His Secret Baby Bombshell - Jules Bennett (HD #2476 - Oct 2016)

Series: Dynasties: The Newports (Book 4)

Expecting her rival's baby!

Driven businesswoman Eve Winchester has big plans to take her father's Chicago real estate empire global. But when she ends up pregnant by her family's personal and professional nemesis, she's thrown into the shark tank of corporate intrigue. Now she's doing damage control as she falls even deeper for Graham Newport.

Graham has never had such a heated, secret fling. But suddenly Eve is pregnant, and no strings attached turns into the ties that bind. Graham won't turn his back on what's his, but will family friction tear apart their fledgling affair?

Good book. From the first book in the series to this one, the attraction between Eve and Graham has been obvious. The problem is that their two families have been enemies for years, making a relationship between them difficult. Graham is a lawyer who is excellent at what he does. He also has no desire for any kind of permanent relationships in his life, though mutually satisfying affairs are just fine with him. Eve is a driven businesswoman who has taken over her dying father's real estate empire. She is smart, beautiful and focused on her career. A relationship with Graham is not a smart thing on her part.

Whatever it is that is burning between them can't be denied, and they give in to the heat. Because of their families' enmity, both have been warned to stay away from each other, but they can't do it. The moments they steal together are hot, passionate, and never enough. Keeping their secret is vital, but fate has other plans. Eve ends up pregnant and they have to make some decisions.

I loved the progress of their relationship. Though Graham is shocked at her news, he knows that he wants to be an involved father. I loved how protective he gets, and how his attitude changes from thinking of it as an affair. He finds himself thinking of something more, which freaks him out because he has never considered that with anyone else. He's still resisting the idea that he's in love with her, but knows he wants to marry her. He convinces himself that it is for the baby. Eve is quicker to realize her feelings, but the obstacles in their way seem insurmountable. She also has worries about the pregnancy itself. When they get a chance to go away together, it doesn't go quite as either had hoped. I ached for them both as they dealt with what happened. I loved Graham's big moment at the end, as he put everything on the line for her.

The family drama is still there, as Graham and Brooks try to find out the truth about their father. I liked the relationship between the two of them, as they support each other in the search. There's also tension as Graham's relationship with Eve becomes more obvious. I also liked the changes I'm seeing in Eve's father, as he appears to be making an effort to repair his relationship with his daughters. His reaction to Graham's appearance at the end was a surprise. 

An Heir for the Billionaire - Kat Cantrell (HD #2462 - Aug 2016)

Series: Dynasties: The Newports (Book 2)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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