What do you think?
Rate this book
Pregnant by the Rival CEO
It was just business. And then she got pregnant…
Anna Langford is ready to be CEO of the family business, but her brother won't give up control. When she sees the opportunity for a major deal, she goes for it, even though it means working with Jacob Lin, her brother's former best friend, the guy she's never quite gotten over—the man her brother now despises. A successful venture capitalist, Jacob makes ruthless moves. And Anna has given him the perfect chance to take revenge on her brother…
What starts as business turns into romance—until Anna learns of Jacob's motives. And an unplanned pregnancy presents them both with the greatest challenge they've ever faced.
Anna Langford is ready to be CEO of the family business, but her brother won't give up control. When she sees the opportunity for a major deal, she goes for it, even though it means working with Jacob Lin, her brother's former best friend, the guy she's never quite gotten over—the man her brother now despises. A successful venture capitalist, Jacob makes ruthless moves. And Anna has given him the perfect chance to take revenge on her brother…
What starts as business turns into romance—until Anna learns of Jacob's motives. And an unplanned pregnancy presents them both with the greatest challenge they've ever faced.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 5, 2016
About the author
Karen Booth
313 books542 followersKaren Booth is a Midwestern girl transplanted in the South, raised on 80s music and repeated readings of Forever by Judy Blume. She writes steamy contemporary romance and women's fiction. When she isn't creating fictional hunky men and the women who test them, she's listening to music with her kids, honing her Southern cooking skills or sweet-talking her astoundingly supportive husband into whipping up a batch of cocktails.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 6, 2026
3.5 stars
I usually pick up a category romance when I’m in the mood for soapy levels of drama involving a European tycoon MMC and a scrappy but downtrodden FMC, but this book flipped ALL of that.
Anna and Jacob’s relationship development was surprisingly solid, and I liked how balanced their power dynamic felt. And there was still a lot of soapiness to the plot, so I wasn’t disappointed on that front. 🤣
Unfortunately I had to take major points off for the third act — the main conflict was resolved in a handwave-y way, and also the whole reason for Jacob being a ‘rival CEO’ didn’t get resolved at all?! It left the book feeling a bit unfinished.
I usually pick up a category romance when I’m in the mood for soapy levels of drama involving a European tycoon MMC and a scrappy but downtrodden FMC, but this book flipped ALL of that.
Anna and Jacob’s relationship development was surprisingly solid, and I liked how balanced their power dynamic felt. And there was still a lot of soapiness to the plot, so I wasn’t disappointed on that front. 🤣
Unfortunately I had to take major points off for the third act — the main conflict was resolved in a handwave-y way, and also the whole reason for Jacob being a ‘rival CEO’ didn’t get resolved at all?! It left the book feeling a bit unfinished.
May 3, 2016
I loved this...and it has an Asian hero! Yipppppeeee!
This was my first "Desire" by Harly. I read a boat-load of Harlequin Presents, but never Desire. TBH, I'm not sure what the difference is. HPs seem to have more heat. Is that it?
Anyway, this book was a big surprise. Booth's writing is lovely..."lips that suggested sweetness and hinted of a storm." Ohhhhhh. I like that phrase. In fact, I liked a lot of her phrases. Her writing impressed the hell out of me.
This is well-written, well-constructed, had a believable love story that progressed at just the right pace, and had lots of wonderful romantic moments and sentiments.
I wish the hero's ethnic identity had been addressed a bit more...it was touched on, but not really integral to the story.
Overall I really adored this book and will definitely be reading more Karen Booth. Nice!
Grade: A
This was my first "Desire" by Harly. I read a boat-load of Harlequin Presents, but never Desire. TBH, I'm not sure what the difference is. HPs seem to have more heat. Is that it?
Anyway, this book was a big surprise. Booth's writing is lovely..."lips that suggested sweetness and hinted of a storm." Ohhhhhh. I like that phrase. In fact, I liked a lot of her phrases. Her writing impressed the hell out of me.
This is well-written, well-constructed, had a believable love story that progressed at just the right pace, and had lots of wonderful romantic moments and sentiments.
I wish the hero's ethnic identity had been addressed a bit more...it was touched on, but not really integral to the story.
Overall I really adored this book and will definitely be reading more Karen Booth. Nice!
Grade: A
October 18, 2025
Nice read . Like both Jacob and Anna.
Family feud, secret dating, surprise pregnancy . Epilogue was a bit disappointing.
Family feud, secret dating, surprise pregnancy . Epilogue was a bit disappointing.
