REVIEW: The Innocent’s Shock Pregnancy by Carol Marinelli

The Innocent’s Shock Pregnancy by Carol Marinelli is a passionate romance for an actress and the man who sweeps her off her feet – with unexpected consequences!

Merida Cartwright is enjoying her part time job working at an art gallery while trying to get her big Broadway break in acting. When she has a private showing for handsome billionaire Ethan Devereux, something clicks and she agrees to dinner with him, followed by a passionate night together. But in the morning, Ethan becomes the cold, aloof man he was when they were introduced and they go their separate ways.

A few months later, Merida has had to give up her opening night dreams when her pregnancy can no longer be hidden. About to leave the country and return home to England after attempting to contact Ethan several times, he catches her at the airport and brings her to his home. Once he’s sized up the situation he makes her an offer -stay in New York, have the baby and stay married to him for one year before a tidy divorce and amicable settlement with joint custody agreement. He’s got it all on paper in a contract, and Merida reluctantly agrees. But once together and with the birth of their child, will love have time to blossom before their arrangement is up?

I enjoyed this story. Merida has worked so hard for her acting dream (and she’s quite good at it) that the pregnancy is a crushing reality. Though she could have had an abortion, she chooses to keep the baby, even without being able to contact Ethan with the news. Once they are together, Ethan seems clear that he wants to keep emotions out of the picture, even though they do rekindle their sexual relationship. Merida can play the gold digging wife, and the press certainly views her that way, but in her heart she does have feelings for Ethan though he doesn’t seem to return them.

Ethan has a complicated relationship with his father who is now terminally ill. His mother died when he was young, and the rumor is that his father had been having an affair with Ethan’s nanny which drove his mother away and to her death. After that his father remarried several times. As far as Ethan is concerned marriage leads to heartbreak but he won’t abandon his child so he plans a short lived marriage and tries to keep his heart intact. But eventually he realizes what he’s missing. There are sweet scenes with his newborn child, and a reconciliation with his father that make him want his marriage to be for real. Their happy ending is hard work but well deserved and it’s an enjoyable read.
 

Book Info:

Publication: Oct 16, 2018 | Harlequin Presents | One Night with Consequences

She gave him her innocence…

Now she’ll be his convenient bride!

Wherever ruthless billionaire Ethan Devereux goes, the press follow. So when he discovers the astonishing night he shared with talented actress Merida ended in pregnancy, he moves fast to contain the scandal. Suddenly Merida lands the biggest role of her career—playing the part of the loving Mrs. Devereux. But she knows the real challenge is pretending she can walk away from their electric chemistry…