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A Bride for All Seasons
The Bride's Baby
The wedding of the season! Events manager Sylvie Smith is organizing a glittering fund-raising a wedding show in a stately home. She has even been roped into pretending to be a bride... a bride who's five months pregnant! The bride everyone is talking about! It should be every girl's dream to design a wedding with no expense spared, but it's not Sylvie's. Longbourne Court was her ancestral home, and she's just discovered that the new owner is Tom McFarlane--her baby's secret father. Now Tom's standing in front of her, looking at her bump....
283 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1976
431 people are currently reading
1743 people want to read
About the author
Liz Fielding
564 books469 followersHi, I'm Liz Fielding, and I'm a best selling contemporary romance author with more than 15 million books in print and Katie Fforde wrote, when honouring me with the Romantic Novelists' Association's Outstanding Achievement Award in 2019 said - "Liz Fielding's books, with their warmth, humour and emotion, have charmed millions of readers. She is a true star of the romantic fiction genre..."
And now I've turned to a life of crime with my first cozy mystery. Murder Among the Roses, published on 18 April 2023 - of which Katie Fforde also said, "I was gripped from beginning to end..."
Reading is a big part of my life. I love witty, contemporary romances, not too much sex,, Women's fiction by the likes of Fiona Harper, Julie Cohen, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jennifer Crusie and Barbara O'Neal. And I love crime fiction that isn't too gory, or focussed on clue hunting, but is big on character.
My best loved series at the moment are the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths, The Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch and the Libby Sarjeant Mysteries by Lesley Cookman. I've just read the first in the Georgina Drake crime series from Kate Hardy and looking forward to the next.
For news and excerpts of my new releases, visit me at http://www.lizfielding.com and sign up for my newsletter
And now I've turned to a life of crime with my first cozy mystery. Murder Among the Roses, published on 18 April 2023 - of which Katie Fforde also said, "I was gripped from beginning to end..."
Reading is a big part of my life. I love witty, contemporary romances, not too much sex,, Women's fiction by the likes of Fiona Harper, Julie Cohen, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jennifer Crusie and Barbara O'Neal. And I love crime fiction that isn't too gory, or focussed on clue hunting, but is big on character.
My best loved series at the moment are the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths, The Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch and the Libby Sarjeant Mysteries by Lesley Cookman. I've just read the first in the Georgina Drake crime series from Kate Hardy and looking forward to the next.
For news and excerpts of my new releases, visit me at http://www.lizfielding.com and sign up for my newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 292 reviews
November 26, 2011
The book blurb made me think this was a Secret Baby story... Well, it was but, at the same time, it really wasn't considering the fact that the baby wasn't a secret. Confusing? Yes, that's the feeling I had throughout most of the book.
Tom and Sylvie had a brief meeting when she was introduced as the wedding planner for his upcoming nuptials to her friend Candy. An unexpected attraction sparked on both sides, but considering that he was about to get married, Tom and Sylvie shoved that feeling aside and never let anyone - including themselves - realize it. But after six months of heavy planning and preparation, Candy ditched everything to elope with one of Sylvie's employees three days before the wedding. Naturally, Tom felt it was his due to unload all his "annoyance" on Sylvie - after all, she had plagued his dreams since he had met her - and, before they knew it, their mutual suppressed attraction took over and they were having unprotected sex on his bed...
Since this is Romancelandia, the "worst" thing you can get from unprotected sex is a pregnancy, so that's what Sylvie got. Unfortunately, Tom was no longer in the picture when Sylvie found herself pregnant, since he had left the country the day after their one-night stand. Unable to reach him by telephone, she had no choice but to deliver him the news by letter. Obviously, he never got to receive that letter and so this Failure to Communicate story took off.
This was one of those stories that wouldn't make past the first chapters if the hero and the heroine sat together and spoke clearly with each other. Regardless, Tom and Sylvie were likable characters, and that kind of "saved" the book for me and prevented me from throwing it against the wall - figuratively speaking, since this was an e-book. I rooted for their HEA and was glad when the darn Big Misunderstanding was finally resolved.
As for the writing, Ms. Fielding had the distracting habit of inserting the word "then" between the lines of the characters' speech. For example:
"Is that a fact?" Then, "So? Where are they?"
"I'd come and give you a hand but I have to take delivery of a cake." Then, "Do you need a hand up?"
I have to ask, what was the purpose of the word "then" in there? To gave us pause? To help her reach the necessary word count to meet the publisher's requirements? I know I'm nitpicking but that word was used over and over again in the story, and it was annoying.