December 17, 2015
4.5 Star. Full review to be posted on Heroes & Heartbreakers. This was one of those perfect reads. Great hero, great heroine. Solid plot with perfect twists. If you like romance at all, check this one out.
December 7, 2015
“Pregnant by the Rival CEO” is the 2nd installment of Karen Booth’s Langford Family. We caught a peek at Anna in “That Night with the CEO” and I admit that I was very curious about her. Well she certainly did not disappoint in this book. Nobody puts Baby in a corner!
Anna Langford is waiting patiently to take over as CEO of her father’s company. Her brother, Adam, has been leading LangTel since the passing of her father. However, he has had lot of pressure to keep the company going and Anna is ready for her turn to shine. She is definitely inspiring and an intellectual. Anna is confident and determined, and I love her will to see her family’s company shine better than before. She also has desires and wants, a family and a love of her own.
Well she gets the crazy idea to get in bed with Jacob Lin. Good lordy gracious is this man so well written and described. Booth once again writes her leading man battered in gorgeous, rolled in intelligence, sprinkled with spunk, and a nice dipping sauce of sweetness to boot. He gets pulled in, rather willingly, by Anna and he just can’t let go.
This story is simply divine. There are twists and turns that made me think I was at theme park. The Jacob Lin ride was rather delightful and I look forward to riding that one again *wink*. This book is definitely romance made hard, a diamond forged by past pain and family rivalry, but it shines so bright in the end.
Get your own copy to read and you will fall in love with this story of Anna’s rise to the top…of Jacob, I mean her career. Limited Edition sizzling, motorcycling Jacob Lin is not included. He’s already mine.
*I received a free copy of this book for a honest review*
Anna Langford is waiting patiently to take over as CEO of her father’s company. Her brother, Adam, has been leading LangTel since the passing of her father. However, he has had lot of pressure to keep the company going and Anna is ready for her turn to shine. She is definitely inspiring and an intellectual. Anna is confident and determined, and I love her will to see her family’s company shine better than before. She also has desires and wants, a family and a love of her own.
Well she gets the crazy idea to get in bed with Jacob Lin. Good lordy gracious is this man so well written and described. Booth once again writes her leading man battered in gorgeous, rolled in intelligence, sprinkled with spunk, and a nice dipping sauce of sweetness to boot. He gets pulled in, rather willingly, by Anna and he just can’t let go.
This story is simply divine. There are twists and turns that made me think I was at theme park. The Jacob Lin ride was rather delightful and I look forward to riding that one again *wink*. This book is definitely romance made hard, a diamond forged by past pain and family rivalry, but it shines so bright in the end.
Get your own copy to read and you will fall in love with this story of Anna’s rise to the top…of Jacob, I mean her career. Limited Edition sizzling, motorcycling Jacob Lin is not included. He’s already mine.
*I received a free copy of this book for a honest review*
Read
January 28, 2016'It’s satisfying when a couple builds upon a genuine friendship to fall in love — it makes the journey more of an investment for the reader. This captivating romance appeals on many levels, from the forbidden lovers angle to the strong, dynamic characters" (RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 stars TOP PICK!).
February 23, 2021
Super cute, with really excellent characters and just generally good. I wanted to rate this a lot higher, but the ending felt as if Booth had hit the whatever the Harlequin word limit is and so the editors just chopped off the back half of the book. The penultimate chapter is the book is basically them discovering who has concocted the dastardly plot to take over the company and the next chapter is the epilogue where everything has been fixed and everyone is friends now. Maybe that’s supposed to be covered in another book, which could be fun, but it really messed up this one.
May 21, 2020
L’idea di partenza della storia non era male anche se di certo non originale, ma non mi ha soddisfatto il modo in cui è stata sviluppata.
In alcuni parti si dilunga troppo mentre sembra quasi sorvolare in altre dove sarebbe stato meglio, invece, un maggior approfondimento.
Peccato perché la sensazione finale è quella di una storia piatta, amorfa, scritta senza infamia e senza lode.
In alcuni parti si dilunga troppo mentre sembra quasi sorvolare in altre dove sarebbe stato meglio, invece, un maggior approfondimento.
Peccato perché la sensazione finale è quella di una storia piatta, amorfa, scritta senza infamia e senza lode.
