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Claiming His Brother's Baby
His Brother's Family
Cassie Duncan knew it was only a matter of time until Tanner McCord tried to sell her house out from under her. Still, the single mom can't help but be touched by the sacrifices the handsome loner makes for her and her son, even babysitting when she's sick! She knows he's keeping secrets—after all, it runs in his family…
Tanner returned to his childhood home in Australia to settle his estranged brother's estate—not fall for the woman who'd borne his brother's son. But one look into Cassie Duncan's blue eyes, and the rancher's heart was lassoed good and tight. He wants to give Cassie everything she's been denied…but doing so means confessing the truth about his brother and might ruin their chances at true family…
Cassie Duncan knew it was only a matter of time until Tanner McCord tried to sell her house out from under her. Still, the single mom can't help but be touched by the sacrifices the handsome loner makes for her and her son, even babysitting when she's sick! She knows he's keeping secrets—after all, it runs in his family…
Tanner returned to his childhood home in Australia to settle his estranged brother's estate—not fall for the woman who'd borne his brother's son. But one look into Cassie Duncan's blue eyes, and the rancher's heart was lassoed good and tight. He wants to give Cassie everything she's been denied…but doing so means confessing the truth about his brother and might ruin their chances at true family…
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 16, 2014
16 people are currently reading
590 people want to read
About the author
Helen Lacey
164 books148 followersAbout Helen
Helen Lacey grew up reading Black Beauty, Anne of Green Gables and Little House on The Prairie. These childhood classics inspired her to write her first book when she was seven years old, a story about a girl and her horse. Although, it wasn’t until the age of eleven when she read her first Mills & Boon, that she knew wanted to write romances. Her parents’ love of travel meant she saw much of the world in those early years and she feels fortunate to have had a diverse and interesting education over several continents.
She continued to write into her teens and twenties with the dream of one day being a published author. A few years and careers later, including motel operator, florist, strapper, dog washer, and retail manager, she got the call from Harlequin Special Edition. She loves writing about tortured heroes, both cowboys and CEO’s, and heroines who finally get the love of the man of their dreams.
From Welsh parents and a large family, she lives on the east coast of Australia in a small seaside town at the southern most point of The Great Barrier Reef, with her wonderfully supportive husband, many horses, two cats and three spoiled dogs.
Helen Lacey grew up reading Black Beauty, Anne of Green Gables and Little House on The Prairie. These childhood classics inspired her to write her first book when she was seven years old, a story about a girl and her horse. Although, it wasn’t until the age of eleven when she read her first Mills & Boon, that she knew wanted to write romances. Her parents’ love of travel meant she saw much of the world in those early years and she feels fortunate to have had a diverse and interesting education over several continents.
She continued to write into her teens and twenties with the dream of one day being a published author. A few years and careers later, including motel operator, florist, strapper, dog washer, and retail manager, she got the call from Harlequin Special Edition. She loves writing about tortured heroes, both cowboys and CEO’s, and heroines who finally get the love of the man of their dreams.
From Welsh parents and a large family, she lives on the east coast of Australia in a small seaside town at the southern most point of The Great Barrier Reef, with her wonderfully supportive husband, many horses, two cats and three spoiled dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 21, 2021
The July 2021 #TBRChallenge theme is “Secrets and Lies.” This is not a trope I particularly care for, so I was definitely digging into the depths of Mount TBR to find something that might fit. Family secrets should fit the bill, at least the first part.
This story is very much what it says on the tin: Cassie Duncan is a brand-new mother looking at a life of uncertainty. Her boyfriend is dead, his brother is his heir, and it’s very likely that she’s going to lose the house she’s always called home. She’s wary of Tanner McCord because Doug, her boyfriend and Tanner’s brother, has always badmouthed Tanner, talking about him being moody and a loner who prefers the company of horses to people. So Cassie is shocked when Tanner turns out to be nothing as Doug said he’d be, and in fact he’s quite the opposite: confident, warm, comfortable in his own skin, and very much set on righting his brother’s mess of an estate and doing what’s best for her and her baby son.