All in all, I'm glad this was a freebie because I would have been mad if I had paid anything for this book.
Tom and Sylvie had a brief meeting when she was introduced as the wedding planner for his upcoming nuptials to her friend Candy. An unexpected attraction sparked on both sides, but considering that he was about to get married, Tom and Sylvie shoved that feeling aside and never let anyone - including themselves - realize it. But after six months of heavy planning and preparation, Candy ditched everything to elope with one of Sylvie's employees three days before the wedding. Naturally, Tom felt it was his due to unload all his "annoyance" on Sylvie - after all, she had plagued his dreams since he had met her - and, before they knew it, their mutual suppressed attraction took over and they were having unprotected sex on his bed...
Since this is Romancelandia, the "worst" thing you can get from unprotected sex is a pregnancy, so that's what Sylvie got. Unfortunately, Tom was no longer in the picture when Sylvie found herself pregnant, since he had left the country the day after their one-night stand. Unable to reach him by telephone, she had no choice but to deliver him the news by letter. Obviously, he never got to receive that letter and so this Failure to Communicate story took off.
This was one of those stories that wouldn't make past the first chapters if the hero and the heroine sat together and spoke clearly with each other. Regardless, Tom and Sylvie were likable characters, and that kind of "saved" the book for me and prevented me from throwing it against the wall - figuratively speaking, since this was an e-book. I rooted for their HEA and was glad when the darn Big Misunderstanding was finally resolved.
As for the writing, Ms. Fielding had the distracting habit of inserting the word "then" between the lines of the characters' speech. For example:
"Is that a fact?" Then, "So? Where are they?"
"I'd come and give you a hand but I have to take delivery of a cake." Then, "Do you need a hand up?"
I have to ask, what was the purpose of the word "then" in there? To gave us pause? To help her reach the necessary word count to meet the publisher's requirements? I know I'm nitpicking but that word was used over and over again in the story, and it was annoying.
All in all, I'm glad this was a freebie because I would have been mad if I had paid anything for this book.
March 7, 2011
The only reason why I finished this book is because I very seldomly set aside a book and call it a lost cause. This was definitely a lost cause in my opinion. I can't even call it a romance...more like frustratingly painful to read. I had hopes for it as it was set in London and I adore all things British, but this was just...not good. For about a good 30 pages I was pretty confused as I had no idea what in the world was going on. Both protagonists were annoying beyond belief. I enjoy a good mixed signals read every now and again, but that went on for far too long. I also felt that the ending was a bit hurried.
If this was in a doctor's office and the only other thing left to read was the sports section of the newspaper...I'd suffer through the sports section.
If this was in a doctor's office and the only other thing left to read was the sports section of the newspaper...I'd suffer through the sports section.
November 12, 2010
This is one of the stupidest romance novels I've ever read!!! Yet, it was written pretty well, which is why I finished the thing. Unfortunately, the entire plot is built upon one of the most tired story devices of all time--the big misunderstanding.
UGH. So groan-worthy and anti-climatic when the stupid-as-all-hell misunderstanding was worked out.
UGH. So groan-worthy and anti-climatic when the stupid-as-all-hell misunderstanding was worked out.
July 22, 2009
I almost gave this 2 stars, because OH MY GOD is it brain candy, but you know what? I'm taking a stand! It was complete and utter ridiculous fluff, and I read it in approximately twenty minutes, but those were an *entertaining* twenty minutes, so three stars it is!
Mostly it gets three stars for taking one of my most hated plot devices - "if we just sat down and had a half-hour's worth of honest conversation, the entire plot of misunderstandings would crumble like the sugar-spun castle that this book is" - and made me not want to punch it in the face. The Tragic Miscommunications are played plausibly (within the context of this pretty ludicrous universe), and they don't result from either of the protagonists being Too Stupid To Live (almost).
Plus, it was free from Amazon. Win/win!
Mostly it gets three stars for taking one of my most hated plot devices - "if we just sat down and had a half-hour's worth of honest conversation, the entire plot of misunderstandings would crumble like the sugar-spun castle that this book is" - and made me not want to punch it in the face. The Tragic Miscommunications are played plausibly (within the context of this pretty ludicrous universe), and they don't result from either of the protagonists being Too Stupid To Live (almost).
Plus, it was free from Amazon. Win/win!
January 31, 2018
2.5 stars...
June 24, 2017
This was a free book and I still want my money back. The first chapter was nothing but the hero checking off items from a wedding list. And that was the highlight of the book!
This was just boring wedding porn.The characters were so DULL. If they had just a fifteen minute conversation, all misunderstandings would have been clarified. These characters are children in adults bodies, really.
