Carrying His Secret

The Adair Affairs #1

by Marie Ferrarella

An Entertainment Weekly Top 10 Romance Author

USA TODAY bestselling author Marie Ferrarella unearths more scintillating secrets of the Adair family in her 250th book!

When Elizabeth Shelton finds her boss murdered, her life is thrown into turmoil. But nothing shocks her more than learning she's pregnant by the man's son. She kept her attraction to mogul Whit Adair hidden for years before their one-night tryst—and now she must keep another secret…

When the killer targets her next, Whit goes from her one-time lover to her full-time bodyguard. Taking her to his ranch for safekeeping, Whit discovers the truth about the baby. He offers his protection, but Elizabeth wants more—his love. For his child and its mother, he'll do anything—even take down a murderer…

Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Harlequin, Contemporary Romance, Suspense, Mystery, Harlequin Romantic Suspense

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 16, 2015

About the author

Marie Rydzynski-Ferrarella
aka Marie Charles, Marie Michael, Marie Nicole, Marie Ferrarella

Marie Rydzynski was born on March 28 in West Germany to Polish parents. She moved to America at the age of four. For an entire year, Marie and her family explored the eastern half of the country before finally settling in New York.

Marie swears she was born writing, "which must have made the delivery especially hard for my mother." From an early age, Marie's parents would find her watching television or tucked away in some private place, writing at a furious pace. "Initially, I began writing myself into my favourite shows. I was a detective on '77 Sunset Strip,' the missing Cartwright sibling they never talked about on 'Bonanza' and the 'Girl from U.N.C.L.E.' before there was a 'Girl from U.N.C.L.E.,' not to mention an active participant in the serialized stories of 'The Mickey Mouse Club.'" Marie began to write her first romance novel when she was 11 years old, although she claims that, at the time, she didn't even realize it was a romance! She scribbled off and on, while dreaming of a career as an actress.

Marie was only 14 when she first laid eyes on the man she would marry, truly her first love, Charles Ferrarella. During her days at Queens College, New York, acting started to lose its glamour as Marie spent more and more time writing. After receiving her English degree, specialising in Shakespearean comedy, Marie and her family moved to Southern California, where she still resides today.

After an interminable seven weeks apart, Charles decided he couldn't live without her and came out to California to marry his childhood sweetheart. Ever practical, Marie was married in a wash-and-wear wedding dress that she sewed herself, appliqués and all. "'Be prepared' has always been my motto,"the author jokes. This motto has been stretched considerably by her two children, Nikky and Jessi, "but basically, it still applies," she says.

In November of 1981, she sold her first novel for Harlequin. Marie, who now has written over 150 novels, has one goal: to entertain, to make people laugh and feel good. "That's what makes me happy," she confesses. "That, and a really good romantic evening with my husband." She's keeping her fingers crossed that her reader's enjoy reading her books as much as she enjoyed writing them.

Reviews

[Paula Legate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book kept my interest. The suspense was really good. Elizabeth worked as Reginald Adair's personal assistant. He owned a big company. Everyone was suppose to be out of the office, and Mr. Adair was suppose to be flying out of town. Elizabeth realized she forgot something back at the office, so she drove back to the office to get it. That's when she found that someone had shot her boss.
Elizabeth had shared a special connection to her boss's son Whit. The two spend a lot of time together in business meetings, and on trips. On one of those trips the passion over took them, resulting in Elizabeth getting pregnant.

There is no good time to tell Whit that she is pregnant. His father was just murdered, then they had the funeral. Someone is after Elizabeth, and Whit insist on keeping her safe, and protecting her. When he took her to his family's ranch, his sister and brothers all welcomed her with open arms. I could feel that they all really liked Elizabeth. His mother on the other hand, was a real piece of work. She was never a true mother to her kids.