February 2, 2016
Very good reunion story. Anna first made her appearance in the previous book, That Night With the CEO, as Adam's younger sister. She wants to be the CEO of the family business, and at the end of the last book, Adam had promised that the job would be hers as soon as he could make it happen. Unfortunately, he seems to have forgotten that promise. Increasingly frustrated, when she sees the chance to make a huge deal, she is determined to go for it. The biggest problem is that it entails working with Jacob, her brother's former best friend and the man she had once loved.
Jacob can't believe it when Anna comes to him with a business proposition. For the last six years he has been working toward taking his revenge on Adam, and Anna is about to give him the perfect shot at it. He doesn't expect the girl he had given up to have become a woman who makes him want to give it all up. But one night in her arms has him trying to find a way to stop that runaway train before it ruins everything.
I loved Anna. She isn't afraid to go after what she wants, professionally or personally. She knows that going to Jacob would be looked at as a betrayal by her brother, but she can't think of another way to get what she wants. She also knows that she is going to have to keep tight control over her emotions, because she has never forgotten the way she felt about him.
I loved the way that they reconnected so quickly, almost as if they had never been apart. Their ride on Jacob's motorcycle had the heat that had been simmering between them burst into a full boil. Though they agreed that their one night couldn't be repeated, that vow lasted only a few days before they couldn't stay away from each other. Over the next few weeks they spent as much time together as they could, with their relationship growing deeper each day. Because of the bad blood between Jacob and Adam, he and Anna kept their relationship secret.
All that secrecy begins to wear on Anna, and she finally tells Adam the truth, only to find out that Jacob is behind a group of investors trying to take over the business. Because he had been trying to find a way to call off the takeover, he had never told Anna what was going on. Heartbroken and feeling betrayed, Anna breaks off her relationship with Jacob, only to discover a short time later that she is pregnant with Jacob's baby.
Anna's conscience, and best friend, won't let her keep that information from Jacob. I loved Jacob's reaction and how he is determined to be a part of Anna and the baby's life. The scene at the doctor's office, both with his protectiveness and how emotional they both got when they heard the baby's heartbeat, was really sweet.
I loved Jacob's determination to win Anna back. He has realized that his feelings for Anna are far more important than any kind of revenge, but is it too late? He has continued his attempts to make things right, and eventually finds the information he needs to do so. That information provides a very interesting twist to the story, Jacob's big moment brings everything to a satisfying end.
As much as I liked Adam in the first book, in this one I spent most of my time feeling like Anna should hit him with a very hard blunt object. He was really obnoxious to her and to almost everyone around him. I was a bit frustrated that we never really got an explanation of what had caused the rift between Adam and Jacob. I also hope that Aiden gets his own story, as his part in this one seemed too easily fixed.
Jacob can't believe it when Anna comes to him with a business proposition. For the last six years he has been working toward taking his revenge on Adam, and Anna is about to give him the perfect shot at it. He doesn't expect the girl he had given up to have become a woman who makes him want to give it all up. But one night in her arms has him trying to find a way to stop that runaway train before it ruins everything.
I loved Anna. She isn't afraid to go after what she wants, professionally or personally. She knows that going to Jacob would be looked at as a betrayal by her brother, but she can't think of another way to get what she wants. She also knows that she is going to have to keep tight control over her emotions, because she has never forgotten the way she felt about him.
I loved the way that they reconnected so quickly, almost as if they had never been apart. Their ride on Jacob's motorcycle had the heat that had been simmering between them burst into a full boil. Though they agreed that their one night couldn't be repeated, that vow lasted only a few days before they couldn't stay away from each other. Over the next few weeks they spent as much time together as they could, with their relationship growing deeper each day. Because of the bad blood between Jacob and Adam, he and Anna kept their relationship secret.
All that secrecy begins to wear on Anna, and she finally tells Adam the truth, only to find out that Jacob is behind a group of investors trying to take over the business. Because he had been trying to find a way to call off the takeover, he had never told Anna what was going on. Heartbroken and feeling betrayed, Anna breaks off her relationship with Jacob, only to discover a short time later that she is pregnant with Jacob's baby.
Anna's conscience, and best friend, won't let her keep that information from Jacob. I loved Jacob's reaction and how he is determined to be a part of Anna and the baby's life. The scene at the doctor's office, both with his protectiveness and how emotional they both got when they heard the baby's heartbeat, was really sweet.
I loved Jacob's determination to win Anna back. He has realized that his feelings for Anna are far more important than any kind of revenge, but is it too late? He has continued his attempts to make things right, and eventually finds the information he needs to do so. That information provides a very interesting twist to the story, Jacob's big moment brings everything to a satisfying end.