This was such a painful experience, if I can prevent just one person from having to go through it, I know I've done a good deed in my life.
Rating: Big old F
This was just boring wedding porn.The characters were so DULL. If they had just a fifteen minute conversation, all misunderstandings would have been clarified. These characters are children in adults bodies, really.
This was such a painful experience, if I can prevent just one person from having to go through it, I know I've done a good deed in my life.
Rating: Big old F
January 30, 2014
Very close to the worst that can be expected from a Harlequin, even a freebie.
A self-made millionaire who did anything but work in the 7 months or so over which the story stretched. A complete lack of communication between the two leads and even those surrounding them, contributing thus to over-inflate any misinterpretation to give those molehills the proportion of himalayan summits. A plot that seemed of at first but soon turned completely irresistible.
There were a few things that bad at the end of the book, that I surprised myself laughing out loud and almost hesitated giving an additional star for that, including some of the cheesiest dialogues I have ever read and
Cannot recommend to anyone
A self-made millionaire who did anything but work in the 7 months or so over which the story stretched. A complete lack of communication between the two leads and even those surrounding them, contributing thus to over-inflate any misinterpretation to give those molehills the proportion of himalayan summits. A plot that seemed of at first but soon turned completely irresistible.
There were a few things that bad at the end of the book, that I surprised myself laughing out loud and almost hesitated giving an additional star for that, including some of the cheesiest dialogues I have ever read and
Cannot recommend to anyone
October 12, 2009
This was one of sixteen Harlequin freebies I downloaded earlier this year.
I'm not the audience for this book. I made it partway through the first chapter, was happy to see that the heroine wasn't going to sit and wait further on someone who's wasting her time...and then the "hero" comes out behaving like an unprofessional asswipe, saying that if she leaves before he's ready to talk to her, he's not going to pay her bill.
At that point I deleted the ebook from my PDA.
Maybe the guy gets his comeuppance later, in which case I'd be slightly but only very slightly sorry I didn't read on. But there's also the possibility that the guy will contine to be an alpha jerk all the way through, and I don't need to waste my time on a story that'll have me swearing at the characters.
I'm not the audience for this book. I made it partway through the first chapter, was happy to see that the heroine wasn't going to sit and wait further on someone who's wasting her time...and then the "hero" comes out behaving like an unprofessional asswipe, saying that if she leaves before he's ready to talk to her, he's not going to pay her bill.
At that point I deleted the ebook from my PDA.
Maybe the guy gets his comeuppance later, in which case I'd be slightly but only very slightly sorry I didn't read on. But there's also the possibility that the guy will contine to be an alpha jerk all the way through, and I don't need to waste my time on a story that'll have me swearing at the characters.
January 5, 2012
It was bad enough to have his bride run off with a staff member of the wedding coordinator, but to receive an astronomical bill on top of it has billionaire Tom McFarlane out for blood. He cant deny his attraction to event coordinator Sylvie Smith and after a heated passionate exchange he believes she doesn't want to see him again.
He couldn't be farther from the truth, especially now that Sylvie is pregnant. What started as a misunderstanding has her running in circles as Tom reenters her life and promptly notices the swelling in her belly.
I struggled with this one, it was so convouleted and I did not like either characters by the time it was done.
He couldn't be farther from the truth, especially now that Sylvie is pregnant. What started as a misunderstanding has her running in circles as Tom reenters her life and promptly notices the swelling in her belly.
I struggled with this one, it was so convouleted and I did not like either characters by the time it was done.
January 15, 2010
This was one of sixteen Harlequin freebies. The Harlequin romances have a recurring them misunderstanding or mistaken identity, good looks, tons of money.
This book is a "misunderstanding". Main character has a one night stand with a jerk and ends up pregnant. Trys to tell him about the baby by phone. After not being able to reach him via phone at his office, she decides instead of calling him on his cell,or sending an e-mail, she sends a letter through the post, and you can guess what happens.
This book is a "misunderstanding". Main character has a one night stand with a jerk and ends up pregnant. Trys to tell him about the baby by phone. After not being able to reach him via phone at his office, she decides instead of calling him on his cell,or sending an e-mail, she sends a letter through the post, and you can guess what happens.
November 23, 2011
This was an easy little read. I wish the characters would have been honest with each other from the beginning. There was lots of miscommunication between them as well as reading things into the silences. All in all, though, it was a nice little romance :)
February 27, 2017
Si, ya sé que no me podía esperar mucho de una novela así... pero tan poco??? Por dios, hasta yo escribo mejor!