The mystery as to who was after Elizabeth was solved. By the end of the book I still was not sure on who killed Mr. Adair. Whit did find out that he was going to be a dad. He had never seen real love. his parents fought all the time. He didn't think he could ever love Elizabeth. By the end of the book he did know for sure that he loved her, and couldn't live without her. I loved how protective he was. Over all this was a good book, with action, suspense, and romance.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Received an ARC for review

I've read Ms. Ferrarella before and enjoyed it. This one, not so much. It was a whole bunch of blah, blah, and a little more blah. There was a lot of vague talking about the sex they had in the past, but not a lot of doing it. I wanted to skip to the end to find out who shot her boss, but I didn't. Not that it matter there was no real conclusion to that, but a whole lot of unanswered questions. I'm guessing these questions will be answered in his siblings books. The one bright spot in this book was the epilogue, it saved it from being one star.

[Shatarupa Dhar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always wanted to do this!

https://sassyshaina.files.wordpress.c...

The Adair-Winston Family

Yes, make a family tree! And since neither of the ‘Adair’ series has one, I felt compelled to create one. Do let me know how it is, and whether it needs improvement (after reading all the books, of course)!

The reading order of the series is as follows:

“The Adair Legacy” (published 2014)

Her Secret, His Duty by Carla Cassidy
Executive Protection by Jennifer Morey
Special Ops Rendezvous by Karen Anders
Secret Service Rescue by Elle James
And then comes:

“The Adair Affairs” (published 2015)

Carrying His Secret by Marie Ferrarella
The Marine’s Temptation by Jennifer Morey
Secret Agent Boyfriend by Addison Fox
Heir to Murder by Elle James

Read the books in the above-mentioned order, and you are good to go!

Needless to say, as all the books in both the series come under the Mills & Boon imprint of ‘Romantic Suspense’, all of the above have tons of suspenseful action! Published a year apart, you can draw parallels between the books of the two series. There are many similarities in their storylines, and it surprised me a lot as nowhere it is given that there is any link between the two series, and I myself stumbled upon them almost a year apart! Thankfully, I had read ‘The Adair Legacy’ first; otherwise, it would have been a bit of a spoiler.

I love the way Kate’s character has been written and also how beautifully it has shaped up over the course of the 8 books. While all other characters are flitting in and out, she is the only constant. Even if briefly, she appears in all the books and makes her appearance count (always the ‘matchmaker’)! Also, being the former vice-president, you almost don’t expect the homey atmosphere of ‘Winston Estate’ which welcomes you to the books, especially in ‘The Adair Legacy’ series.

Both the series are the individual stories of three brothers and their sister, with the only exception being the sister’s daughter replacing her in ‘The Adair Legacy’ (which makes Kate a Grandma!)

Her Secret, His Duty (by Carla Cassidy)
(The Adair Legacy #1)
What I felt about this one is that it could have had a bit more romance. And the same goes for:
Carrying His Secret (by Marie Ferrarella)
(The Adair Affairs #5)
Appearing under the category of ‘Romantic Suspense’ these two appeared to have missed the romance a little.
Similarities: Both are classic M&B ‘secret’ pregnancy tropes with the eldest sons (Trey and Whit) heading their respective businesses while the female protagonists (Debra and Elizabeth) work for one of their parents (part office romance).

Executive Protection (by Jennifer Morey)
(The Adair Legacy #2)
And
The Marine’s Temptation (again, by Jennifer Morey)
(The Adair Affairs #6)
Similarities: The first one above has the lady convincing the man about falling in love while the second one is vice-versa. But of course, it is only if you narrow it down to that; otherwise, both the books are great to read.

Now’s where the order is getting a bit muddled, as far as similarities are concerned.
Special Ops Rendezvous (by Karen Anders)
(The Adair Legacy #3)
Secret Service Rescue (by Elle James)
(The Adair Legacy #4)
And
Secret Agent Boyfriend (Addison Fox)
(The Adair Affairs #7)
Heir to Murder (by Elle James)
(The Adair Affairs #8)
Similarities: While #4 and #7 have secret agents (Daniel and Derek) acting out as boyfriends to their respective female protagonists (Shelby and Landry) as a ruse for investigative purposes, #4 and #8 are all about long-lost identities (of Shelby and Jackson).

While the first series deals almost entirely with an ‘attempt to murder’, the second series deals with an ‘actual’ murder.