As much as I liked Adam in the first book, in this one I spent most of my time feeling like Anna should hit him with a very hard blunt object. He was really obnoxious to her and to almost everyone around him. I was a bit frustrated that we never really got an explanation of what had caused the rift between Adam and Jacob. I also hope that Aiden gets his own story, as his part in this one seemed too easily fixed.
January 18, 2016
Back in August I read a wonderfully well written romance by Author Karen Booth called That Night With The CEO... it was so awesome I was salivating waiting to see if she was going to revisit these characters that I had fallen in love with... well guess what she did...
Pregnant By The Rival CEO came out this month and once again Karen Booth stuns the reader with her ability to create fascinating characters that grab your heart and attention and don't let go.
This time Adam's little sister Anna and his former best friend Jacob singe your fingertips as they set fire to the pages of Pregnant By The Rival CEO.
Anna had always had a thing for her brothers best friend growing up so she finally decided to do something about it only thing was Jacob lived by the man code that wouldn't let him do anything with his best friends little sister.... months later that friendship is over and Jacob leaves their life as the hatred and animosity between the two former friends takes over....
Six years later Jacob and Anna are back in each others lives and keeping it a secret from her family.... what has started out as business has become much more and about to become even more when fate and a broken condom interfere.
With her family struggling to save their business as a takeover is eminent and it looking like the man she has fallen in love with is behind it Anna does the only thing she feels right under the circumstances and breaks up with Jacob, only to find out the impossible has happened and the girl who couldn't get pregnant has gotten pregnant.
With a problem pregnancy on the horizon Anna is forced to tell Jacob she's pregnant knowing that in the business world everyone would soon find out.
What will they do about the love they still feel for one another? What will they do about her family? and most important what will they do about the baby? If the baby even has a chance of surviving...
For me this was an easy romance to fall in love with.... it continued on with a family I had already met and fallen in love with before and it was written by an author I have come to love but it also had the added troupe that I love, best friends falling in love for his best friends little sister...and motorcycles and pregnancy's to boot....
This is another must read for anyone who like Karen Booths writing and her last book , That Night With The CEO. So run out and grab a copy today... and don't worry of you haven't read That Night With The CEO because Pregnant By The Rival CEO is a stand alone romance that holds its own !!!
The only thing I was left wanting to know was when are we gonna learn more about their brother Aiden and read his romance? Fingers crossed Karen Booth plans to do that because I'm already itching to read it!
Pregnant By The Rival CEO came out this month and once again Karen Booth stuns the reader with her ability to create fascinating characters that grab your heart and attention and don't let go.
This time Adam's little sister Anna and his former best friend Jacob singe your fingertips as they set fire to the pages of Pregnant By The Rival CEO.
Anna had always had a thing for her brothers best friend growing up so she finally decided to do something about it only thing was Jacob lived by the man code that wouldn't let him do anything with his best friends little sister.... months later that friendship is over and Jacob leaves their life as the hatred and animosity between the two former friends takes over....
Six years later Jacob and Anna are back in each others lives and keeping it a secret from her family.... what has started out as business has become much more and about to become even more when fate and a broken condom interfere.
With her family struggling to save their business as a takeover is eminent and it looking like the man she has fallen in love with is behind it Anna does the only thing she feels right under the circumstances and breaks up with Jacob, only to find out the impossible has happened and the girl who couldn't get pregnant has gotten pregnant.
With a problem pregnancy on the horizon Anna is forced to tell Jacob she's pregnant knowing that in the business world everyone would soon find out.
What will they do about the love they still feel for one another? What will they do about her family? and most important what will they do about the baby? If the baby even has a chance of surviving...
For me this was an easy romance to fall in love with.... it continued on with a family I had already met and fallen in love with before and it was written by an author I have come to love but it also had the added troupe that I love, best friends falling in love for his best friends little sister...and motorcycles and pregnancy's to boot....
This is another must read for anyone who like Karen Booths writing and her last book , That Night With The CEO. So run out and grab a copy today... and don't worry of you haven't read That Night With The CEO because Pregnant By The Rival CEO is a stand alone romance that holds its own !!!
The only thing I was left wanting to know was when are we gonna learn more about their brother Aiden and read his romance? Fingers crossed Karen Booth plans to do that because I'm already itching to read it!
January 6, 2016
Slick's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
I always love it when a couple who has some history reconnect as adults and in Pregnant by the Rival CEO author Karen Booth dishes up an engaging, complex and sexy story with a big twist of fate. The minute I started this book I was hooked and it was simply impossible to put down.
Anna Langford has one goal in mind and that is becoming CEO of Langtel, her family's telecom company that has been floundering since her father's death. Her brother Adam was named CEO, but he has other things he wished to pursue, but getting the board of directors to appoint a woman is not easy, so Anna intends to broker a deal for a new piece of technology that will revolutionize that cell phone world. Her only problem the man who can help her get that technology his her brother's ex-best friend and the man she once had a huge crush on.
This was an action packed story with the threat of corporate takeovers, a secret romance and a pretty big betrayal. Anna Langford knows she much seek out Jacob Lin to secure the technology she wants but in doing so she also knows it will be hard to not acknowledge the incident that broke her young heart or the fact that she's never quite gotten over him. It was interesting watching these two reconnect as adults and trying desperately to not give in to their attraction for one another. Their history allowed them to connect quite easily and the sense of familiarity made it easy for them to move from friends to lovers. With Jacob still at odds with Anna's brother, Adam and secrets that could tear them apart there was a sense of unease through a lot of this book which only made the intensity between Jacob and Anna that much stronger.
I'm a big proponent of honesty in a relationship so I had a bit of a problem with Jacob's reasoning for not cluing Anna in on his plans, but it did lead to a much needed confrontation and some good came out of it so I was able to let it go. Most of all I enjoyed seeing Jacob realizing there was more to life than ruthless takeovers and business 24/7 and that things he never thought he wanted in his life suddenly became everything he needed.
Exciting, action packed and flat out sexy Karen Booth's Pregnant by the Rival CEO is a fantastic addition to this series.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
I always love it when a couple who has some history reconnect as adults and in Pregnant by the Rival CEO author Karen Booth dishes up an engaging, complex and sexy story with a big twist of fate. The minute I started this book I was hooked and it was simply impossible to put down.
Anna Langford has one goal in mind and that is becoming CEO of Langtel, her family's telecom company that has been floundering since her father's death. Her brother Adam was named CEO, but he has other things he wished to pursue, but getting the board of directors to appoint a woman is not easy, so Anna intends to broker a deal for a new piece of technology that will revolutionize that cell phone world. Her only problem the man who can help her get that technology his her brother's ex-best friend and the man she once had a huge crush on.
This was an action packed story with the threat of corporate takeovers, a secret romance and a pretty big betrayal. Anna Langford knows she much seek out Jacob Lin to secure the technology she wants but in doing so she also knows it will be hard to not acknowledge the incident that broke her young heart or the fact that she's never quite gotten over him. It was interesting watching these two reconnect as adults and trying desperately to not give in to their attraction for one another. Their history allowed them to connect quite easily and the sense of familiarity made it easy for them to move from friends to lovers. With Jacob still at odds with Anna's brother, Adam and secrets that could tear them apart there was a sense of unease through a lot of this book which only made the intensity between Jacob and Anna that much stronger.
I'm a big proponent of honesty in a relationship so I had a bit of a problem with Jacob's reasoning for not cluing Anna in on his plans, but it did lead to a much needed confrontation and some good came out of it so I was able to let it go. Most of all I enjoyed seeing Jacob realizing there was more to life than ruthless takeovers and business 24/7 and that things he never thought he wanted in his life suddenly became everything he needed.
Exciting, action packed and flat out sexy Karen Booth's Pregnant by the Rival CEO is a fantastic addition to this series.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
January 2, 2016
I was definitely hooked on reading this book when I saw the title of this one! Right from the start, I knew there'd be an interesting premise in this book from Karen Booth.
Anna Langford (Adam Langford's sister from That Night With The CEO) has been interested in her brother's best friend Jacob Lin since ...forever. But a feud between Adam and Jacob put an end to anything that might happen between them.
Six years later, Anna decides to take a chance on Jacob, even though she knows it will cause problems with her brother. It doesn't take much for Anna and Jacob to end up in bed, and once they do, their continued relationship puts them at risk of losing it all. Business takeover rumors push things to a head, and well, things get rough for the lovely power couple. Oh, and I did I mention a surprise pregnancy?
Karen Booth does a skillful job of constructing a believable and very heart-warming situation between business rivals here and I loved that the most about this story. The beginning was a bit a slow for me, and it wasn't until these two get between the sheets that this story took off for me.
I liked how this story was connected to the previous release That Night With The CEO. Pregnant by the Rival CEO is a great addition to the Langford family story. I hope there will be more.