August 24, 2020
A slow start but made up with a sweet romantic read, worth it in the end.
July 8, 2015
Not everyone enjoys romances where the main issue is a lack of communication, but when done well, this is the best kind of contemporary romance in my opinion. So often assumption and miscommunication causes conflict in real life, and the point of contemporary romance, at least to my mind, is to show people meeting real challenges and overcoming them in the name of love.
The Bride’s Baby takes a man who does not believe in love to the point of marrying for convenience and pairs him with a gold digger who finds love. No, Tom McFarlane is not destined to go through with his planned marriage to Candida Harcourt. She falls for someone else and leaves him with the bills for an overblown fantasy wedding that never happened. Instead, it’s Sylvia Smith, Candida’s friend and the wedding coordinator hired to spend his money, who creeps in past his armor until he has to face up to the truth that love does exist it found him when he least expected it.
This book is more about Tom’s journey to love than Sylvia’s, but don’t for one minute think she’s a passive bystander. Sylvia believes in love to the point of crafting that perfect moment for everyone else. She’s been disappointed before, and like Tom, abandoned before the wedding. However, before you start to think Sylvie history makes her sympathetic, or the electric connection between them from their first meeting makes her weak, think again. The novel starts with Sylvie coming to collect on her substantial invoice because she needs the money to pay the many vendors who had already provided services for the wedding that would never be. And if that’s not reason enough for conflict, the man her friend eloped with was one of her staff.
While the title seems to give the story away, and yes, they do end up in bed together before their happily ever after is obtained, the conflicts and assumptions are all viable, confusing not just the main characters but others around them. It’s well written, well set up, and a fun book to read, with both heated moments and hard ones as fate and human nature seem determined to keep them apart.
Though I read this last year, as you can see, I retained a lot of the story, and am contemplating a re-read, something I rarely do, because I want to re-experience every step in their journey.
The Bride’s Baby takes a man who does not believe in love to the point of marrying for convenience and pairs him with a gold digger who finds love. No, Tom McFarlane is not destined to go through with his planned marriage to Candida Harcourt. She falls for someone else and leaves him with the bills for an overblown fantasy wedding that never happened. Instead, it’s Sylvia Smith, Candida’s friend and the wedding coordinator hired to spend his money, who creeps in past his armor until he has to face up to the truth that love does exist it found him when he least expected it.
This book is more about Tom’s journey to love than Sylvia’s, but don’t for one minute think she’s a passive bystander. Sylvia believes in love to the point of crafting that perfect moment for everyone else. She’s been disappointed before, and like Tom, abandoned before the wedding. However, before you start to think Sylvie history makes her sympathetic, or the electric connection between them from their first meeting makes her weak, think again. The novel starts with Sylvie coming to collect on her substantial invoice because she needs the money to pay the many vendors who had already provided services for the wedding that would never be. And if that’s not reason enough for conflict, the man her friend eloped with was one of her staff.
While the title seems to give the story away, and yes, they do end up in bed together before their happily ever after is obtained, the conflicts and assumptions are all viable, confusing not just the main characters but others around them. It’s well written, well set up, and a fun book to read, with both heated moments and hard ones as fate and human nature seem determined to keep them apart.
Though I read this last year, as you can see, I retained a lot of the story, and am contemplating a re-read, something I rarely do, because I want to re-experience every step in their journey.
January 29, 2012
This was one of the Harlequin's free downloads that I picked up a year or two ago but have delayed reading. I was really hoping this story would be better than it turned out to be and decided somewhere around the middle that I was glad I hadn't paid for it.
Better than most "baby" romances in concept, I liked the idea behind this story (which is why I read it). The execution of the story, however, left me frustrated and by the end, I was more happy that it was over than for the couple's happy ending. That is the primary reason for the 2 stars. (I DID like the story in general, which is why it got the 2 stars instead of 1, I just didn't like the way it was done.)
At first I liked both main characters for who they were, but as the book wore on and their misunderstandings continued, I wanted to smack them both. Maybe I was just annoyed by their constant jumping to conclusions and refusal to openly and clearly talk to one another. Indeed, it started early and we would have had a completely different story if she had just taken 30 seconds to say "Diva pop star freaking out at her wedding" when she ran out of his home in the beginning. In fact, someone should write that story. I'd like to read it.
The constant jumping about in perspectives and lack of speaking tags kept pulling me out of the story. I kept having to figure out who was saying what and sometimes got lost. (There would be a line of dialogue from her, one from him, a line of action or thought, then dialogue from him again - all without any sort of indication of who was saying what.)