Tanner is the holder of the secrets, most of which are about how much of an asshole Doug was in life – and, it turns out, in death. Doug did awful things to him while he was still alive, and even though he died a soldier’s heroic death in war, he had no intentions of marrying Cassie or supporting his son, which he made crystal clear to Tanner on more than one occasion that he didn’t even want. Doug’s grand plan was to leave Cassie and her baby with nothing, not even the house she resided in, and Tanner is bound and determined to do everything he can to intervene in that fate.
Tanner is basically the Ideal Boyfriend, and he’s definitely the best thing about this book. He’s lived with Doug’s awfulness for most of his life and has more or less resigned himself to it. He has complex feelings about his brother, and about Cassie as well, because he’s been carrying a torch for her for most of his life. They met briefly as teenagers and shared a kiss, a moment that Cassie doesn’t remember for most of the book – and when she does finally put two and two together, she flees from him.
Cassie is a mess. She’s never dealt with her issues, including Doug’s sudden death, and basically spends her time caring for her son and telling herself she’s unworthy of seeking the barest pleasures in life. She’s immediately attracted to Tanner and feels guilty about it; the more she learns of him (and their shared past), the more confused she is about her relationship with Doug and how much it’s complicating her life now. The truth about Doug comes out in drips and drabbles over the length of the story, and Cassie believes that he did, in fact, do some really heinous things – right up until the very last secret is revealed. She and Tanner finally give in to their feelings and start sleeping together (which revealed a major inconsistency in her character: for someone who supposedly never thinks about sex anymore, she was certainly quick to whip out the condoms and take the lead in every act of seduction), but then she learns that Doug wrote her a letter and Tanner refused to give it to her (with mighty good reason), and suddenly she’s all “I can never forgive you for keeping the truth from me!”
It was a bizarre late twist that was completely needless and only there in service of the plot, and it really didn’t make any sense that this is the one thing Cassie couldn’t believe , the one thing she holds against Tanner because he destroyed the letter instead of giving it to her. Are you serious right now? This man, right here in front of you, is everything you’ve ever wanted in your life, he’s even your first love, he’s offering you everything you’ve ever dreamed of, and you decide to throw that all away because he was trying to protect your feelings, and that somehow makes him the bad guy?!
What the actual fuck. This book loses stars over that not only because its stupid and inconsistent with her character thus far, but it shows her to be unworthy of him. Even her friends are like, WTF, why did you decide that’s the hill you want to die on??
He was right to leave, and right to make her grovel before taking her back.
I don’t know if I’m going to keep this book. I have a hard time parting with book boyfriends, but I have very little tolerance for idiotic heroines who are unable to get out of their own way.
The author is also a little too in love with the word “fractionally,” which is just an awkward adverb in and of itself, much less when trying to describe actions like smiling, shrugging, and breathing.
This story is very much what it says on the tin: Cassie Duncan is a brand-new mother looking at a life of uncertainty. Her boyfriend is dead, his brother is his heir, and it’s very likely that she’s going to lose the house she’s always called home. She’s wary of Tanner McCord because Doug, her boyfriend and Tanner’s brother, has always badmouthed Tanner, talking about him being moody and a loner who prefers the company of horses to people. So Cassie is shocked when Tanner turns out to be nothing as Doug said he’d be, and in fact he’s quite the opposite: confident, warm, comfortable in his own skin, and very much set on righting his brother’s mess of an estate and doing what’s best for her and her baby son.
Tanner is the holder of the secrets, most of which are about how much of an asshole Doug was in life – and, it turns out, in death. Doug did awful things to him while he was still alive, and even though he died a soldier’s heroic death in war, he had no intentions of marrying Cassie or supporting his son, which he made crystal clear to Tanner on more than one occasion that he didn’t even want. Doug’s grand plan was to leave Cassie and her baby with nothing, not even the house she resided in, and Tanner is bound and determined to do everything he can to intervene in that fate.
Tanner is basically the Ideal Boyfriend, and he’s definitely the best thing about this book. He’s lived with Doug’s awfulness for most of his life and has more or less resigned himself to it. He has complex feelings about his brother, and about Cassie as well, because he’s been carrying a torch for her for most of his life. They met briefly as teenagers and shared a kiss, a moment that Cassie doesn’t remember for most of the book – and when she does finally put two and two together, she flees from him.