Overall, Pregnant by the Rival CEO is a sweet romantic story perfectly sized for an afternoon read.
ARC provided for review.
Anna Langford (Adam Langford's sister from That Night With The CEO) has been interested in her brother's best friend Jacob Lin since ...forever. But a feud between Adam and Jacob put an end to anything that might happen between them.
Six years later, Anna decides to take a chance on Jacob, even though she knows it will cause problems with her brother. It doesn't take much for Anna and Jacob to end up in bed, and once they do, their continued relationship puts them at risk of losing it all. Business takeover rumors push things to a head, and well, things get rough for the lovely power couple. Oh, and I did I mention a surprise pregnancy?
Karen Booth does a skillful job of constructing a believable and very heart-warming situation between business rivals here and I loved that the most about this story. The beginning was a bit a slow for me, and it wasn't until these two get between the sheets that this story took off for me.
I liked how this story was connected to the previous release That Night With The CEO. Pregnant by the Rival CEO is a great addition to the Langford family story. I hope there will be more.
Overall, Pregnant by the Rival CEO is a sweet romantic story perfectly sized for an afternoon read.
ARC provided for review.
December 26, 2015
Gostei... história bem interessante e que prende a atenção do leitor. Rivalidade nos negócios, briga entre familiares, amor proibido, gravidez não planejada.
June 10, 2016
Loved it.
May 16, 2017
Anna Langford is certain she can’t get pregnant. Her insides are badly scarred because of an appendectomy, literally choking off the possibility of conception unless she has surgery. She’s a busy career woman so she just hasn’t had time to schedule the needed operation. Thus, when she goes on a business trip with Jacob Lin, her brother’s one-time friend turned arch-nemesis, she tumbles into bed with him because a) she’s just looking for a hot time with a guy she’s had a major crush on…for years and b) she’s certain she can’t get pregnant.
And cue the sound of one hand clapping—against my face.
When the condom breaks during their sexy time, he’s suitably terrified. He does not want to have kids, nope, no way, no sirree bob, and she quickly picks up on his horror at the thought that he might have accidentally impregnated her. Then why does Anna go running to him when she learns that—surprise!—she actually did get pregnant? She thinks he has the right to know.
Um, no. Why do we go flinging around the word “right” all the time? The Constitution allows people only three basic civil rights—life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Everything else is gravy. According to the late great George Carlin, even those basic things are under question, since anything that can be taken away from you isn’t a right; it’s a privilege.
Anna learned from that first moment in bed with Jacob that he doesn’t want to be a father. So why tell him, especially since, at this point, she’s not even certain she can carry the baby to term? She can tell her brother, mother and the rest of her extensive family if she wants warmth and family concern. She’s got wealth and privilege so she doesn’t have to worry about money. Why get him mixed up if it’s not necessary?
But it’s not my story. It’s not reality at all. She went for a business meeting and had sex with him as an added bonus. She was certain pregnancy was virtually impossible except that it wasn’t. He didn’t want to be a father and then did an abrupt volte-face and decided that, hey, maybe fatherhood isn’t so bad. Anna wanted to be a business woman and a mommy and miraculously got both.
It’s good that Anna is a capable businesswoman although she had to wait for her brother to loosen the reins to make her a co-CEO. It’s great that she gets to have her cake and eat it too. I just prefer that the path to the requisite happy ending didn’t have such predictable stepping stones you could tread it blindfolded.
And cue the sound of one hand clapping—against my face.
When the condom breaks during their sexy time, he’s suitably terrified. He does not want to have kids, nope, no way, no sirree bob, and she quickly picks up on his horror at the thought that he might have accidentally impregnated her. Then why does Anna go running to him when she learns that—surprise!—she actually did get pregnant? She thinks he has the right to know.
Um, no. Why do we go flinging around the word “right” all the time? The Constitution allows people only three basic civil rights—life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Everything else is gravy. According to the late great George Carlin, even those basic things are under question, since anything that can be taken away from you isn’t a right; it’s a privilege.
Anna learned from that first moment in bed with Jacob that he doesn’t want to be a father. So why tell him, especially since, at this point, she’s not even certain she can carry the baby to term? She can tell her brother, mother and the rest of her extensive family if she wants warmth and family concern. She’s got wealth and privilege so she doesn’t have to worry about money. Why get him mixed up if it’s not necessary?
But it’s not my story. It’s not reality at all. She went for a business meeting and had sex with him as an added bonus. She was certain pregnancy was virtually impossible except that it wasn’t. He didn’t want to be a father and then did an abrupt volte-face and decided that, hey, maybe fatherhood isn’t so bad. Anna wanted to be a business woman and a mommy and miraculously got both.
It’s good that Anna is a capable businesswoman although she had to wait for her brother to loosen the reins to make her a co-CEO. It’s great that she gets to have her cake and eat it too. I just prefer that the path to the requisite happy ending didn’t have such predictable stepping stones you could tread it blindfolded.
June 28, 2017
Fun read. Heroine is also an executive, the Asian hero is her childhood crush, and they have to work out how to balance business and pleasure to get their HEA, since the hero is also, you know, seeking revenge on the heroine's brother.
The one sticking point for me was a heroine who had every reason to distrust the hero but put up resistance to him even where it didn't seem warranted. There's a lot of "You don't really mean what you're saying," even when it was plain he was being honest. There's plenty of other conflict between the characters; this extra bit of conflict felt unnecessary.
Other than that, thumbs up.
The one sticking point for me was a heroine who had every reason to distrust the hero but put up resistance to him even where it didn't seem warranted. There's a lot of "You don't really mean what you're saying," even when it was plain he was being honest. There's plenty of other conflict between the characters; this extra bit of conflict felt unnecessary.
Other than that, thumbs up.
April 27, 2018
Anna wants to be CEO of her family's business but her "Big Brother" does not want to turn over the reins. She turns to his ex best friend and tries to get a big deal going only to fall in love with Jacob. Adam is furious when he finds out and forbids her to see him anymore. Well, mother nature has other plans and she ends up pregnant after being told she could not get pregnant. Jacob has started plan to take over her business but after falling for her backs out of deal but her estranged brother steps in to keep plan going. In the end, they all work things out and are finally happy. Look forward to next book in this series.
April 19, 2025
Everytime I thought this book couldn’t get more insane, it just kept escalating and she didn’t even realize she was pregnant yet! Shout out to my friend for finding this in those take a book leave a book community boxes and for a little relief from the world with some silly reading incredulity.
**I’ve read spicier, a little surprised how tame it was
**I’ve read spicier, a little surprised how tame it was
October 27, 2019
Çıkarın beni bu bataktan. Birini bitirip diğerini okuyorum. Buraya girmediğim bir sürü beyaz dizi bitirdim.
April 3, 2025
Libro come sempre harmony ninna nanna .
Lui carinello , lei intraprendente . Rivalsa ? Forse si ? Funziona ? Sni .Quando le trame ti raccontavano già tutto . E anche i titoli in lingua .
Lui carinello , lei intraprendente . Rivalsa ? Forse si ? Funziona ? Sni .Quando le trame ti raccontavano già tutto . E anche i titoli in lingua .
February 7, 2016
I've read and enjoyed Karen Booth's novels before so when she asked if I'd review Pregnant by the Rival CEO, I quickly agreed. And Booth didn't disappoint. While Pregnant by the Rival CEO differed from the previous novels I'd read (those were aging rock star romances) she proved that she can deliver compelling characters no matter the setting and a pleasurable story as well.
Anna Langford and Jacob Lin shared an easy friendship and one kiss ages ago. But since Jacob's best friend was Anna's brother, Adam, he rebuffed Anna's advances. Then Jacob and Adam's friendship hit the skids and Anna thought she'd never see him Jacob again. Six years later, Jacob appears back in her life as she tries to land a business deal that will cement her place as CEO of her family's company.
I am completely delighted with this story. Booth delivered fairly robust characters in Anna, Jacob, and Adam. Anna is no shrinking violet. She knows what she wants and sets out to get it - in both business and pleasure. Jacob, despite being ruthless in his career, is an honorable man. And Adam seems exactly as overprotective and overbearing as any older brother would be. The business dealings felt very realistic as well - right along with the tension Anna felt in thinking of how Jacob and Adam would react to one another. The romance developed at a nice pace - as did the whole story. And I felt the predicament Anna and Jacob found themselves in - an unexpected prenancy - was also portrayed realistically.
Pregnant by the Rival CEO is a feel-good romance. It's a quick read with the perfect blend of drama and romance. And I'm left very curious about Anna's brothers, Adam (who has his own book already) and Aiden. I'm looking forward to getting better acquainted with the Langford family.