The lack of secondary character development bothered me. Other people were mentioned, some even had some lines, but the story was too much of a bubble-world for me. There wasn't much interaction between either of the main characters and anyone else except for where it was absolutely needed in order to push the story forward. Otherwise, those people didn't exist.
I suppose if you're looking for a quick and easy read and don't care how stupid the characters are being, this would be a good option.
Better than most "baby" romances in concept, I liked the idea behind this story (which is why I read it). The execution of the story, however, left me frustrated and by the end, I was more happy that it was over than for the couple's happy ending. That is the primary reason for the 2 stars. (I DID like the story in general, which is why it got the 2 stars instead of 1, I just didn't like the way it was done.)
At first I liked both main characters for who they were, but as the book wore on and their misunderstandings continued, I wanted to smack them both. Maybe I was just annoyed by their constant jumping to conclusions and refusal to openly and clearly talk to one another. Indeed, it started early and we would have had a completely different story if she had just taken 30 seconds to say "Diva pop star freaking out at her wedding" when she ran out of his home in the beginning. In fact, someone should write that story. I'd like to read it.
The constant jumping about in perspectives and lack of speaking tags kept pulling me out of the story. I kept having to figure out who was saying what and sometimes got lost. (There would be a line of dialogue from her, one from him, a line of action or thought, then dialogue from him again - all without any sort of indication of who was saying what.)
The lack of secondary character development bothered me. Other people were mentioned, some even had some lines, but the story was too much of a bubble-world for me. There wasn't much interaction between either of the main characters and anyone else except for where it was absolutely needed in order to push the story forward. Otherwise, those people didn't exist.
I suppose if you're looking for a quick and easy read and don't care how stupid the characters are being, this would be a good option.
September 8, 2014
Hace cerca de un año que leí esta novela y desde entonces, leyendo la reseña que le escribí, no he podido verme reflejada en ella. Así que, adiós reseña.
No tengo un grato recuerdo de esta novela. Me aburrió más de lo que podría haber imaginado. Sus letras fueron densas, y parecía que el libro nunca iba a acabar y eso que no tiene más de cien páginas. Fue una total decepción. Yo no busco libros para pasar el rato, busco libros que me enamoren. Y esta novela estuvo muy, muy lejos de gustarme. Fue todo lo contrario a lo que yo esperaba.
Buscaba encontrar en ella, una dulce y divertida historia de amor, pero sobre todo un canto a los bebes, a los embarazos, a la maternidad. Tengo debilidad por los niños y por las historias de amor donde hay involucrados embarazos. Pues esta en ese sentido fue penosa. Liz pasó de largo sobre el tema. Sí, obviamente, Silvie se quedó embarazado de Tom, pero Liz no profundizó en ello. Estaba más ocupada decorando una casa y un evento social.
Como historia de amor es que no merece ni que la valore, porque aquí no hay una historia de amor. Por un lado, porque cuando ellos se conocen, él se va a casar, y después, porque él solo guarda rencor hacia ella. Fue fácil para los dos desentenderse el uno del otro. Sinceramente, no hay nada entre estos dos, solo un polvo en el pasado que trajo consecuencias.
No podría haberme aburrido más leyendo esta novela. Ni haberme emocionado menos. Era una novela de narrativa con dramas absurdos, malentendidos, y enredos. La autora juega con la desconfianza y con la falta de comunicación de los protagonistas para asentar la base de su novela, así que, imaginaos... Esta novela no trata precisamente de enamorarse, ser padres, cuidarse el uno al otro... No, trata de enredos, de peleas estúpidas, de la alta sociedad, de las apariencias, y de levantar eventos, porque todo eso es más prioritario que un bebé.
No, no tengo ni idea de como un día pude ver ternura o emoción alguna en esta novela. Densa, tonta, e insípida, así es El bebé de la novia ¬¬
No tengo un grato recuerdo de esta novela. Me aburrió más de lo que podría haber imaginado. Sus letras fueron densas, y parecía que el libro nunca iba a acabar y eso que no tiene más de cien páginas. Fue una total decepción. Yo no busco libros para pasar el rato, busco libros que me enamoren. Y esta novela estuvo muy, muy lejos de gustarme. Fue todo lo contrario a lo que yo esperaba.
Buscaba encontrar en ella, una dulce y divertida historia de amor, pero sobre todo un canto a los bebes, a los embarazos, a la maternidad. Tengo debilidad por los niños y por las historias de amor donde hay involucrados embarazos. Pues esta en ese sentido fue penosa. Liz pasó de largo sobre el tema. Sí, obviamente, Silvie se quedó embarazado de Tom, pero Liz no profundizó en ello. Estaba más ocupada decorando una casa y un evento social.