Cassie is a mess. She’s never dealt with her issues, including Doug’s sudden death, and basically spends her time caring for her son and telling herself she’s unworthy of seeking the barest pleasures in life. She’s immediately attracted to Tanner and feels guilty about it; the more she learns of him (and their shared past), the more confused she is about her relationship with Doug and how much it’s complicating her life now. The truth about Doug comes out in drips and drabbles over the length of the story, and Cassie believes that he did, in fact, do some really heinous things – right up until the very last secret is revealed. She and Tanner finally give in to their feelings and start sleeping together (which revealed a major inconsistency in her character: for someone who supposedly never thinks about sex anymore, she was certainly quick to whip out the condoms and take the lead in every act of seduction), but then she learns that Doug wrote her a letter and Tanner refused to give it to her (with mighty good reason), and suddenly she’s all “I can never forgive you for keeping the truth from me!”
It was a bizarre late twist that was completely needless and only there in service of the plot, and it really didn’t make any sense that this is the one thing Cassie couldn’t believe , the one thing she holds against Tanner because he destroyed the letter instead of giving it to her. Are you serious right now? This man, right here in front of you, is everything you’ve ever wanted in your life, he’s even your first love, he’s offering you everything you’ve ever dreamed of, and you decide to throw that all away because he was trying to protect your feelings, and that somehow makes him the bad guy?!
What the actual fuck. This book loses stars over that not only because its stupid and inconsistent with her character thus far, but it shows her to be unworthy of him. Even her friends are like, WTF, why did you decide that’s the hill you want to die on??
He was right to leave, and right to make her grovel before taking her back.
I don’t know if I’m going to keep this book. I have a hard time parting with book boyfriends, but I have very little tolerance for idiotic heroines who are unable to get out of their own way.
The author is also a little too in love with the word “fractionally,” which is just an awkward adverb in and of itself, much less when trying to describe actions like smiling, shrugging, and breathing.
January 16, 2015
CLAIMING HIS BROTHER’S BABY by author Helen Lacey is a January 2015 release by Harlequin Special Edition.
Cassandra Duncan is a solo mum looking after her small baby and trying to make ends meet. Her baby’s father died in a covert mission while on duty. So meeting her dead fiancé’s estranged brother why did she feel a lingering sense of familiarity and awareness?
Tanner McCord never forgot the first girl he kissed when he was thirteen. When he is introduced to the girl again, she was his brother’s fiancée. But now with his brother dead, could there be something more between them? He came to settle his brother’s estate and see that Cassie’s baby get what he is entitled to from his dead brother’s estate. What would Cassie do when she finds out all the secrets Tanner has kept about his brother? Could she forgive him? Ever?
CLAIMING HIS BROTHER’S BABY is an emotional roller-coaster of a read. The chemistry between Cassie and Tanner is palpable. And the emotional intensity in the story would move a reader to tears many times. A reader would stay hooked to the pages from start to end. Author Helen Lacey did full justice to Cassie as a single mom. And she wrote a gorgeous yet sensitive hero in Tanner who readers would fall in love with. A truly sigh-worthy romance.
Highly recommended to all readers of romance.
February 4, 2015
I loved this one such a great emotional story two people that have so much to get over from their pasts and a link that brings them together. Cassie has always been protected by everyone and is happy to let that happen until she meets Tanner the brother of her son's father there is a lot of water under the bridge for both of them and Tanner is such a caring awesome hero loved the setting and catching up with people I have met in past books don't miss this one :)
February 13, 2015
Helen Lacey knows how to capture the hearts of her readers each and every single time! This time around we meet Cassandra , single mom and trying the best she can. Her baby's father died in a covert mission whilst on duty, and she has always known that his brother will one day come and pull her house out from under her and leave her world in pieces.
Only when Tanner McCord arrives it turns out he wants to give Cassie and the baby the very best they deserve , including a lifetime in his arms, but what will happen when he reveals the truth about his deceased brother?
A really, really lovely romantic story about a stunning couple that really got to my heart and will live there for a long time. Tanner was that classic " I love to hate this man but man I adore him so much too" kind of hero and totally melted my heart. And Cassie, shame poor Cassie it was tough reading about her single life experiences , I have been and still am in her position but somehow reading about what us single moms handle everyday made it very hard to read about, we move from day to day but don't really stop to think about it all, so Cassie 's insight into it all made it more real and broke my heart but it also made me very happy when she saw the light and it all worked out.
I recommend this read for all fans of romance, a lovely story about second changes and first time tries.
5/5 star review
" He has arrived to heal her broken heart, but will his secret break it all over again?"
Only when Tanner McCord arrives it turns out he wants to give Cassie and the baby the very best they deserve , including a lifetime in his arms, but what will happen when he reveals the truth about his deceased brother?
A really, really lovely romantic story about a stunning couple that really got to my heart and will live there for a long time. Tanner was that classic " I love to hate this man but man I adore him so much too" kind of hero and totally melted my heart. And Cassie, shame poor Cassie it was tough reading about her single life experiences , I have been and still am in her position but somehow reading about what us single moms handle everyday made it very hard to read about, we move from day to day but don't really stop to think about it all, so Cassie 's insight into it all made it more real and broke my heart but it also made me very happy when she saw the light and it all worked out.
I recommend this read for all fans of romance, a lovely story about second changes and first time tries.
5/5 star review
" He has arrived to heal her broken heart, but will his secret break it all over again?"
August 8, 2024
Romance scale.
Meh. Picked up from a Little Free Library and I will put it back! Appealing man with baby and Australia? New Zealand? setting but otherwise boring. Evil brother who was going to desert pregnant girlfriend gets killed before he can dump her, loving younger brother turns out to be mystery teenager who gave female protagonist her first kiss and turns out to be her love. Lots of tragedy for both of them but they don't seem to be terribly affected by it.
Meh. Picked up from a Little Free Library and I will put it back! Appealing man with baby and Australia? New Zealand? setting but otherwise boring. Evil brother who was going to desert pregnant girlfriend gets killed before he can dump her, loving younger brother turns out to be mystery teenager who gave female protagonist her first kiss and turns out to be her love. Lots of tragedy for both of them but they don't seem to be terribly affected by it.
January 10, 2019
I just loved it, it was very well written. Emotional, sensational. It was a story of you would experience in life, sadness, grief, happiness, betrayal, hate, love &.... The storyline, the characters were all so professionally developed. I give it 100 of 5 stars and I recommend it to all.
March 25, 2016
Cassie fell in love with Doug when he purchased her childhood home and allowed her to stay on as a tenant. Several years later and she's pregnant with his son and he's been killed in Iraq. His younger brother inherited the home and now Cassie is afraid of being a single mother without a place to live. What she doesn't expect is to find out how different Tanner is from how Doug described him. The secrets that Doug had are overwhelming and change her entire prospective on not only their relationship, but how she views her life.
Well written, emotionally driven plot, interesting characters. Very romantic in the "hero to the rescue" sort of way. I enjoyed the characters and the setting. The secondary characters helped to round out the story. Because of the emotional aspect, it wasn't a favorite for me, but readers who thrive on the drama in a relationship will love this book. Although it didn't say anywhere in the description or on the book, I felt like this was in a series and I stepped into the middle. It can be read as a stand alone, but it would be nice to fill in the gaps by reading the other book(s) first. Overall, it was a nice story, but had a bit too much emotional drama for me.
Well written, emotionally driven plot, interesting characters. Very romantic in the "hero to the rescue" sort of way. I enjoyed the characters and the setting. The secondary characters helped to round out the story. Because of the emotional aspect, it wasn't a favorite for me, but readers who thrive on the drama in a relationship will love this book. Although it didn't say anywhere in the description or on the book, I felt like this was in a series and I stepped into the middle. It can be read as a stand alone, but it would be nice to fill in the gaps by reading the other book(s) first. Overall, it was a nice story, but had a bit too much emotional drama for me.
June 15, 2016
In Claiming His Brother's Baby Tanner McCord travels to Australia to settle his late brother's estate and help Cassie Duncan the woman that gave birth to Doug's baby after he died. Doug left his estate to Tanner and it is up to him to figure out how to take care of Cassie and Oliver, her baby. Doug was a career military man and a great soldier but his civilian life was lacking in commitment.
Tanner is nothing like Doug described him to Cassie so his visit from start to finish is full of surprises, as they get to know one another and he falls in love with both Oliver and Cassie. This is a great romance full of revelations and set backs for Tanner and Cassie.
I want to thank Helen Lacey, author and Good reads First Reads Giveaway for my copy of Cherish 2 for 1 that had the copy of Claiming His Brother's Baby as one of the books in the anthology.
Tanner is nothing like Doug described him to Cassie so his visit from start to finish is full of surprises, as they get to know one another and he falls in love with both Oliver and Cassie. This is a great romance full of revelations and set backs for Tanner and Cassie.
I want to thank Helen Lacey, author and Good reads First Reads Giveaway for my copy of Cherish 2 for 1 that had the copy of Claiming His Brother's Baby as one of the books in the anthology.
February 5, 2015
They shared their first kiss but the next meeting after more than a decade brings them face to face as Tanner's brother's girlfriend. One time when Tanner feels envious of his brother.
Cassie is confused that she has these feelings for Tanner when she is in a relationship with his brother. That is simply not done.
But fate has its own ways to make things happen.
Thus, Tanner's brother, Doug, dies in line of duty leaving behind a pregnant girlfriend who he had all the intention of dumping.
Tanner has to sort out the chaos his brother has left behind and his heart is all set to make this wonderful family his own. All he must do is convince Cassie that he is the man for her and the father Oliver should have had.
Cassie is confused that she has these feelings for Tanner when she is in a relationship with his brother. That is simply not done.
But fate has its own ways to make things happen.
Thus, Tanner's brother, Doug, dies in line of duty leaving behind a pregnant girlfriend who he had all the intention of dumping.
Tanner has to sort out the chaos his brother has left behind and his heart is all set to make this wonderful family his own. All he must do is convince Cassie that he is the man for her and the father Oliver should have had.
September 25, 2015
Claiming His Brother's Baby by Helen Lacey. Cassie Duncan was living with Tanner McCord's older brother. He mainly came home to have sex with Cassie. He was in the Army. He left when she told him she was pregnant. He didn't want the baby or marriage. He died before the baby was born. Tanner knew his brother was no good. A lot happened between the brothers when they were growing up. Tanner wants to know his nephew, Oliver. Tanner flies to where Cassie and Oliver are living. Tanner has always liked Cassie. There is a connection between Cassie and Tanner. Because Tanner kept a letter to Cassie from his brother, Cassie says she can't trust Tanner. They love each other but afraid to say they do. A nice read.
March 27, 2015
Tanner McCord left his ranch in South Dakota and flew to Australia to settle his brother's estate. Doug had died serving his country. The lawyer could have handled this but Doug had a girlfriend who had just given birth to his son. In spite of some very bad history between Tanner and Doug, they still talked. Tanner knew exactly what Doug had planned to do about his girlfriend and her baby. Tanner just could not allow that to happen. He needed to handle this in person.
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January 12, 2016"Lacey’s poignant tale is about betrayal, trust and starting over. Their dilemma-fraught love story is an emotional roller coaster, but worth every remarkable, heart-stopping page" (RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 stars).
June 4, 2015
Won this Through Goodreads First Read.
Really enjoyed this book. Was fast of the mark and didn't give a massive character back story. Everything unfolded and was revealed as the story progressed. Will definitely read this one again.
Really enjoyed this book. Was fast of the mark and didn't give a massive character back story. Everything unfolded and was revealed as the story progressed. Will definitely read this one again.
February 8, 2015
A heartwarming and gripping story that serves up a platter of emotions so raw it feels real ! Helen Lacey is one author who never fails to deliver on an intense journey with her characters when it comes to storytelling.
Highly Recommended.
Highly Recommended.
January 12, 2015
This was really cute, I liked it. I base my rating compared to other harlequin stories.
August 3, 2018
217 pages
2 stars
2 stars
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews