REVIEW: Di Marcello’s Secret Son by Rachael Thomas

Di Marcello’s Secret Son by Rachael Thomas is one of a series involving four men, members of an extreme sports club, of whom one of their number has already found his match and wishes to see his friends happy as well. That man, Sebastien, dares his equally wealthy and powerful friends Antonio, Stavros and Alejandro to live incognito for two weeks without revealing their true identities. If they all succeed, he’s promised to fund a search and rescue foundation, dear to all their hearts after an avalanche incident hit too close to home.

Antonio Di Marcello’s task is to pose as an auto mechanic for two weeks in Milan. As a car enthusiast, he’s got the skills to fake the position, one Sebastian has arranged for him as well as his new identity. He’s willing to go through with the ruse, especially when he discovers that his old lover Sadie works at the garage. He’d been forced to break things off with her and marry an old childhood friend, his duty and family honor on the line. His marriage had ended in divorce though the reasons had been kept away from the public eye. What he soon discovers is that he’s just as attracted to Sadie now as he was then. And when he finds out that she has a son, one who is the right age to be his, he can’t wait for the challenge to be over so he can reveal to her his true identity.

For her part, Sadie comes to confide in ‘Tony’, who reminds her of her old love Antonio. She’d wanted to tell Antonio about her pregnancy, but had been thwarted at every turn by Antonio’s mother, and believed that he wanted nothing to do with her or her son. When Antonio’s two weeks of disguise are up, he doesn’t hesitate to reveal his true self to Sadie – and that he is ready to claim his son. He’s not above blackmailing Sadie to get what he wants. But can a marriage of convenience to give their son a chance to know both his parents lead to a real commitment and a rekindling of the passion they once shared?

I really like the concept of this series, and this story is a very enjoyable read! It’s been four years since Antonio and Sadie have seen each other, and they hadn’t been together long to begin with so it’s not so farfetched that Antonio’s disguise (a full beard, and blue collar clothes) and circumstances, while triggering some memories for Sadie, are enough to convince her that he’s not her ex-lover. She is suspicious that he is a relative of Antonio’s though, there to find out information about her son Leo but she still feels comfortable confiding in him. When the jig is up, she can’t deny that her feelings for Antonio are very confused, especially when she finds out that he never knew about the child.

Antonio clearly wants to get to know his son and there are some sweet scenes between him and Leo as they navigate their new relationship. I really liked seeing this side of him, a nice contrast to his sometimes arrogant and demanding nature (not surprising given his wealth and society status). He does have a protective and caring side that comes out more and more as the story unfolds. Antonio and Sadie share some passionate scenes as they reconnect. The paparazzi play their part, sensing a scandal in the making with respect to Leo’s age and this creates some conflict for the couple. Eventually they admit their true feelings for each other, and their happy ending is assured. The epilogue is lovely too! There are a few scenes with the four male friends that definitely make me want to read Stavros and Alejandro’s stories. Readers who like reunion romances and stories with children and parents connecting will enjoy this one!
 

Book Info:

Publication: Apr 18, 2017 | Harlequin Presents | The Secret Billionaires #1

The challenge: to leave your billionaire lifestyle behind for two weeks…

Italian tycoon Antonio Di Marcello relishes a challenge–but running into Sadie Parker while undercover as a mechanic rocks him to the core. Four years after their fevered fling stripped away his iron guard, he’s confronted with the shocking consequences…

Sadie gave up hope on her desperate attempts to contact Antonio. Now she has to face the day she’s both dreaded and longed for! Yet Antonio’s claim over her and her son is hard to resist–especially because he’ll use a sensual onslaught to get what he wants!