Como historia de amor es que no merece ni que la valore, porque aquí no hay una historia de amor. Por un lado, porque cuando ellos se conocen, él se va a casar, y después, porque él solo guarda rencor hacia ella. Fue fácil para los dos desentenderse el uno del otro. Sinceramente, no hay nada entre estos dos, solo un polvo en el pasado que trajo consecuencias.
No podría haberme aburrido más leyendo esta novela. Ni haberme emocionado menos. Era una novela de narrativa con dramas absurdos, malentendidos, y enredos. La autora juega con la desconfianza y con la falta de comunicación de los protagonistas para asentar la base de su novela, así que, imaginaos... Esta novela no trata precisamente de enamorarse, ser padres, cuidarse el uno al otro... No, trata de enredos, de peleas estúpidas, de la alta sociedad, de las apariencias, y de levantar eventos, porque todo eso es más prioritario que un bebé.
No, no tengo ni idea de como un día pude ver ternura o emoción alguna en esta novela. Densa, tonta, e insípida, así es El bebé de la novia ¬¬
June 13, 2011
Tom McFarlane is meeting with the wedding planner, whose staff member ran off with his bride, to pay for the cancellation fees of his wedding that didn't happen. Although Sylvie Smith had been planning the wedding for 6 months, this is only the second time he has meet with her due to the instant passion connection he felt for her when they meet the first time.
Only this time he doesn't have a fiancee to keep his emotions in check and they soon find themselves together for a night of passion. When Tom see her crying afterwards he interprets it as being bad and leaves the area.
Within a few weeks, Sylvie learns she's pregnant and writes Tom a letter and hand delivers it to his apartment.
After no response, they meet unplanned 6 months later. From there things get even messier. As a wedding planner, Celebrity Magazine is paying her to create her own dream wedding.
This along with a picture makes Tom believe that she's getting married to her sweetheart and having his baby.
Believing that Tom has read her letter, Sylvie believes Tom doesn't want anything to do with his daughter.
Throughout their stay together and planning of the wedding their connection grows, but still believing the wrong things almost let each other get away for the second time.
When Tom finally does read the letter, it's not long before he's back at her side begging for forgiveness and proposing.
This was definitely different from other books. I'm glad there wasn't any threats or demands, just two people who aren't on the same page for a while.
Only this time he doesn't have a fiancee to keep his emotions in check and they soon find themselves together for a night of passion. When Tom see her crying afterwards he interprets it as being bad and leaves the area.
Within a few weeks, Sylvie learns she's pregnant and writes Tom a letter and hand delivers it to his apartment.
After no response, they meet unplanned 6 months later. From there things get even messier. As a wedding planner, Celebrity Magazine is paying her to create her own dream wedding.
This along with a picture makes Tom believe that she's getting married to her sweetheart and having his baby.
Believing that Tom has read her letter, Sylvie believes Tom doesn't want anything to do with his daughter.
Throughout their stay together and planning of the wedding their connection grows, but still believing the wrong things almost let each other get away for the second time.
When Tom finally does read the letter, it's not long before he's back at her side begging for forgiveness and proposing.
This was definitely different from other books. I'm glad there wasn't any threats or demands, just two people who aren't on the same page for a while.
January 5, 2010
Either I've softened up, or this book was better written than most of the Harlequins I've read before, because as you can tell from the title, it's about a Secret Baby (a romance device I generally loathe), and I didn't hate it and it didn't suck. In fact, I'll go so far as to say I thought it was really well written. I'll go even further and venture that I might even re-read it one day!
There are formulaic elements to the story - Immediate, Unwelcome, Impossible But Undeniable Mutual Attraction, Big Misunderstanding/ Miscommunication, and of course Secret Baby - but Liz Fielding takes these elements and spins them into something believable by applying them to two wonderful romantic lead characters. Yes, the heroine is feisty and independent, and yes the hero is rich and powerful, and yes they have Issues from the Past, and they're all the richer for having pasts and presents and futures independent of each other. They're both likeable people, and they have some genuine chemistry going on, and thus the pairing is greater than the sum of the parts.
If I'd started this book earlier in the evening, I could have swallowed it in one sitting. As it was, I stayed up rather later than usual, reading the first 40% of the book, and devoured the latter part over a lunch that (for a change) I didn't eat at my desk.