And one thing which is common to all of them is that ‘someone is always trying to kill someone’, so definitely suspenseful!

Special Mention: Be sure not to miss Elle James’ books as both of the titles will send you on a roller-coaster ride of nail-gripping action. (I am writing this while searching for more Elle James books. I have fallen in love with her writing!)

Boggled your brains? Well, read it out and then you will know!

Originally posted on:
https://sassyshaina.wordpress.com/201...

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carrying His Secret is by Marie Ferrarella. It is a Romantic Suspense and is an Adair Affairs book.

Elizabeth Shelton has a wonderful job working as Executive Assistant for Reginald Adair at AdAir Corp. She loves working for him and finds herself traveling and presenting information for him. In fact, she has a presentation on Monday and after working late, she finds she has left essential papers behind in her office. Since she needs these to work on the presentation, she goes back to AdAir to get them. Everyone left early today because they are having new security put in. As Elizabeth heads for her office, she passes Reginald’s office and sees the light is still on even though he was to catch an airplane quite soon. She knocks on the door and calls out to him but receives no answer. She discovers the door is unlocked and when she enters, she finds Reginald Adair on the floor in a pool of blood. He is barely alive but dies before the emergency group arrives. She is questioned by Detective Otis Kramer. She is a person of interest simply because she was the only one in the office and supposedly only called it in. Kramer takes her to the police station to be questioned.
Whit Adair is the son of Reginald Adair and works for AdAir. He wants his Father’s attention just once. He wants him to say he has done a good job at something. Reginald doesn’t have much interaction with his children, except for the youngest daughter, Landry. Whit works long and hard for the company and gets no recognition of it by his father. However, when he learns of the death of his Father, he is devastated and angry. He gets angrier when he finds out Elizabeth is questioned as a suspect. He goes to the station and gets her released. Knowing Elizabeth, he knows she would be unable to kill anyone, much less Reginald.
While Whit and Elizabeth try to find the murderer, they realize she is also being targeted. Who would want to kill her and why? She has only one secret which she plans to reveal when the time is right. The only one affected would be Whit by her secret. A bigger secret is revealed in Reginald’s will when the children find out they have an older brother, Jackson, somewhere out in the world. They need to find him for answers and because he now owns ¼ of AdAir. Can Whit find out who killed his father and why before Elizabeth is targeted? Can they find Jackson?

[Opal Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Filled with angst, passion and keep-you-on-your-toes turns. LOVED this one. When a book pulls me in and keeps me turning pages until the very end...and I neglect housework for it....It's a winner that I will be sharing with friends. Carrying His Secret was one for me.

While I am not normally one for romantic suspense, the blurb pulled me in and I am SOOO glad I read it :)

*I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.*

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I send my thanks to Marie Farrarella and Goodreads First Reads Giveaway for my copy of Carrying His Secret that I won in the Giveaway.

Carrying His Secret starts with a murder, a surprize dividend from a one-night stand and two people with emotional issues due to the way they were raised. Emotions, several attempted murders, revelation of family secrets and a love found kept the action moving. I enjoyed the twists and turns in the plot and the happy ending.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good start to the new series. It begins when Elizabeth, executive assistant to Reginald Adair, discovers him shot and dying in his office. She is questioned long and hard by the police who consider her to be a person of interest, before she is rescued by Whit Adair, her boss's son. Besides the shock of her boss's murder, Elizabeth is dealing with another surprise. She is pregnant with Whit's baby.

Elizabeth has been attracted to Whit since she started working for his father five years earlier. They've worked together numerous times, and she's always been able to keep a lid on her feelings. Unknown to her, Whit has been just as interested in her, but has a rule that he doesn't get involved with coworkers. Then one night they were stranded together because of a storm and gave in to the attraction. Neither knew how to deal with it the next day, so they just pretended it didn't happen - until Elizabeth discovered she was pregnant.

Whit suddenly has a lot to deal with. As the oldest, he has been the one most involved in the business. He has always worked extra hard, hoping to get the approval of his father, who was an emotionally distant man. Now that chance is gone, and he must deal with his grief as best he can. He finds himself relying on Elizabeth a lot, bringing his attraction to her back to the surface, even though he tries to subdue it. When he finds her being held for questioning in his father's murder, all his protective instincts kick in. When it becomes apparent that she's being targeted by his father's killer, Whit is determined to keep her safe, and takes her to the family ranch to protect her.

Elizabeth isn't convinced at first that she's in danger, but gives in to Whit's demands. All she wants to do is keep her pregnancy secret until a better time comes to inform Whit of his impending fatherhood. Being on the ranch and in his company makes it hard to keep her feelings hidden. She is reluctant to tell him about the baby for fear he'll want to "do the right thing". She doesn't want to be an obligation, she wants his love. When she is attacked at the ranch, her pregnancy is revealed, and she finds her fears realized. She isn't sure how she is going to be able to resist giving in to him, but knows she must if she wants a chance to be happy.

I liked Elizabeth's determination to hold out for love. She knew her own feelings, and that they would have to be shared for her to be happy. I also liked the way she was so worried about him when his dad was killed. She could see that he was burying his feelings and wanted to help him. I loved seeing her do everything in her power to make things easier on him. Whit is used to burying his feelings. His family life hadn't been that great, with an emotionally distant father and a self-centered mother who had no interest in her children. He has no experience with love and what it feels like. He does know that being with Elizabeth is important to him. He's stunned by news of her pregnancy and more so by her refusal to marry him. Knowing she's in danger makes him even more determined to keep her with him. Nearly losing her makes him realize just what his feelings really are.

There is a lot going on in this first book, as it sets things up for the series. First is the murder of Whit's father. There are also the attacks on Elizabeth, presumably by the killer, who may think that she saw something. At the reading of the will, Whit and his siblings discover that their father had been married before, and that they have an older half brother who was kidnapped as a baby and never found. They are determined to find him themselves. They also have to deal with their mother, who is a really nasty piece of work, especially to Elizabeth. By the end of the book, the search is still on for their brother, which will most likely go on through the series. Elizabeth's attacker has been discovered, but gets away, so will probably make a reappearance, and while the identity of the murderer is suspected, as yet there is no proof. The rest of the series should be good.

[Bookish Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this novel. After continuously reading long, heavily invested novels it was nice to take a dip into something lighter. I really liked Carrying His Secret. Though I felt like it lacked depth I didn’t really mind. This was exactly the kind of book I wanted to read. Light, quick to read and no strings attached, as in when I finished the book, it didn’t leave me feeling emotionally drained or anything like that. I ended the book with a satisfactory smile.

Carrying His Secret progressed nicely. It was slow paced, the suspense part built up with just the right amount of anticipation to keep me interested in the mystery, but, I felt like the romantic part was fell flat. It would have been nice to see them romantically involved earlier on in the novel. Don’t misunderstand, they were involved throughout the novel but weren’t properly together—no lovey dovey kisses or caresses—until the end. It wasn’t until the last minute Whit and Lizzy fully hooked up. Granted, I’m a hopeless romantic so I love that kind of stuff.

I’ve never really enjoyed Mills and Boon books in the past. But Carrying His Secret was a game changer for me. I really enjoyed it and I can easily say that I'd tune in for book 2. The characters were likeable, the plot had a solid foundation and I love the cover.

Here’s the but: Carrying His secret lost out on a higher rating because of the lack of depth. Though I enjoyed it despite this, it still felt like something was missing from the book. I understand that with a short book it can be difficult to incorporate, however, we need a little more depth.

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shelly's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

Elizabeth crosses the line while on a business trip and enjoys a night of bliss with her boss’s son and a man she wants more with. But when her boss ends up dead, she becomes the person of interest to the police and to the murderer; Whit steps up to be her bodyguard.

Whit knows he crossed a line with Elizabeth one night, but doesn’t realize what that one night really left them both with. After finding out Elizabeth is a person of interest to the police does Whit realize that he wants to protect her and keep her safe? Little things happening are leading to bigger discoveries and neither of them is prepared for what is to come.

I enjoy Marie Farrarella’s books but thought this one was missing a little more background. It was a good book; made you think about who the murderer was, but I felt it needed a little more background on the main characters. This is a first in a series and I am looking forward to reading about the secondary characters in this series.

Review copy provided for an honest review.

[Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
Disappointed.
Hero didn't show any emotional depth at all. Even towards the end there was a scene where though he ran to search for the heroine he got involved in something else and later when he found the heroine he said that he was really worried and that he loved her.NO connection whatsoever then how can he say that he loves her when a few pages before only he said that he cant love anyone.

[Janet Hendricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adair Affair

Whit Adair had a one night long affair with his father's executive assistant, Elizabeth? Now she's carrying his baby. Can Whit convince her to marry him? And, BTW, who is trying to kill Elizabeth?

[Lisa Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put it down!

Can’t wait to read the next book in the series! Great mystery with some twists and turns. Looking forward to finding out of my suspicions are correct!

[Julianne King · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story. Several ridiculous phrases that almost made me stop reading "the forbidden fruit label had been peeled off. She was no longer forbidden to him." Will not reread.

[Lacey's Love of Literature · Rating 3 out of 5]

Link to Blog: http://laceysloveofliterature.blogspo..." target="_blank">
This was an incredibly sweet, short read. I absolutely loved the simpleness of this book - no angst or unnecessary drama between the heroine and the hero.

After finding her boss dying on his office floor from a gunshot wound to the chest, Elizabeth is appalled to be dragged to the police station to be interrogated about how she came about finding Mr. Adair's body. They think she's a suspect behind the murder of her boss - that she was having an affair with him. That is far from the truth, it's damn laughable to Elizabeth. She's pregnant with the bosses' son - after one drink too many and a raging storm making them incapable of leaving their hotel, one thing leads to another, and results in a baby!

All Whit Adair wanted was his father's approval - he wanted his father to tell him how proud of him he was. But his father was murdered before he could his approval. When hearing that Elizabeth is being questioned in relation to his father's murder, he heads straight down to the police station to rescue Elizabeth.

Ever since that night, Whit has been avoiding Elizabeth - but he can't no longer. His father's murderer has Elizabeth in their sights, and is looking to create a double homicide. So, Elizabeth is staying with his family until they catch the killer - but the killer may be closer than they think...

The chemistry and love between these two was simply adorable - when Whit found out Elizabeth was pregnant, but didn't know the baby was his, you could literally see the jealousy pouring off of him.

Can I just say how much I hated his bitchy mother - I mean, how spoilt can an old lady get?! I was like, someone needs to bitch-slap you and take you down, not a couple of pegs, but how about a couple of freaking feet!

And that twist! Did not expect that. I thought it might have been the lost older brother, out of jealousy and bitterness!

ARC RECIEVED IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW

[Njkinny (Njkinny's Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carrying His Secret by Marie Ferrarella had me intrigued because of the promise of a solid romantic suspense and because it is a book by Marie Ferrarella whose books I have taken a liking to!

The blurb is interesting and add the title and cover to this mix and you get a solid Harlequin romantic suspense.

The story started on a thrilling and dangerous note when the main heroine Elizabeth accidentally finds her boss dying in his office when she returns to get some papers and from then her life is in danger because the murderer thinks that she has witnessed the murder and so knows his identity!
Fearful for her life, her boss' son Whit comes to her rescue and takes her to his home to protect her.

Elizabeth and Whit have a history and she is carrying his child but hasnt told him yet. So amidst all the mystery with a killer running loose and the quest to know his identity, we have two people who love each other but are afraid to take their relationship forward.

I loved the characters in this book right from the start. Elizabeth is a strong woman who is not only independent but also very mature. While she loves Whit, she also knows that he is her boss' son and so out of her league. Whit is the responsible son and has always been attracted towards Elizabeth but is afraid to move forward. When these two are thrown together due to circumstances, it was fun as well as emotional to watch them stumble and find their way to a happily-ever-after together!

I also loved the other Adair children and know that I am eager to read their own stories. They are so gracious towards Elizabeth and welcome her in their home.

The story moves at a fast pace and held me captive throughout. I loved the expert way in which the author balanced the mystery and suspense with the romance. She kept me guessing the identity of the killer and the end towards which the hero-heroine were headed.

A thorough entertainer, I loved reading Carrying His Secret by Marie Ferrarella and give it 4 stars out of 5. Go read and enjoy this lovely romantic suspense. Recommended to all suspense and romance lovers.

I received the book from the publishers via Netgalley and I am very thankful to them. The above review is my honest and unbiased opinion and in no way influenced.
This review is also available on Njkinny's World of Books & Stuff

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
Wow Congratulations on 250th book! I want to read the next book about the Adair family. Lots of suspense, there is one storyline that continues onward. I have couple ideas about but don't know anything. There are two other mysteries in the story who killed Reginald Adair and who is trying to harm Elizabeth.

I like the Adair children of Reginald that we have met. They sure are welcoming to Elizabeth in there home. I would like to see more of them.

Elizabeth had left some papers at the office and went back for them. The building was empty but she saw her boss had left his light on. She entered to check because he was supposed to be on a plane. Instead she found him dying on the floor.

Elizabeth has no family and she just found out she was pregnant and the boss's son was the father. She was going to hold off telling him. It was only a one night stand.

Whit was shocked that his dad was murdered. He was also mad the police were holding Elizabeth as a suspect because she found the body. Whit was not close to either parent. He has not stopped thinking of Elizabeth and when someone slashed all four tires he brought her home to the family ranch.

There is lots of drama, suspense, a few love scenes, some action and a fast read that leaves you wanting to read more about the Adair family. I did figure out who was trying to kill Elizabeth early, but I think we were supposed to.

I was given Carrying his Secret by Net Galley and Harlequin. In return I agreed to give a honest review of it.

[Monica Cardoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

One night of passion, one murder leads to a bodyguard to can it just maybe lead to her death.

This was a very good quick read that I enjoyed. It was a read that piqued my interest because for one there was a murder, then someone was trying to kill her but most of all there was a man that had no idea that his world was able to tilt. But she was a woman that didn’t sleep with someone unless she had feelings for him and when it came to marriage she would only marry someone when there was love. I love that even though there really wasn’t too much detail about who these two characters were besides one being a very loyal employee and the other the son of a very well known man who was also the son of the man who was murdered. There are some twists and turns that I wouldn’t have thought would be coming but it was a good start to a new series.

Nonetheless, this was a perfect story for anyone looking for a quick romance with some suspense. I can’t wait to see what is in store for the Adair family because there is still one secret that needs to be solved and something else that needs to be dealt with.

Received ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an Honest Review

[Jen_C · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this author's work and this is her 250th book so I had to read it. Technically it is fine. I just did not like the characters in this one as much as those in her other books so I can't rate it super high. I would rather have had more details about their initial night together and interactions with each other than so many details about the murder and the detective etc., however, that is the drawback when reading a series written by multiple authors. They have to info dump and set up the other books.

“It’s very possible,” he replied, obviously preoccupied.
“Tell me, Detective, do you ever get splinters, sitting on the fence like that?” Whit asked him.

Besides, what kind of homicidal maniac steals a woman’s lipstick case? That doesn’t even make a good souvenir.”
“I don’t know,” Whit answered, frustrated and exasperated with both himself and what was going on. He didn’t like not being in control of things. “Maybe this guy didn’t read the homicidal maniac’s handbook on proper procedure and doesn’t know what makes a good souvenir and what doesn’t.”

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review first appeared on my blog http://loriscreativity.blogspot.com/2...

Would I recommend it?
Yes, I would recommend this book if you have the time to read the other books in the series, if not, then you should probably pass on it Don't get me wrong, I really did like the book, but I feel like there's something missing, I just didn't enjoy it enough to give it 5 stars.

I think I'll go ahead and give the second book in the series a shot, but I'm not getting my hopes up.Honestly, I just wanna see what happens in the search for the murderer and the missing heir.

Overall it was a good book, it was something to pass the time when I couldn't sleep. I liked the books plot, but for me to give it a 5 I needed more details and answers.

Thank you Harlequin via Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Lisa F · Rating 3 out of 5]

what kept me intrigued in the book was who was trying to kill Elizabeth. I felt there could have been more depth and evidence, more investigating. I mean the police were involved for like 5 mins after the multimillionaire was shot, there was no searching for the killer after he was killed or even any mention of the murder weapon. the cops accused Elizabeth then nada, it started off so strong this book but slipped after about 30%

I enjoyed the romance part of it and the fact she was pregnant I just wish we had more information about that it was kind of ah she's pregnant and sick end of. Elizabeth got on my nerves at the end when she didn't want whit to confront or get his mother arrested for nearly killing her and her unborn child or that she may have killed her husband!!! how ridiculous no-one is that bloody sweet.


a good plot although I guessed early on who was the villan. it was ok this book unfortunately wasn't anything great :(

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a huge Marie Ferrarella fan. I loved this book. This book focuses on Elizabeth Shelton, Whit Adair, the murder of Reginald Adair, and who if anyone is after Elizabeth. There are times I wanted to smack Whit for being dense, but it is explained and understandable. I would have liked Elizabeth's background explained a little more, however I completely understand that there is limited amount of space. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Keep in mind that this is the first book in a multi-author series, so there is a series arc and a story arc.

Disclaimer: Won in a giveaway. I received this book for free from the publisher through Goodreads First Reads. This review also appears as is on Goodreads and Harlequin.

Note: This review is a work in progress and maybe edited in the future.

[SuperWendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The opening chapter is fantastic, and after that? It all kind of slid downhill for me. The interaction between the cops and the heroine felt "off." The romance was underdeveloped (we're told the hero and heroine share a past and that somehow translates into "being in love," but it's all tell and no show). I also wanted the heroine to grow a darn spine in regards to the hero's vile mother - and let me tell you how frustrated I was that she never, ever does. Ugh.

That all being said? I thought the secret baby/pregnancy angle was handled well, and the first chapter is dynamite (did I say that already?). I also got sucked into the murder mystery which means I'm at least going to read the next book in the series to see how things develop.

[Janell Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is written by 4 different authors. Each book has it's own story line but there is one giant story arc that runs through each book. Basically each book is a companion novel. They each have their own hero & heroine. I personally like to read all the books in a series and I'm a stickler for reading them in order. Technically you could read each as a standalone but the larger story arc grows with each novel. This series hasn't thrilled me but I've enjoyed it. This is the book that really caught my attention. I'm a sucker for secret babies. I really liked Whit & Elizabeth. This was the perfect beginners novel, with introducing the secondaries and getting a feel for the series. I couldn't wait for the rest of the books, if nothing else to see more Whit & Elizabeth.

[Maggie Hesseling · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read the cavanagh series before, but nothing of Farrarella's novels outside of that. This novel is not only good, but really interesting. The characters immediately suck you into the story, but the fast paced plot is what keeps you hooked. I wish the ending had been a little more drawn out, but I think the questions that I have will be answered in the next few novels of the series. I can't wait!

[Wendy Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy book to read, good storyline, suspense and romance.

Elizabeth finds her boss murdered, is pregnant by the bosses son, Whit, who doesn't know yet and now she is being targeted. This brings Whit to the rescue to try to keep her safe.

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Ella Albweitel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has action,drama, a long lost son and a crazy mother! The love scenes were good as well. I wish something's had been cleared up more but that just means Elizabeth and Whit can get another book!

[Gina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book as a first read. The prose is well written but the dialogue is contrived. The characters were fairly one dimensional and the story was cliche. It would've been nice to see something a bit more original.

[ceecee · Rating 1 out of 5]

I usually like Harlequin books, but for some reason this book just didn't do anything for me. The book had too many holes throughout that left me, as the reader, hoping for closure. Alas, the book ended with an obvious cliffhanger on multiple levels leaving me frustrated.

[Harlequin Books]

received 4 stars @ RT Book Reviews
Miniseries: The Adair Affairs

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

FTC Disclosure: I received this book free from Goodreads hoping I would review it.