.
He told her to not mention this to anyone, let them get used to their new life together before they bring other people into the equation.
After the secret wedding they went to live at Vitalo's Greek island mansion.
Everything was nice and peachy between them.
In the meantime Kat kept messaging and calling Vitalo, never once did she call or message her daughter.
Kat wanted to meet him. At the end Vitalo had to tell her that he got married.
They both were married now, so the phone calls, the insinuations, the flirtation should come to an end. They could only be friends, he said.
Kat told him that his marriage was not going to work as she knew he only wanted her, and she would be waiting.
Since Vitalo met Bella, he realised that fantasy of forbidden love was drawing him and Kat together.
He thought he loved Kat but he knew now that wasn't the case.
For the first time he felt that he cared about a person so much to not want to lose it. Bella!
The couple went to Athens for a few days.
Kat's new husband knocked on the door while Vitalo was at the office.
He said that Vitalo and her mother were sleeping together for the last 10 years.
A few weeks ago, her mother spent the night at that very house with Vitalo.
Vitalo and Kat were together in a bar that very moment.
Bella was shocked and devastated.
Deep down she knew what kind of woman her mother was. She was vain, insecure and fickle.
She remembered that when both her and her sister became teenagers and beautiful, she'd pushed both of them away to boarding school.
She did not want the competition.
When Vitalo returned back home, she asked him if he was with Kat that night.
"Yes, she wanted to see me."
"You were furious the night we met. You wanted to sleep with someone because you wanted to forget my mother and her marriage. You were jealous and hurting. "
"There has never been anything between us except a fantasy. "
"Did she spent the night here a few weeks ago?"
"In the quest room."
"How in the world we ever get through that? I fell in love with you. I am not just angry about being lied to and used. I am hurt, betrayed. My father died knowing mom wanted to leave him for you. I heard his delirium before he died only l did not know he was talking about you. You haven't just betrayed me but him as well. Do you think l could ever forgive you for any of this?
"Your mother told me she loved me and l was young and stupid and she was the most beautiful woman l'd ever seen. I thought l loved her too, but it was just a sexual fixation. "
"You continued to lead her on though. "
"At the wedding l was angry because l was starting to see that this was all a game to her. She'd played your father and me off against one another and she was doing the same with her second husband, toying with us all."
After a few weeks of separation, Vitalo went to her and they made up on Christmas eve.
In the epilogue Vitalo and Bella were hanging out with Kat and her husband.
Good idea?
Handsome 25 year old Vitalo, was a wealthy Greek businessman.
He respected his mentor and friend Senator Andrew Cassidy, but when Andrew introduced Vitalo to his wife Kat, he couldn't help but be dazzled by her and she by him.
In her late 30's, Kat was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.
She had two daughters, Sofia and 11 year old Bella.
The couple invited Vitalo to stay at the family home.
Kat did her level best to catch him on his own. She told him she was lonely and thought her husband was losing interest in her.
She went into Vitalo's bedroom late one night and told him she fell in love with him.
She begged him to take her away with him, and offered herself to him.
Vitalo came close to breaking the bonds of friendship and loyalty to his mentor, but at the end he refused to sleep with her.
A year later Andrew Cassidy died, and Kat became more aggressive in her pursue of Vitalo, but he tried to do the right thing by his dead friend, even though he wanted Kat with great ferocity.
Ten years went by, Vitalo and Kat kept meeting, she continued to flirt and throw sexual innuendos.
In his attempt to stay away from her, Vitalo slept with a lot of women, and was fantasising about Kat.
Kat was to marry a man decades younger than her.
A week before the wedding, Kat begged Vitalo to make love.
She wouldn't marry the other man if Vitalo told her he loved her but Vitalo was adamant.
He attended the wedding in a bad psychological state.
He stepped out into the lobby and saw a very beautiful girl.
There was only one way to forget about Kat, sleep with another woman.
Bella was in her early 20's. She was Kat's daughter.
She too was fighting her own demons.
When a very handsome stranger, a quest at the wedding, propositioned her, she accepted even though she was a virgin.
Never in her life has she done something so spontaneous as this.
She blamed champagne.
Both Vitalo and Bella felt that they knew each other from somewhere.
Later Bella mentioned that the bride was her mother.
Vitalo felt guilty, he'd spent 10 years trying to do the right thing by his friend and now he'd slept with the man's daughter.
Nine weeks later Bella visited him at his office to tell him that she was pregnant.
She believed that a child had the right to know its father.
He did not even recognise her, making Bella wonder just how many women has he slept with.
He told her, what happened with them was a one time thing, so why was she there?
His manner was ice cold it killed something inside her.
She left.
Two weeks later he received a visit from Kat.
She had a fall out with her new husband. He wanted them to have a child but Kat told him she was 42 years old when she was actually 48.
Kat then, started flirting with Vitalo, throwing sexual innuendos.
She hugged him and for the first time Kat's closeness did nothing for him.
She told him she was going to be a grandmother. Her daughter Bella was pregnant.
Vitalo found Bella the next day and asked her to marry him. They should raise the child together, and he would treat their marriage with respect.
He told her to not mention this to anyone, let them get used to their new life together before they bring other people into the equation.
After the secret wedding they went to live at Vitalo's Greek island mansion.
Everything was nice and peachy between them.
In the meantime Kat kept messaging and calling Vitalo, never once did she call or message her daughter.
Kat wanted to meet him. At the end Vitalo had to tell her that he got married.
They both were married now, so the phone calls, the insinuations, the flirtation should come to an end. They could only be friends, he said.
Kat told him that his marriage was not going to work as she knew he only wanted her, and she would be waiting.
Since Vitalo met Bella, he realised that fantasy of forbidden love was drawing him and Kat together.
He thought he loved Kat but he knew now that wasn't the case.
For the first time he felt that he cared about a person so much to not want to lose it. Bella!
The couple went to Athens for a few days.
Kat's new husband knocked on the door while Vitalo was at the office.
He said that Vitalo and her mother were sleeping together for the last 10 years.
A few weeks ago, her mother spent the night at that very house with Vitalo.
Vitalo and Kat were together in a bar that very moment.
Bella was shocked and devastated.
Deep down she knew what kind of woman her mother was. She was vain, insecure and fickle.
She remembered that when both her and her sister became teenagers and beautiful, she'd pushed both of them away to boarding school.
She did not want the competition.
When Vitalo returned back home, she asked him if he was with Kat that night.
"Yes, she wanted to see me."
"You were furious the night we met. You wanted to sleep with someone because you wanted to forget my mother and her marriage. You were jealous and hurting. "
"There has never been anything between us except a fantasy. "
"Did she spent the night here a few weeks ago?"
"In the quest room."
"How in the world we ever get through that? I fell in love with you. I am not just angry about being lied to and used. I am hurt, betrayed. My father died knowing mom wanted to leave him for you. I heard his delirium before he died only l did not know he was talking about you. You haven't just betrayed me but him as well. Do you think l could ever forgive you for any of this?
"Your mother told me she loved me and l was young and stupid and she was the most beautiful woman l'd ever seen. I thought l loved her too, but it was just a sexual fixation. "
"You continued to lead her on though. "
"At the wedding l was angry because l was starting to see that this was all a game to her. She'd played your father and me off against one another and she was doing the same with her second husband, toying with us all."
After a few weeks of separation, Vitalo went to her and they made up on Christmas eve.
In the epilogue Vitalo and Bella were hanging out with Kat and her husband.
Good idea?
December 15, 2018
Emotional cheating in my opinion.
Hero is obsessed by his mentor's wife.
A woman much older than he is. Now she's 48 and he's 35, so she's a lot older with adult daughters.
She is a bitch who offers herself to him and tries to seduce him every time he visits her and her husband.
He resists out of respect for his friend, but is in lust and obsessive about her.
To forget her, he fucks several women and does it for 10 years.
The story begins with him getting drunk and picking a woman to fuck and forget that she is marrying another man that day.
By chance of fate the woman chosen is the daughter of the woman he is trying to forget.
Our heroine is the ex-wife of the hero of the previous book and is trying to live a little, since she's always been a very good girl. And invisible for that.
A sex night that should be without commitment ends in an unexpected pregnancy.
And the mess begins.
Hero is obsessed by his mentor's wife.
A woman much older than he is. Now she's 48 and he's 35, so she's a lot older with adult daughters.
She is a bitch who offers herself to him and tries to seduce him every time he visits her and her husband.
He resists out of respect for his friend, but is in lust and obsessive about her.
To forget her, he fucks several women and does it for 10 years.
The story begins with him getting drunk and picking a woman to fuck and forget that she is marrying another man that day.
By chance of fate the woman chosen is the daughter of the woman he is trying to forget.
Our heroine is the ex-wife of the hero of the previous book and is trying to live a little, since she's always been a very good girl. And invisible for that.
A sex night that should be without commitment ends in an unexpected pregnancy.
And the mess begins.
She was brunette – a point in her favour. After Kat, he’d assiduously avoided blondes, and she was also textbook beautiful. Beautiful in a way that was obvious and classic.
With one last look at the bride, a woman he’d desired and refused to possess,
He knew from experience, there was one very good way of putting the enigmatic Katerina Howard from his mind – one way of obliterating the hold she’d had over him to bits and pieces.
Bella had to tell him she’d never done this before. She had to… he slipped his fingers under her dress, pushing it up her legs, running over the silky softness of her thighs.
Only, she didn’t want to think about her loveless, failed marriage. She didn’t want to think about her ex-husband. She didn’t want to think about anything. Not the wedding she’d just been at – her mother’s, to a man decades younger. She didn’t want to think about the father she’d lost years earlier, who would surely be devastated by his wife’s choice of second husband. She didn’t want to think about the likelihood that her new stepfather was using her mother for wealth and connections. She didn’t want to think about the plastic surgery her mother had had, to look more like Bella’s contemporary than parent.
“Love has nothing to do with it.”
He’d wanted to throw Kat from his mind, but he’d had no idea how easy it would be to do with this woman in his arms.
But Vitalo was an expert at resisting temptation – as his decades-long obsession with Kat had shown him. All for the promise of a long-dead friend…
Kat who’d begged him to become her lover. Kat who’d fallen in love with a twenty five year old Vitalo and begged him to take her away with him.
He’d gone to bed with Bella not knowing who she was, but hoping the sex could obliterate Kat from his mind. For one night, at least. And instead, it appeared the other woman had cured him, because Kat’s closeness did nothing for him now.
He’d been distracted by Kat. Kat who did her level best to catch him on his own at any moment of the day. Kat who was ten years his senior and the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Kat who made him laugh and who he felt an ache to protect. Kat who was lonely and thought her husband was losing interest in her.
Kat who begged him to make love to her, to make her feel like a desirable woman once more.
He abhorred cheating, lying, infidelity, and yet he felt now as though he was engaged in just that. His eyes shifted to the door and he swiped his screen open, his heartrate charged as he read her message.
“You regretted it,” she said quietly, her eyes running over his face, wishing he hadn’t carried that burden of guilt. “You wished it hadn’t happened.”
“Yes,” he said, frankly. “I did. Back then, I did. When you came to my office, I wanted you to go away again, I wanted to forget what I had done.”
“Darling, it’s been an age. Where have you been?”
Vitalo stared at the view from his office window, his phone held too-tight in his hand as Kat’s voice filled his mind, her breathy tones so familiar, so flirtatious. So wrong.
“Let it go, Kat,” he said, finally. “Just let it go.”
“You’re going to change your mind,” she said, finally, softly, confidently. “You’ve slept with every woman under the sun and still you looked at me as though I am everything you want in this world. Nothing’s going to change that, not even this ‘wife’ of yours.” She laughed quietly. “And I’ll be waiting, as I have been since I met you…”
“You continued to see her, though. To lead her on, even knowing how she felt about you?”
“We were friends,” he defended uneasily.
“You came to her wedding. You were angry. Jealous.”
And he’d used her to hurt a little less.
He hadn’t cared who she was, he’d just wanted to sleep with someone to put his anger out of his mind. He’d slept with Bella to get over Kat.
April 26, 2019
I liked this one too
Go figure I would like a book where the hero had lusted after the heroines mother for 10 years or more. Yuk. He never touched or kissed her or slept with her but he wanted her. Just so wrong. And yet I liked it. I loved how he fell in love with Bella. He realized that he had never really loved or really wanted the horrible Mother Kat! But what a tangled convoluted twisted sordid road it was. And I enjoyed it. I have no idea what I have done with the real Debbie and why I seem to be enjoying books I normally would abhor but I hope I get over it. One is believe the hero at the end and I believe in the HEA.
As for the Mother, she went to therapy but I don't think she will ever be happy. Vain and self centered, and plastic, 48 years old and the worst part of the story. Her husband wants her to have a baby too. At 48?!? I say find a man your own age. She had two kids earlier and was not a good Mother at all. At least she wasn't mentioned in the next book of the series. I read that one first.
I still can't believe I liked it. I almost have it four stars. Eek!!! What is wrong with me.
P.s. She does write hot love scenes. Just saying...
Go figure I would like a book where the hero had lusted after the heroines mother for 10 years or more. Yuk. He never touched or kissed her or slept with her but he wanted her. Just so wrong. And yet I liked it. I loved how he fell in love with Bella. He realized that he had never really loved or really wanted the horrible Mother Kat! But what a tangled convoluted twisted sordid road it was. And I enjoyed it. I have no idea what I have done with the real Debbie and why I seem to be enjoying books I normally would abhor but I hope I get over it. One is believe the hero at the end and I believe in the HEA.
As for the Mother, she went to therapy but I don't think she will ever be happy. Vain and self centered, and plastic, 48 years old and the worst part of the story. Her husband wants her to have a baby too. At 48?!? I say find a man your own age. She had two kids earlier and was not a good Mother at all. At least she wasn't mentioned in the next book of the series. I read that one first.
I still can't believe I liked it. I almost have it four stars. Eek!!! What is wrong with me.
P.s. She does write hot love scenes. Just saying...
Read
December 13, 2018Hero in love & obsessed with brother's wife for 10 YEARS! He used heroine to forget the OW! This is no romance!
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December 12, 2018
The fourth book in Clare Connelly's Evermore Series; the h is the OW from the previous book.
Basic premise: h meets H at her mother's second wedding. They sleep together and part with the understanding that it was only for one-night. A few weeks later she is pregnant, he finds out and vert smartly, they decide to marry. After marriage they stay at his island and bond together until h discovers his secret; a huge one.
Firstly, this is one of the author's self-pub books and as such, contains a few inconsistencies; h's mother's name is said to be Cassidy on the first few pages but later is said to be Howard. There are a few others but nothing that takes anything actively away from the story itself.
It's well paced and h is remarkably well adjusted and nice and there are no major dramas from her.
H, on the other hand, could be Machiavelli's twin and has a habit of hiding things. He also does a 360 turn in his feelings. At one point, he is in love with OW who he admits he has been in love with and who is his sexual obsession for more than a decade. He wanted to sleep with her fairly badly; only the fact she was his friend's wife stopped him, both before his friends death and 10 years after. But he readily admits that he was sexually obsessed by OW even though they never slept together. OW likes to play games; she is manipulative and why H doesn't see her true colors was beyond my understanding. H also admits to sleeping with many women in an attempt to get over OW; that's the reason he sleeps with h.
Once h is pregnant, they marry but hide their relationship from her family; H persuades her to as he feels they need time to bond well; which I didn't buy as the OW is a member of h's family.
When h finds out, she tells him its sick; which is really the correct term. His equation with OW was sick.
She goes away and he continues to call her and one day drives to see her in a blizzard. They make up and are happy. He is very vocal that he has fallen in love with h and OW is someone he was obsessed with but not in love with as he realised later. But seeing how he was so in love with her for more than 10 years, I don't see how that could change so easily.
There is no denying that the book is well written but I don't buy their HEA. Reason being that to me, H comes across as insincere; I don't believe in his love and sincerety and I found him to be manipulative. Normally I like manipulatuve but in this one, it just seemed sleazy. That's my personal feeling.
So the 3 stars for a well-written story; It's just not my thing.
Spoiler alert; ick factor is high and Clare Connelly has taken a page from AM's book
Basic premise: h meets H at her mother's second wedding. They sleep together and part with the understanding that it was only for one-night. A few weeks later she is pregnant, he finds out and vert smartly, they decide to marry. After marriage they stay at his island and bond together until h discovers his secret; a huge one.
Firstly, this is one of the author's self-pub books and as such, contains a few inconsistencies; h's mother's name is said to be Cassidy on the first few pages but later is said to be Howard. There are a few others but nothing that takes anything actively away from the story itself.
It's well paced and h is remarkably well adjusted and nice and there are no major dramas from her.
H, on the other hand, could be Machiavelli's twin and has a habit of hiding things. He also does a 360 turn in his feelings. At one point, he is in love with OW who he admits he has been in love with and who is his sexual obsession for more than a decade. He wanted to sleep with her fairly badly; only the fact she was his friend's wife stopped him, both before his friends death and 10 years after. But he readily admits that he was sexually obsessed by OW even though they never slept together. OW likes to play games; she is manipulative and why H doesn't see her true colors was beyond my understanding. H also admits to sleeping with many women in an attempt to get over OW; that's the reason he sleeps with h.
Once h is pregnant, they marry but hide their relationship from her family; H persuades her to as he feels they need time to bond well; which I didn't buy as the OW is a member of h's family.
When h finds out, she tells him its sick; which is really the correct term. His equation with OW was sick.
She goes away and he continues to call her and one day drives to see her in a blizzard. They make up and are happy. He is very vocal that he has fallen in love with h and OW is someone he was obsessed with but not in love with as he realised later. But seeing how he was so in love with her for more than 10 years, I don't see how that could change so easily.
There is no denying that the book is well written but I don't buy their HEA. Reason being that to me, H comes across as insincere; I don't believe in his love and sincerety and I found him to be manipulative. Normally I like manipulatuve but in this one, it just seemed sleazy. That's my personal feeling.
So the 3 stars for a well-written story; It's just not my thing.
Spoiler alert; ick factor is high and Clare Connelly has taken a page from AM's book
April 26, 2024
Reread- I still enjoyed it, but it’s hard to overlook that the mommy dearest showdown (him telling her FINALLY no thanks and the makeup with the mom & h) was all done off page. I think with the content, we really needed to see his final meeting with her. She was gross, and I needed him to be an asshole to her.
***Original Review***
I’m not going to lie, I was hesitant to pick this one up, but my GR friend Nikki loved it, so I figured… what the hell? It’s free to read with KU, the only risk was my time…and damn, I gobbled this up. It was delicious and made me all kinds of uncomfortable… in a good way. My guess is that most readers will either love or hate this one, because the OW situation could be too much for some to take.
If you read my reviews, you know I typically am not a fan of “keeping it in the family” but there’re a few factors that made this H-h-h’s mom scenario tolerable for me.
I really liked both mc’s. Bella is the Arabella from Claiming his Secret Baby. (she was the ex-wife-her sis is the h from The Sheikh's Inherited Bride) She’s sweet, but not a doormat, and wasn’t stubborn, stupid, or bitchy which is always a plus for me. Vitalo has poor taste, (withholds info) but wasn’t an ass. I thought he was pretty good after the “surprise” moment.
Bottom Line- If you can stomach the content, it’s an entertaining read. (The prologue is going to be the toughest to get through (IMO), and if you can make it through that. I bet you can make it through all of it.) I couldn’t put it down, which was surprising, because typically I’m bored with the “waiting for the h to catch up” scenario, but it worked for me. My only grump is that I felt Kat got off way too easy. She was an awful wife (both times), a selfish mother, a stalking cougar, and was beyond my ability to forgive. Safety- it’s technically safe. There was no cheating, a few readers labeled it as emotional cheating, which I guess could apply to Kat, but Vitalo wasn’t the one married/in a relationship. (but it was a highly inappropriate friendship) After he’s with Bella, he avoids her.
***Original Review***
I’m not going to lie, I was hesitant to pick this one up, but my GR friend Nikki loved it, so I figured… what the hell? It’s free to read with KU, the only risk was my time…and damn, I gobbled this up. It was delicious and made me all kinds of uncomfortable… in a good way. My guess is that most readers will either love or hate this one, because the OW situation could be too much for some to take.
If you read my reviews, you know I typically am not a fan of “keeping it in the family” but there’re a few factors that made this H-h-h’s mom scenario tolerable for me.
I really liked both mc’s. Bella is the Arabella from Claiming his Secret Baby. (she was the ex-wife-her sis is the h from The Sheikh's Inherited Bride) She’s sweet, but not a doormat, and wasn’t stubborn, stupid, or bitchy which is always a plus for me. Vitalo has poor taste, (withholds info) but wasn’t an ass. I thought he was pretty good after the “surprise” moment.
Bottom Line- If you can stomach the content, it’s an entertaining read. (The prologue is going to be the toughest to get through (IMO), and if you can make it through that. I bet you can make it through all of it.) I couldn’t put it down, which was surprising, because typically I’m bored with the “waiting for the h to catch up” scenario, but it worked for me. My only grump is that I felt Kat got off way too easy. She was an awful wife (both times), a selfish mother, a stalking cougar, and was beyond my ability to forgive. Safety- it’s technically safe. There was no cheating, a few readers labeled it as emotional cheating, which I guess could apply to Kat, but Vitalo wasn’t the one married/in a relationship. (but it was a highly inappropriate friendship) After he’s with Bella, he avoids her.
January 10, 2024
Reread 1-4-2024 Still just as great as I remembered!