There are formulaic elements to the story - Immediate, Unwelcome, Impossible But Undeniable Mutual Attraction, Big Misunderstanding/ Miscommunication, and of course Secret Baby - but Liz Fielding takes these elements and spins them into something believable by applying them to two wonderful romantic lead characters. Yes, the heroine is feisty and independent, and yes the hero is rich and powerful, and yes they have Issues from the Past, and they're all the richer for having pasts and presents and futures independent of each other. They're both likeable people, and they have some genuine chemistry going on, and thus the pairing is greater than the sum of the parts.
If I'd started this book earlier in the evening, I could have swallowed it in one sitting. As it was, I stayed up rather later than usual, reading the first 40% of the book, and devoured the latter part over a lunch that (for a change) I didn't eat at my desk.
August 26, 2016
It's been a long while since I've read a Harlequin Romance, and I've got to be truthful and say that I enjoyed this book. It reminded me of why I used to devour these books as a teen. The writing is sappy and the HEA is guranteed, duh, but it was still a quick read. The main characters have evolved from what I remember. The hero, Tom, is still dark and brooding, a little bit of jerk with poor communication skills but he's not as bad as the HR heroes I remember. I think I liked the heroine, Sylvie, the most. She didn't have the "poor little ol me" attitude. I loved it when Tom says something jerky, and then hastily apologizes. Instead of internalizing his remark or forgiving him, Sylvie calls him on it. (You go, girl!) Another plus, this book is not one of those hump-tastic reads that are ever so popular now. Yes, there are some passionate kisses, yes, they get down and dirty (uh-if can't deduce that from the title...) but it's all pretty PG, something that I found quite refreshing.
June 16, 2013
I loved the strong characters in this story. Sylvie Smith is an events planner and one of her school friends uses her for her upcoming wedding to self-made billionaire Tom McFarlane. A cliché and wedding planner’s worst nightmare occurs when the bride-to-be runs off with Sylvie’s assistant. This leaves Sylvie to explain, and recoup the cancellation costs, from the groom-to-be who has a huge chip on his shoulder. Unfortunately for Sylvie, she had an instant attraction to Tom McFarlane. When she is called to his office to go over the bill item-by-item, it is sheer torture for her. One thing leads to another and their attraction combusts resulting in a magical encounter. Their brief encounter results in a growing new life for Sylvie. She is thrilled with the thought of having a baby, but how will tom feel about it and how to tell him?
A wonderful story with a fast-paced plot that keeps you turning the pages to see what happens next and if they will find their HEA.
A wonderful story with a fast-paced plot that keeps you turning the pages to see what happens next and if they will find their HEA.
April 24, 2011
I loved this book so much that I had to do another post today, right away before it faded in my memory.
My memory seriously sucks lol So, here goes.
The story begins with a Wedding planner who is organizing a Wedding that's worth thousands of dollars. The Hero of the story is the Groom who she is organizing the wedding for. Instant attraction!
With many things getting mixed up and things not going quite as planned you would think this book would come to a different end. I have to call this book a pure fairytale, it has happiness, sadness, conflict and I'll say suspense for the reader because you just have to know what is going to happen next.
This book made me feel alive and made me cry and then, the best part........ It left me with a smile. I wish it could have been me. The perfect romantic tale all the way through.
My memory seriously sucks lol So, here goes.
The story begins with a Wedding planner who is organizing a Wedding that's worth thousands of dollars. The Hero of the story is the Groom who she is organizing the wedding for. Instant attraction!
With many things getting mixed up and things not going quite as planned you would think this book would come to a different end. I have to call this book a pure fairytale, it has happiness, sadness, conflict and I'll say suspense for the reader because you just have to know what is going to happen next.
This book made me feel alive and made me cry and then, the best part........ It left me with a smile. I wish it could have been me. The perfect romantic tale all the way through.
March 11, 2021
I don't usually like books where the conflict is almost entirely based on lack of communication. But this worked quite well with missed letters, Celebrity headlines and just plain cussedness preventing the clarification of whose baby and what wedding.
The hero and heroine are both likeable and realistic people with flaws and failings and past histories that make much of what goes on believable.
It is a light weight book even if it does touch on a couple of deeper issues and just right for a mindless couple of hours with a touch of angst and emotion and the guaranteed happy ending.
The hero and heroine are both likeable and realistic people with flaws and failings and past histories that make much of what goes on believable.
It is a light weight book even if it does touch on a couple of deeper issues and just right for a mindless couple of hours with a touch of angst and emotion and the guaranteed happy ending.
February 10, 2020
Romance linear, sem grandes surpresas.
Sylvie, dona de uma empresa de eventos, se encontra atraída pelo namorado da antiga colega de classe, Tom Mcfarlane. Quando a amiga decide cancelar o casamento, ela vai até ele para indenizar e cobrir os custos do evento. Logo após a conclusão do reunião, eles acabam tendo relações que resulta na concepção de uma criança...
Por conta de acontecimentos fortuitos os dois terminam se desencontrando, fazendo com que diversas situações os afastem cada vez mais...
Sylvie, dona de uma empresa de eventos, se encontra atraída pelo namorado da antiga colega de classe, Tom Mcfarlane. Quando a amiga decide cancelar o casamento, ela vai até ele para indenizar e cobrir os custos do evento. Logo após a conclusão do reunião, eles acabam tendo relações que resulta na concepção de uma criança...
Por conta de acontecimentos fortuitos os dois terminam se desencontrando, fazendo com que diversas situações os afastem cada vez mais...
October 12, 2012
2.5-3 stars
Meh.
I have no idea why I own this. Was it a Kindle freebie or something?
This is not at all my kind of story. Billionaires are just ridiculous as romantic heroes, IMHO of course. However, the writing, while full of gaffes, had a little something special that makes me think that the author might someday write something that I'd really like--as long as she moves away from billionaires.
Meh.
I have no idea why I own this. Was it a Kindle freebie or something?
This is not at all my kind of story. Billionaires are just ridiculous as romantic heroes, IMHO of course. However, the writing, while full of gaffes, had a little something special that makes me think that the author might someday write something that I'd really like--as long as she moves away from billionaires.
July 31, 2012
I had a problem with this book. The main characters are a billionaire and a wedding planner. The billionaire's fiance walks out shortly before the wedding and the wedding planner has gone to collect the bill. Before it's all over they end up in bed and the storyline continues from there. It really bothered me that only the second time they had met one another they ended up in bed together.
December 29, 2009
I despise secret baby plots. Luckily this was a freebie so I'm not out anything by not reading this.
April 2, 2016
Aunque no es mi tipo de lectura, y fue un poco predecible al final creo que estuvo bien :)
March 12, 2015
very boring ! the author dragged the matter too long. i thought it wud be more interesting if tom had discovered the baby was his much earlier.
January 14, 2024
I would not want to re-read it.
While I was interested in the story the miscommunication trope is not my favorite, the truth wasn't even revealed until a few pages from the end.
He knew he loved her but never truly went after her or made himself vulnerable to rejection by revealing his feelings until he knew the baby was his.
It was cute he showed concern for heroine being pregnant and having her rest. However I wish he had felt something for the baby when he felt her kick, like longing for her to be his daughter or that he wanted to raise her even thinking she was another man's child. I just wanted him to feel a connection to the baby before finding out she was his.
I didn't have any issues with heroine, she did everything right, but hero kept coming to the wrong conclusions because he ran away from feelings for months resulting in him being out of the loop. P.
While I was interested in the story the miscommunication trope is not my favorite, the truth wasn't even revealed until a few pages from the end.
He knew he loved her but never truly went after her or made himself vulnerable to rejection by revealing his feelings until he knew the baby was his.
It was cute he showed concern for heroine being pregnant and having her rest. However I wish he had felt something for the baby when he felt her kick, like longing for her to be his daughter or that he wanted to raise her even thinking she was another man's child. I just wanted him to feel a connection to the baby before finding out she was his.
I didn't have any issues with heroine, she did everything right, but hero kept coming to the wrong conclusions because he ran away from feelings for months resulting in him being out of the loop. P.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2022
I’ve started reading from my grandma’s Kindle list. (She passed away several years ago) It’s fun to read books that she had also read. So now the review.
This is a typical Harlequin Romance. It is a easy fun read.
The characters don’t get too much depth, but enough to enjoy the book.
Mistakes happen on both sides that could have been avoided, but that is the MO of this type of book.
I think both MCs are likable and honestly could have read more about them. If this had been a series where the next book still featured them I would have totally read the next one.
I did find it a bit distracting when she jumped POV in mid chapter. I’d say that was my biggest gripe about the book.
Fun, easy, quick romance. Just a touch of spice, but nothing graphic.
This is a typical Harlequin Romance. It is a easy fun read.
The characters don’t get too much depth, but enough to enjoy the book.
Mistakes happen on both sides that could have been avoided, but that is the MO of this type of book.
I think both MCs are likable and honestly could have read more about them. If this had been a series where the next book still featured them I would have totally read the next one.
I did find it a bit distracting when she jumped POV in mid chapter. I’d say that was my biggest gripe about the book.
Fun, easy, quick romance. Just a touch of spice, but nothing graphic.
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