Expecting the Prince’s Baby by Rebecca Winters: Prince Vincenzo & his wife had to make the last-ditch effort to have a baby. After several miscarriages, a surrogate was the best way to go. The Prince’s family friend, Abby Loretto – daughter of his head of security – volunteered. His wife agreed wholeheartedly, since she also considered Abby part of the family.
What Vincenzo didn’t expect was that his wife would die just a few weeks after conception, and he’d be facing raising their child alone. Not only that, but now he had to face the truth of his complicated feelings for Abby. His marriage was never a love match, but he’d never even thought about another woman in deference to his wife – who *had* been in love.
Abby had a debt to repay. A life for a life. The day a storm killed her mother, she would’ve lost her life as well if it hadn’t been for the man she loved – Prince Vincenzo. She knew he could never reciprocate her feelings – so she did what she could. Being the best friend she could be to him and his wife, and jumping in to be a safe haven for their baby when they needed her the most.
The very least Vincenzo could do was to spend time with Abby – make sure she was taking care of herself, maybe even accompany her to doctor’s visits. He never really expected it to feel so intimate immediately. It wasn’t appropriate to be thinking the thoughts he was thinking. Even if she was carrying his child. Abby felt the same way, even the hesitation – because giving in to their feelings would mean nothing but disaster.
This story was quite good. Plotted nicely, and well-written. My nitpicks are not with the story itself so much, but with the fact that it didn’t really decide on whether to be a HQ Romance or an HQ Presents. From beginning to end it felt like a presents – except there was absolutely no sex in it.
Vincenzo was quite noble all the way through the book. Unfortunately, that caused a lot of pain for Abby. Not that it didn’t hurt Vincenzo, but Abby was devastated, although she kept a stoic front and lived up to the bargain she made when Vincenzo’s wife was still alive.
Good book, interesting read, I just thought it was a little out of the HQ category. Not what I expected from that line.
Book Info:
Published May 1st 2014 by Harlequin Harlequin Romance Series #4423
Abby Loretto’s decision to become a surrogate mother to the Mediterranean’s premier royal couple is the bravest thing she’s ever done…
When Prince Vincenzo is tragically widowed shortly after Abby becomes pregnant, her heart goes out to the prince. Abby quickly becomes the focus of Vincenzo’s hope, but she must use all her courage to ignore their growing attraction…she is a commoner, after all.
But Vincenzo is determined: he will fight royal protocol. Because Abby is his baby’s mother…and to stay that way she must become his wife!
bn100
That’s interesting
KarenL (@Aleveria)
Yeah. I couldn’t put a finger on it. A decent read, just… a bit disjointed. I was unsure what to make of it overall. Very well-written though, and I liked the characters too. Just couldn’t say I loved it.