This story was such a sweet little romance. Bella was a total sweetheart and I adored everything about her. Vitalo was a smoking hot commitment phobe, because his heart already belonged to a woman he knew he could never have. Vitalo and Bella hooked up at a wedding. Vitalo's no string sex was a way for him to forget his pain over watching the woman he loved marry another, and Bella just wanted to throw caution to the wind in order to have an epic experience for the first time in her life. This story was mostly just romance, but got a little angsty towards the ending when Bella discovers that her own mother was the woman Vitalo was truly in love with and he had only gone to bed with Bella to forget the pain of losing her mother to another man. This story sucked me in from the beginning and kept me glued until their very sweet HEA.
This story was such a sweet little romance. Bella was a total sweetheart and I adored everything about her. Vitalo was a smoking hot commitment phobe, because his heart already belonged to a woman he knew he could never have. Vitalo and Bella hooked up at a wedding. Vitalo's no string sex was a way for him to forget his pain over watching the woman he loved marry another, and Bella just wanted to throw caution to the wind in order to have an epic experience for the first time in her life. This story was mostly just romance, but got a little angsty towards the ending when Bella discovers that her own mother was the woman Vitalo was truly in love with and he had only gone to bed with Bella to forget the pain of losing her mother to another man. This story sucked me in from the beginning and kept me glued until their very sweet HEA.
June 11, 2021
No really this was the most creepy and kinky book I’ve read in some time. The hero was in love, obsessed we may say, with the heroine’s mother. Not a sister, or a stepmother, no, just her mother! Her 14-year-older-than-him mother... I mean, this is MILF at its best! And it's suddenly American Pie and Stifler's mom. Ohmygod! That becomes cougar because when hero meets heroine the woman is 48. That woman is a perfect example of a female narcissist. Perfect! All the world revolves around herself. She's unable to love anyone but herself, not her nice and affectionate husband, not her daughters, not the hero and not her new very young husband, who is obviously in love with her (narcissists MUST have partners who are very much in love with them) She tries to seduce the hero when he was in his early 20, it's understandable that he was hormonal and fascinated with a much more experienced, beautiful, older creature. He was a friend of her husband, he cared for him as a mentor, a fatherly figure, he valued their friendship very much and was very conflicted and felt guilty about his feelings for the evil woman. And she, the perfect narcissist, tried to seduce him in her husband's house, the b***h. She constantly needs reassurance and attentions, and the hero is captivated by her charms. But luckily for us all, he never touched her, even if he wanted to. Because he's loyal to her husband (more than she is) and after his death, to his memory (or maybe because he doesn't really wants her...). The creepy thing is that after 15 years the hero is still obsessed by her and has sex with other women to forget her. Not very good. I can understand a young man's hormonal passion but man, 15 years later he's in his late 30 i don't think it's very natural to be still obsessed with a woman that, besides her physical charms, (and at 48 she already had cosmetic surgery) is a complete narcissist, a selfish and manipulative creature, unfaithful to her husbands (both), cold to her daughters. This doesn't speak well for the hero's character. He's stupid and weak, to let a woman like that ruling his life. No, this is really creepy... it’s ok if he was attracted to her for some months when he was 25 but after all these years he still tries to forget her bedding other women??? And one of these women is ops... her daughter Bella! And he gets her pregnant so he has to marry her and hide his dysfunctional obsession with her mother. No, this was too much... the book is ok and it’s compelling just because of this sick attraction that we readers find disgusting and fascinating at the same time. Like when you see an awful accident and even if you know you don't have to watch, there, you watch all the gory details!!! Anyway I would have given 4 stars but the mother-thing was too evidenced too many times, and let me tell you that a 48 year old woman behaving like that is really stupid and annoying, at that point I couldn’t explain the hero’s fascination with her, he must be stupid and shallow himself. We are constantly reminded, at least for the first part of the book, of how beautiful and perfect he found her, like no other, and no other woman could compare to her. Yuck. I can understand that the heroine was shocked, I was too! Anyway, this was really different and despite the mother-thing (or because of it) I enjoyed it very much. Ps: psychological hint: or was he doing this because she reminded him of his own mother and his inability in protecting her?
November 3, 2022
“She had no idea about his history with her mother.”
I like this secret baby moc plot book, per se but as the 'ow' is her mother, there are few things that are icky-tacky strange beyond the obvious. I had this book on my tbr and went in, ready to give it a lot of leeway.
And the author has tried to keep a balance by showing how the H starts to appreciate the difference between true love and obsession. And although the h/H relationship is too nascent, too under-developed compared to the long sick obsession he has with the older woman, I can buy his love for the h.
Almost.
PLOT
The Past -
The h's father, a US senator was a mentor/friend of sorts to the Greek H. The senator's wife, Kat and the H become attracted to each other when they meet, over a decade ago. "The fantasy of forbidden love was drawing them both in." She's more aggressive while he rebuffs her out of loyalty to his mentor. The Senator died about a decade ago.
The H stays away by using other woman - but never forgetting.
In the present -
This sick dance continues.
“Forty eight hours ago, she’d told him she still loved him. That she’d cancel the wedding if he’d only give her a reason to."
He comes to the ow's wedding to a younger man, but his mixed feelings of lust and guilt continue ...
“There was one way to forget about Kat, and what she’d meant to him, what his need for her had done to him; and like all the other times he’d slept with another woman to forget Kat, he knew he’d enjoy it tonight. He knew he needed it tonight.”
And who does he inadvertently 'use' this time?
Bella, the ow's daughter.
She knows nothing about him or his history with her parents. And he realizes who she is after they have sex. And is understandably 'nauseous'.
Of course, she turns up preggers, 9 weeks later.
They marry after a bit of a dance and maneuvering (which was interesting.)
Stupidly, he doesn't tell her the truth and tries to keep his past and present separate but he knew he's fighting a losing battle and there'd be hell to pay when his two worlds collide ...
The Ponderables/Improbables.
*Age and Timeline
In the present, the h is 25, the H 35 (and the ow/mother 48). Here, the author confuses with the timeline. We are not sure when did the H/ow met for the first time or for that matter when did the two men meet. By mentor, we'd think there was a long association.
As the H remembers about the h - “They’d met before, years earlier, when she’d been about eleven years old” ... and he'd gone to stay at their homestead - probably the time the ow came to his room at night, naked. So, that should be about 14 years ago when he was around 21 himself.
The Senator dies a year later, when the h's 12, 13 years ago.
So going by this authorspeak, the H turns 22 at the time.
Then why speak of the ow as married --
“Ten years ago, as a twenty five year old, I let a married woman tell me she loved me, and I was flattered when I should have been outraged.”
And why is his age tom-tommed as 25, over and over --
“Kat who’d fallen in love with a twenty five year old Vitalo and begged him to take her away with him.”
“I made a mistake when I was twenty five years old. I got pulled into a game I didn’t understand, with a woman I thought”
“he’d fallen completely in love with as a twenty five year old man.”
Do you see the problem?
Apart from the confusion, stating a particular age makes one think that perhaps some incident of significance occurred at that stage. Like a big scene - and/or sex.
* And if he was so close to the family, why doesn't the h even know that he exists?
He says he looked out for Kat all these years because the Senator had asked him to??
Biggest red flag!
One - When was he asked? Because apparently, the older man died of a broken heart knowing that his mentee had betrayed him with his wife.
'“I never thought she’d cheat. And with someone I love, like a brother." Her father’s words swirled through her...'
Two - Look after the wife? But not the minor daughters??
*Yes, the H is now thankful that he never touched or 'consoled the widow the only way he knew how'.
But, it's also improbable! They have been lusting after one another since forever. He sleeps with so many other women so that he can forget her. But nor her?
And there's no reason that they not indulge over the years and they have been meeting.
Only reason that I see - This book would have been impossible. Certainly as an HP. Hehe.
* I have mixed feelings about the zero h/mother scenes in the book - before or after.
A confrontation, reconciliation is mandatory and if does occur in future, is off-pages. The author perhaps felt it prudent to just not go there.
* There's also this mild but aggravating tendency of the H to take the blame away from the mother - like telling the h that the older woman was feeling lonely in her marriage with a busy politician ... and how the success or failure of their own marriage cannot be put on the mother. Basically, whitewashing that woman.
Really? What about the ow's marriage no: 2? Just weeks into this marriage, the woman is coming on to you like a ton of bricks, knowing that her new husband loves her and is distraught (over something).
And what about her being such a poor mother to her girls? She's unaffectionate from the h's revelations. We know that the older woman sent off her teenage daughters to live with family friends as soon as they hit their later teens because - competition.
He doesn't have any clue what the daughters of his former mentor are doing, much less recognize them?
The ow's always been a selfish b*tch and yet he lets her get her hooks into him.
If your eyes have opened to your own foolishness, then open them wider and accept her follies too.
* Therapy? The last resort of an out-of-ideas author. I can't believe any therapy can wipe out their past or make the mother a better person as she was trying to flirt and seduce the H till the very end. While being married to a young, handsome and loving guy.
Family are essentially redeemed in HPs but sometimes distance is best. Never moreso than in such a crazy scenario. Because who knows what's going on in someone else's head, whenever they all (four) meet in the future?
* The h's Hair -
Why on earth has she dyed her ash-blonde hair, brown? To try be a different person is so silly?
The H is off blondes post the ow.
Methinks, the author just wanted the H to not be seen as being attracted to a woman in any way similar to the ow/mother so the poor h is shown as a brunette, to try and lower the ick level.
At least let her embrace it at the end. Let's see how brave or true he is.
Call me nitpicky, but 'two black crescents' eyelashes - do not usually happen on ash blondes.
* Name? The ow and the Senator are referred to as Cassidys in the beginning and then they become Howards.
'Senator Andrew Cassidy' ... 'Kat Cassidy'... 'Katerina Howard' ...'Kat and Andrew Howard'
* And this confused/defensive line by the h (to her young stepfather) is so silly -
“My mother is at least ten years his senior..” Lol
A real clusterf*ck if you ask me.
The kind that riles, but doesn't bore.
I like this secret baby moc plot book, per se but as the 'ow' is her mother, there are few things that are icky-tacky strange beyond the obvious. I had this book on my tbr and went in, ready to give it a lot of leeway.
And the author has tried to keep a balance by showing how the H starts to appreciate the difference between true love and obsession. And although the h/H relationship is too nascent, too under-developed compared to the long sick obsession he has with the older woman, I can buy his love for the h.
Almost.
PLOT
The Past -
The h's father, a US senator was a mentor/friend of sorts to the Greek H. The senator's wife, Kat and the H become attracted to each other when they meet, over a decade ago. "The fantasy of forbidden love was drawing them both in." She's more aggressive while he rebuffs her out of loyalty to his mentor. The Senator died about a decade ago.
The H stays away by using other woman - but never forgetting.
In the present -
This sick dance continues.
“Forty eight hours ago, she’d told him she still loved him. That she’d cancel the wedding if he’d only give her a reason to."
He comes to the ow's wedding to a younger man, but his mixed feelings of lust and guilt continue ...
“There was one way to forget about Kat, and what she’d meant to him, what his need for her had done to him; and like all the other times he’d slept with another woman to forget Kat, he knew he’d enjoy it tonight. He knew he needed it tonight.”
And who does he inadvertently 'use' this time?
Bella, the ow's daughter.
She knows nothing about him or his history with her parents. And he realizes who she is after they have sex. And is understandably 'nauseous'.
Of course, she turns up preggers, 9 weeks later.
They marry after a bit of a dance and maneuvering (which was interesting.)
Stupidly, he doesn't tell her the truth and tries to keep his past and present separate but he knew he's fighting a losing battle and there'd be hell to pay when his two worlds collide ...
The Ponderables/Improbables.
*Age and Timeline
In the present, the h is 25, the H 35 (and the ow/mother 48). Here, the author confuses with the timeline. We are not sure when did the H/ow met for the first time or for that matter when did the two men meet. By mentor, we'd think there was a long association.
As the H remembers about the h - “They’d met before, years earlier, when she’d been about eleven years old” ... and he'd gone to stay at their homestead - probably the time the ow came to his room at night, naked. So, that should be about 14 years ago when he was around 21 himself.
The Senator dies a year later, when the h's 12, 13 years ago.
So going by this authorspeak, the H turns 22 at the time.
Then why speak of the ow as married --
“Ten years ago, as a twenty five year old, I let a married woman tell me she loved me, and I was flattered when I should have been outraged.”
And why is his age tom-tommed as 25, over and over --
“Kat who’d fallen in love with a twenty five year old Vitalo and begged him to take her away with him.”
“I made a mistake when I was twenty five years old. I got pulled into a game I didn’t understand, with a woman I thought”
“he’d fallen completely in love with as a twenty five year old man.”
Do you see the problem?
Apart from the confusion, stating a particular age makes one think that perhaps some incident of significance occurred at that stage. Like a big scene - and/or sex.
* And if he was so close to the family, why doesn't the h even know that he exists?
He says he looked out for Kat all these years because the Senator had asked him to??
Biggest red flag!
One - When was he asked? Because apparently, the older man died of a broken heart knowing that his mentee had betrayed him with his wife.
'“I never thought she’d cheat. And with someone I love, like a brother." Her father’s words swirled through her...'
Two - Look after the wife? But not the minor daughters??
*Yes, the H is now thankful that he never touched or 'consoled the widow the only way he knew how'.
But, it's also improbable! They have been lusting after one another since forever. He sleeps with so many other women so that he can forget her. But nor her?
And there's no reason that they not indulge over the years and they have been meeting.
Only reason that I see - This book would have been impossible. Certainly as an HP. Hehe.
* I have mixed feelings about the zero h/mother scenes in the book - before or after.
A confrontation, reconciliation is mandatory and if does occur in future, is off-pages. The author perhaps felt it prudent to just not go there.
* There's also this mild but aggravating tendency of the H to take the blame away from the mother - like telling the h that the older woman was feeling lonely in her marriage with a busy politician ... and how the success or failure of their own marriage cannot be put on the mother. Basically, whitewashing that woman.
Really? What about the ow's marriage no: 2? Just weeks into this marriage, the woman is coming on to you like a ton of bricks, knowing that her new husband loves her and is distraught (over something).
And what about her being such a poor mother to her girls? She's unaffectionate from the h's revelations. We know that the older woman sent off her teenage daughters to live with family friends as soon as they hit their later teens because - competition.
He doesn't have any clue what the daughters of his former mentor are doing, much less recognize them?
The ow's always been a selfish b*tch and yet he lets her get her hooks into him.
If your eyes have opened to your own foolishness, then open them wider and accept her follies too.
* Therapy? The last resort of an out-of-ideas author. I can't believe any therapy can wipe out their past or make the mother a better person as she was trying to flirt and seduce the H till the very end. While being married to a young, handsome and loving guy.
Family are essentially redeemed in HPs but sometimes distance is best. Never moreso than in such a crazy scenario. Because who knows what's going on in someone else's head, whenever they all (four) meet in the future?
* The h's Hair -
Why on earth has she dyed her ash-blonde hair, brown? To try be a different person is so silly?
The H is off blondes post the ow.
Methinks, the author just wanted the H to not be seen as being attracted to a woman in any way similar to the ow/mother so the poor h is shown as a brunette, to try and lower the ick level.
At least let her embrace it at the end. Let's see how brave or true he is.
Call me nitpicky, but 'two black crescents' eyelashes - do not usually happen on ash blondes.
* Name? The ow and the Senator are referred to as Cassidys in the beginning and then they become Howards.
'Senator Andrew Cassidy' ... 'Kat Cassidy'... 'Katerina Howard' ...'Kat and Andrew Howard'
* And this confused/defensive line by the h (to her young stepfather) is so silly -
“My mother is at least ten years his senior..” Lol
A real clusterf*ck if you ask me.
The kind that riles, but doesn't bore.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2018
CC has better books.
June 14, 2019
I hesitated to read this book when I got to know the OW is the heroine's mother. I'm generally not too fond of books where OW/OM is a sister/brother and mother being OW is definitely a no no for me.
However, ever since I met Vitalo and Bella in Book 6 in the seriesThe Billionaire's Untouched Bride which I read before this, I was curious to read their story. Have to say I'm so very glad I did. I liked the book a lot and I loved Bella and Vitalo. They have awesome chemistry and are perfect for each other.
Bella is such a sweet, honest, chilled-out heroine that like Vitalo, even I didn't want her to know the truth about his past history with her mother, Kat, who's thirteen years older to him knowing how it would shatter her. Especially, since that history is a complicated one and he, himself, never fully understood it until he was married to Bella and got to experience true love.
He met Kat when her senator husband --who was way older to her-- had taken him under his wings and sheltered him in his own ranch home for a year when Vitalo was having problems with his own philandering father back home in Greece.
He didn't see the bored housewife and mother of two was playing with his infatuation when she told him she loved him and offered herself to him. At twenty-five, he was flattered by her attention and yet refused her offer.
He always thought it was his loyalty to the man who was a mentor and father-figure to him, that made him do it and yet, in the ten years after the senator's death, when they were both free and nothing could stop him from getting physically intimate with Kat who was waiting for one sign of acceptance to jump his bones, he never even attempted to kiss her.
As the book progresses and he gets deeply involved with Bella, it becomes clearer to him and the reader that whatever feelings and desire he thought he had for Kat was all in his head. She started off as a forbidden fantasy in his mind that stayed alive when he slept with other women hoping he'll forget her. Had he succumbed to even one of Kat's innumerous advances in the past ten years when they were both single and free, at least kissed her, that fantasy would perhaps have ended much sooner.
He refused her when she landed on his doorstep 48 hours before her wedding to another guy as old as him and told him she was ready to cancel the wedding if he gave her any reason for it. He didn't. This, when he was unmarried and thought he still desired her. He refused her offer to sleep with her when she again lands up on his doorstep after a fight with her new husband. This was after he slept with Bella, but before he even knew she was pregnant with his child.
I think CC did a fabulous job with such a complicated story-line kicking it off with a feeling of ickiness with Vitalo's unclear feelings for Kat and sleeping with Bella --not knowing she was Kat's daughter-- just to forget Kat like he did with other women following it up with a pregnancy that led to marriage to spurring dread and secretiveness on Vitalo's part every time Kat texted or called just when he was enjoying marital bliss with Bella, wanting to protect her and keep her away from this messy truth to Bella's devastation on learning the truth and the separation where both are utterly miserable being away from each other.
Loved how sweet Bella, although still heartbroken, sent him scan images of the ultrasound and texting him to tell him that the baby has begun to kick in her womb. Also loved every scene of theirs on the island --the sex scenes, exploring the island or putting up the Christmas tree or the two of them reminiscing and sharing stories about her father whom they both loved immensely. Vitalo was shocked when Bella tells him that Kat wanted divorce from the senator just before he took ill. It made him all the more guilty that he hadn't been firm in putting a complete end to Kat's advances.
Bella is a virgin even though she was married before. She married out of duty to her childhood friend, Xavier Salbatore, the hero of book 3 in this Evermore series Claiming his Secret Baby: One night and a lifetime of consequences... when he was badly injured in an accident and was in need of help. Their marriage was very brief, but still has a very close friendship with her ex-husband and his second wife and is an honorary aunt to their children.
It was amusing how Vitalo didn't know what to make of it when she spoke dotingly about her ex-husband, telling Vitalo he and Xave are the same.
He arched a brow. “I do not know if your aim is to make me jealous or to flatter me?”
She laughed softly.
I had read the first two books in this series before I took a hiatus from reading. Then, when I resumed my reading I happened to read the last book in the series that was about Vitalo's newly discovered half-sister which led me to read to this book (Book4) which then led me to read book 3 --about Xavier Salbatore and Ellie who is sister to Eleanor, the heroine of book 2-- finally book 5 which is about Bella's sister Sophia who is betrothed to an Arabian King.
Every book in this series has been good. However, this book, book 6 and book 2 are the best of the lot.
My only problem with CC is her inconsistencies with the characters names and timeline of the story. And, having read almost all her books I have found it to be a recurring issue.
This book starts off with Kat Cassidy and Senator Cassidy and somehow Cassidy became Howard. Bella was supposed to be twelve when her father died which was ten years ago, but she tells Vitalo she is twenty-five.
Nevertheless, to my utter surprise, I really enjoyed this book.
However, ever since I met Vitalo and Bella in Book 6 in the seriesThe Billionaire's Untouched Bride which I read before this, I was curious to read their story. Have to say I'm so very glad I did. I liked the book a lot and I loved Bella and Vitalo. They have awesome chemistry and are perfect for each other.
Bella is such a sweet, honest, chilled-out heroine that like Vitalo, even I didn't want her to know the truth about his past history with her mother, Kat, who's thirteen years older to him knowing how it would shatter her. Especially, since that history is a complicated one and he, himself, never fully understood it until he was married to Bella and got to experience true love.
He met Kat when her senator husband --who was way older to her-- had taken him under his wings and sheltered him in his own ranch home for a year when Vitalo was having problems with his own philandering father back home in Greece.
He didn't see the bored housewife and mother of two was playing with his infatuation when she told him she loved him and offered herself to him. At twenty-five, he was flattered by her attention and yet refused her offer.
He always thought it was his loyalty to the man who was a mentor and father-figure to him, that made him do it and yet, in the ten years after the senator's death, when they were both free and nothing could stop him from getting physically intimate with Kat who was waiting for one sign of acceptance to jump his bones, he never even attempted to kiss her.
As the book progresses and he gets deeply involved with Bella, it becomes clearer to him and the reader that whatever feelings and desire he thought he had for Kat was all in his head. She started off as a forbidden fantasy in his mind that stayed alive when he slept with other women hoping he'll forget her. Had he succumbed to even one of Kat's innumerous advances in the past ten years when they were both single and free, at least kissed her, that fantasy would perhaps have ended much sooner.
He refused her when she landed on his doorstep 48 hours before her wedding to another guy as old as him and told him she was ready to cancel the wedding if he gave her any reason for it. He didn't. This, when he was unmarried and thought he still desired her. He refused her offer to sleep with her when she again lands up on his doorstep after a fight with her new husband. This was after he slept with Bella, but before he even knew she was pregnant with his child.
I think CC did a fabulous job with such a complicated story-line kicking it off with a feeling of ickiness with Vitalo's unclear feelings for Kat and sleeping with Bella --not knowing she was Kat's daughter-- just to forget Kat like he did with other women following it up with a pregnancy that led to marriage to spurring dread and secretiveness on Vitalo's part every time Kat texted or called just when he was enjoying marital bliss with Bella, wanting to protect her and keep her away from this messy truth to Bella's devastation on learning the truth and the separation where both are utterly miserable being away from each other.
Loved how sweet Bella, although still heartbroken, sent him scan images of the ultrasound and texting him to tell him that the baby has begun to kick in her womb. Also loved every scene of theirs on the island --the sex scenes, exploring the island or putting up the Christmas tree or the two of them reminiscing and sharing stories about her father whom they both loved immensely. Vitalo was shocked when Bella tells him that Kat wanted divorce from the senator just before he took ill. It made him all the more guilty that he hadn't been firm in putting a complete end to Kat's advances.
Bella is a virgin even though she was married before. She married out of duty to her childhood friend, Xavier Salbatore, the hero of book 3 in this Evermore series Claiming his Secret Baby: One night and a lifetime of consequences... when he was badly injured in an accident and was in need of help. Their marriage was very brief, but still has a very close friendship with her ex-husband and his second wife and is an honorary aunt to their children.
It was amusing how Vitalo didn't know what to make of it when she spoke dotingly about her ex-husband, telling Vitalo he and Xave are the same.
He arched a brow. “I do not know if your aim is to make me jealous or to flatter me?”
She laughed softly.
I had read the first two books in this series before I took a hiatus from reading. Then, when I resumed my reading I happened to read the last book in the series that was about Vitalo's newly discovered half-sister which led me to read to this book (Book4) which then led me to read book 3 --about Xavier Salbatore and Ellie who is sister to Eleanor, the heroine of book 2-- finally book 5 which is about Bella's sister Sophia who is betrothed to an Arabian King.
Every book in this series has been good. However, this book, book 6 and book 2 are the best of the lot.
My only problem with CC is her inconsistencies with the characters names and timeline of the story. And, having read almost all her books I have found it to be a recurring issue.
This book starts off with Kat Cassidy and Senator Cassidy and somehow Cassidy became Howard. Bella was supposed to be twelve when her father died which was ten years ago, but she tells Vitalo she is twenty-five.
Nevertheless, to my utter surprise, I really enjoyed this book.
December 6, 2020
Mom’s a piece of work.
avoid
April 3, 2023Self note; the H was obsessed with the h’s mother for over 10yrs. He gets the h as consolation. He uses the h to forget the mother. 🤮🤮🤷🏻♀️
September 3, 2022
Similar to a Harlequin in style and page length. The premise of the book is going to put many people off(H has been in love/lust/infatuation with the h’s mom for years!)`
So now it is up to CC to be able to do a few things for me.
1. Can she tone down the ick factor of the daughter/mother/hero triangle?(I feel like she did, I won’t spoil it, but I didn’t feel like I had to scrub my skin with comet upon reading this story)
2. Can she convince me that the h is the “one” and not second best?(Again, I feel like CC was successful here, she starts diminishing the ow’s power very early on)
3. Can she deliver a good dose of angst? (The angst is from the waiting….the H has this secret from the h, but you know it has to come out. Meanwhile, we are watching both of the characters fall in love and wonder how they will survive the secret)
This book was probably a 3.5 for me. I didn’t round up for the reasons that Preeti put in her fabulous, very in-depth review. It is full of spoilers, so you may not want to read it before you read the book, but I highly recommend reading it afterwards. Preeti brought up so many of the wonderings I had, including a time line that seems messed up. I have found this in more than one book, and I just don’t understand why the math can’t stay consistent. Basically, the H should either be 3 years older than stated in this book or the h needs to be 3 years younger than stated for the timeline to even out.
Anyhoo, Preeti’s most excellent review can be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I never felt bored in the story, and the sexy times were very sexy and started by chapter 1. Of course, I just got done reading back to back Helen Brooks books where there is lots of kissing but no sex!
There are some other great reviews with less spoilers as well, and this is one of the reasons I don’t feel a great need to rehash it. I will say I skimmed some of the less flattering reviews, and that may have actually helped me with the enjoyment of the book more. It is like the saying, “forewarned is forearmed”. Therefore, I was looking for all the positive thoughts and remarks from the H to help me know that the h was truly the one for him! The mom is trashy, and Vintage does a nice job in her review summing up the issues with the mom!
This is a stand alone, but is part 4 in a 6 part series that has connections. I know the h’s sister gets a story next, followed by the H’s 1/2 sister. I enjoyed this book enough to seek out the other 5 books in the Evermore line.
So now it is up to CC to be able to do a few things for me.
1. Can she tone down the ick factor of the daughter/mother/hero triangle?(I feel like she did, I won’t spoil it, but I didn’t feel like I had to scrub my skin with comet upon reading this story)
2. Can she convince me that the h is the “one” and not second best?(Again, I feel like CC was successful here, she starts diminishing the ow’s power very early on)
3. Can she deliver a good dose of angst? (The angst is from the waiting….the H has this secret from the h, but you know it has to come out. Meanwhile, we are watching both of the characters fall in love and wonder how they will survive the secret)
This book was probably a 3.5 for me. I didn’t round up for the reasons that Preeti put in her fabulous, very in-depth review. It is full of spoilers, so you may not want to read it before you read the book, but I highly recommend reading it afterwards. Preeti brought up so many of the wonderings I had, including a time line that seems messed up. I have found this in more than one book, and I just don’t understand why the math can’t stay consistent. Basically, the H should either be 3 years older than stated in this book or the h needs to be 3 years younger than stated for the timeline to even out.
Anyhoo, Preeti’s most excellent review can be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I never felt bored in the story, and the sexy times were very sexy and started by chapter 1. Of course, I just got done reading back to back Helen Brooks books where there is lots of kissing but no sex!
There are some other great reviews with less spoilers as well, and this is one of the reasons I don’t feel a great need to rehash it. I will say I skimmed some of the less flattering reviews, and that may have actually helped me with the enjoyment of the book more. It is like the saying, “forewarned is forearmed”. Therefore, I was looking for all the positive thoughts and remarks from the H to help me know that the h was truly the one for him! The mom is trashy, and Vintage does a nice job in her review summing up the issues with the mom!
This is a stand alone, but is part 4 in a 6 part series that has connections. I know the h’s sister gets a story next, followed by the H’s 1/2 sister. I enjoyed this book enough to seek out the other 5 books in the Evermore line.
December 14, 2018
I loved this
A one night stand
Unplanned pregnancy
A secret !!
A misunderstanding
Loved the ending with their baby girl 😍
Excited about the h sister (Sophia) story and I think (not sure) there is a half sister called (Cleo) story 😉
A one night stand
Unplanned pregnancy
A secret !!
A misunderstanding
Loved the ending with their baby girl 😍
Excited about the h sister (Sophia) story and I think (not sure) there is a half sister called (Cleo) story 😉
September 4, 2022
Talk about drama, drama, drama! The hero of this story is in love with... wait for it... the heroine's MOTHER! In a fit of pique, because the object of his 10 year long obsession marries someone else, he gets drunk and sleeps with this poor unsuspecting heroine. Said poor unsuspecting heroine, who is a divorced VIRGIN, falls pregnant! And so the story goes. I didn't want to like this because I felt this hero was a louse, but he does redeem himself. An entertaining read.
August 4, 2020
The Bottom Line:
Hero:
“She [the heroine] didn’t know he was using her body to obliterate Kat [The OW/heroine’s mother] from his mind, to vent his anger at the fact the woman he’d wanted for ten years [The OW/heroine’s mother] had just got married.”
Hero:
“She [the heroine] didn’t know he was using her body to obliterate Kat [The OW/heroine’s mother] from his mind, to vent his anger at the fact the woman he’d wanted for ten years [The OW/heroine’s mother] had just got married.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2019
Vitalo is totally distraught the women he has been in love with for years just married someone else. He decides the only way to get over this mood is that he will lose himself with a women. He has what was to be a one night stand with Bella but he enjoys his time and they keep seeing each other till he finds out she is the daughter of the women he loved. Now he has feelings for her how does he keep her from finding out. Not easy and again Ms. Connelly will give you an amazing story that you will be engrossed in to find out what happens. She has written a story of heartbreak, lies and most important finding love. What will Vitalo do, read this and find out. Loved it.
December 12, 2018
Her Surprise Baby Christmas
This is Bella's story. If you read the book before this you understand that she is in need of a man for herself. But will she be able to heal when the secrets that will explode in her face. She had a one night stand at her mother's wedding. Now she is pregnant with his child. He demands marriage. But when his past comes back to haunt him will she be able to accept or will she leave?
This is Bella's story. If you read the book before this you understand that she is in need of a man for herself. But will she be able to heal when the secrets that will explode in her face. She had a one night stand at her mother's wedding. Now she is pregnant with his child. He demands marriage. But when his past comes back to haunt him will she be able to accept or will she leave?
February 4, 2022
I thought I wasn’t going to like this story but the author handled the mother/ husband’s friend sexual obsession friend pretty well. I really think the reason the hero was friend with the father was kinda vague through. I am not really clear or convinced they would have been friends. Where and how did they meet? What did they have in common? Relationship seem convenient for the storyline.
September 5, 2024
Read this drama today for the third time
December 6, 2020
Serious but pretty good
I would call this one low on the jolly, but it did have the right amount of sex and foreplay (w equality) and did move me. If youre into a dark and foreboding H with his demons and an h so pure and guiless she shits daisy's, this one's for you. The plot dipped it's toes in daytime soap but this is my second of this author so I'd say she is more a modern day harlequin than a modern day romance author. It was not poorly written and did not have glaring grammar, punctuation or timeline errors. The characters as a whole were a bit flat now that I think about it, but the author draws you in well enough you don't notice. I would give it a 4.35 on my scale but it should def be a 4.5 review overall (relative to KU universe). Also 7.7/10 on sex-o-meter. Nothing really unusual but definitely all solid scenes with equality in foreplay, which I do appreciate. Would I read again? Yes in over a year if I'm not looking to laugh. This isnt a comedy.
I would call this one low on the jolly, but it did have the right amount of sex and foreplay (w equality) and did move me. If youre into a dark and foreboding H with his demons and an h so pure and guiless she shits daisy's, this one's for you. The plot dipped it's toes in daytime soap but this is my second of this author so I'd say she is more a modern day harlequin than a modern day romance author. It was not poorly written and did not have glaring grammar, punctuation or timeline errors. The characters as a whole were a bit flat now that I think about it, but the author draws you in well enough you don't notice. I would give it a 4.35 on my scale but it should def be a 4.5 review overall (relative to KU universe). Also 7.7/10 on sex-o-meter. Nothing really unusual but definitely all solid scenes with equality in foreplay, which I do appreciate. Would I read again? Yes in over a year if I'm not looking to laugh. This isnt a comedy.
August 4, 2020
Another big age gap, H was into the h's mom for over a decade, and yet another mid-20s virgin. I know everyone has different life experiences, some people wait until they're older, some don't, but... I don't know, the reoccurring themes of this series are a bit irritating because it just makes each book seem like an edited version of the previous story. Just change names and location and throw in a couple specific character events to make it different enough, but essentially all the stories in this series are the same.
September 24, 2022
Another great book
This is the 4th book in the series and it didn’t disappoint. The h met the H at her mother’s wedding, he was very good friends with her father. Her mother would always flirt with the H and he thought he loved her. At the wedding, they met, had a one night stand which led to an unexpected pregnancy. The h didn’t know about her mother or the H’s flirtatious relationship. The husband of her mother told her everything and she left him but they were able to find their way back to each other. Good ending.
This is the 4th book in the series and it didn’t disappoint. The h met the H at her mother’s wedding, he was very good friends with her father. Her mother would always flirt with the H and he thought he loved her. At the wedding, they met, had a one night stand which led to an unexpected pregnancy. The h didn’t know about her mother or the H’s flirtatious relationship. The husband of her mother told her everything and she left him but they were able to find their way back to each other. Good ending.
February 28, 2020
Great Unexpected Love Story
The main characters in this story expect just to have an one night stand. Instead they end up making a baby and getting married. Things get complicated from there but their love for each other wins. I really enjoyed this story. Clare Connelly has a great writing style. There's just the right amount of action, love, and sexiness.
The main characters in this story expect just to have an one night stand. Instead they end up making a baby and getting married. Things get complicated from there but their love for each other wins. I really enjoyed this story. Clare Connelly has a great writing style. There's just the right amount of action, love, and sexiness.
December 19, 2018
Great
This was a good book to read. I loved the characters and their story. This author has a way of drawing you into a good story. I can't wait to read the next book in this series
This was a good book to read. I loved the characters and their story. This author has a way of drawing you into a good story. I can't wait to read the next book in this series
December 23, 2018
I adored this story
I absolutely adored this story. From the first page til the end I was hooked. The passion between them from the start was explosive and I couldn't put this book down.
I absolutely adored this story. From the first page til the end I was hooked. The passion between them from the start was explosive and I couldn't put this book down.
January 1, 2019
Bella and Vitalo's love story started with a one night stand that changed their lives forever. Lots of drama, lust, jealousy, love and eventually HEA for most of the characters. I was hooked and couldn't put the book down. I read it in one sitting. I can't wait for the next story in the series.
June 14, 2019
Family will win in the end
Do things happen for a reason? Are you meant to meet a certain person? Are you punished for bad behavior? Can you fight to regain love and receive redemption?
Do things happen for a reason? Are you meant to meet a certain person? Are you punished for bad behavior? Can you fight to regain love and receive redemption?
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