**I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.**
Anna Langford and Jacob Lin shared an easy friendship and one kiss ages ago. But since Jacob's best friend was Anna's brother, Adam, he rebuffed Anna's advances. Then Jacob and Adam's friendship hit the skids and Anna thought she'd never see him Jacob again. Six years later, Jacob appears back in her life as she tries to land a business deal that will cement her place as CEO of her family's company.
I am completely delighted with this story. Booth delivered fairly robust characters in Anna, Jacob, and Adam. Anna is no shrinking violet. She knows what she wants and sets out to get it - in both business and pleasure. Jacob, despite being ruthless in his career, is an honorable man. And Adam seems exactly as overprotective and overbearing as any older brother would be. The business dealings felt very realistic as well - right along with the tension Anna felt in thinking of how Jacob and Adam would react to one another. The romance developed at a nice pace - as did the whole story. And I felt the predicament Anna and Jacob found themselves in - an unexpected prenancy - was also portrayed realistically.
Pregnant by the Rival CEO is a feel-good romance. It's a quick read with the perfect blend of drama and romance. And I'm left very curious about Anna's brothers, Adam (who has his own book already) and Aiden. I'm looking forward to getting better acquainted with the Langford family.
**I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.**
August 5, 2016
I read this book out of sequence, i.e., before I read THAT NIGHT WITH THE CEO, which was Anna's brother's story. I also read this book before reading any reviews, because I wanted a clean read, without being on the lookout for things other reviewers had commented on.
What did I love? I loved that Jacob was an unconventional hero. And by that I mean he was half Asian. That was a risky move on Karen Booth's part, but I thought she handled it beautifully. I also loved Anna and her determination to succeed.
What didn't I love? It's funny, because I used to read Desires a lot, but I haven't read them with any regularity in a long, long time. The short word count demands a quicker resolution of the conflict(s) keeping the hero and heroine apart, and that's an issue for me now, where it wasn't an issue years ago.
That said, I still loved PREGNANT BY THE RIVAL CEO because Karen Booth does such a wonderful job creating memorable characters. Her dialog sparkles with wit and believable humor, but at the same time she tugs at your heartstrings -- not an easy thing to do! I definitely recommend PREGNANT BY THE RIVAL CEO, and I'll be waiting impatiently for Karen Booth's next book.
What did I love? I loved that Jacob was an unconventional hero. And by that I mean he was half Asian. That was a risky move on Karen Booth's part, but I thought she handled it beautifully. I also loved Anna and her determination to succeed.
What didn't I love? It's funny, because I used to read Desires a lot, but I haven't read them with any regularity in a long, long time. The short word count demands a quicker resolution of the conflict(s) keeping the hero and heroine apart, and that's an issue for me now, where it wasn't an issue years ago.
That said, I still loved PREGNANT BY THE RIVAL CEO because Karen Booth does such a wonderful job creating memorable characters. Her dialog sparkles with wit and believable humor, but at the same time she tugs at your heartstrings -- not an easy thing to do! I definitely recommend PREGNANT BY THE RIVAL CEO, and I'll be waiting impatiently for Karen Booth's next book.
January 19, 2016
I really loved this book Karen! My first book of yours was the one in series prior to this which I liked very much BUT this one was my favorite thus far! I don't know what it was about THIS book ... I couldn't put it down ... Excellent job with pregnancy storyline that had me in tears & anxious to know the outcome. To think I grabbed this from my TBR pile as sweet quick read having just finished a final book in 8 piece series that left me with a serious book hangover , WOW... Never underestimate the power of a short HQ desire book!❤️
March 7, 2016
This book has great conflict that kept me turning pages. The title tells you the main conflict. Anna and Jacob are grown ups dealing with a difficult situation. I would have liked the epilogue happening a little later so we could meet the baby. I liked the feeling of inevitability of them coming together; I could feel the magnetic pull.
July 31, 2016
Started reading this and fund myself hooked. I haven't read the other book involving the main character Anna Langford's brother Adam. However, after reading about Anna and Jacob Lin's relationship I may look the other book up.this is stood book!
September 4, 2022
Read this per a Goodreads recommendation. Besides the few slight mentions of this character being "Asian," there was no real way of telling. The feud was anticlimactic and the ending was too neat for all the fussing in the beginning. Sexy time was very PG.
December 28, 2015
Excellent romance, loved the interaction between characters.
December 27, 2015
Quick read. First part of the story was good. The resolution?
January 30, 2016
I really enjoyed this nice and simple read.
January 5, 2016
Cute book with Asian hero
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews