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Farrellton Foster Family #1
Betrayed
What happens when your best friend betrays you? Can you forgive a teenage mistake?
When ESTHER WOODHALL steps out of a hotel lift and sees a glorious naked man standing by the concierge, all her sense tingle. As she looks up at his face, her heart sinks. Jordan, her neighbour and best friend, the man who abandoned her eight years ago after she tricked him into sex to escape a forced marriage with an older man. Caught in the act and thrown onto the streets took her from one bad situation into another. Homeless and pregnant, a wonderful foster family took her in, but the friendship with Jordan was broken beyond repair. For the past eight years, she’s worked hard to create a decent life for her and her profoundly deaf daughter, Ashia. Will he forgive her when he finds out the truth?
For the past eight years, JORDAN STOJANOV has stayed away from Sydney where he grew up. An important business trip reinforces his frustrations when he ends up naked in a hotel lobby. The last person he expects to see is Esther—the very reason he left eight years ago—and he doesn’t expect the chance meeting to change everything. Jordan believed she destroyed their friendship, and when he hears the truth, he must reconsider his assumptions. Throw in a new chemistry between him and Esther, and their old friendship has grown into a fierce sensual fire. The revelation that he has a daughter is an added complication, and Jordan rearranges his life to meet Ashia, except not everything is quite as it seems. Can he move beyond his past to claim the future he yearns for?
When ESTHER WOODHALL steps out of a hotel lift and sees a glorious naked man standing by the concierge, all her sense tingle. As she looks up at his face, her heart sinks. Jordan, her neighbour and best friend, the man who abandoned her eight years ago after she tricked him into sex to escape a forced marriage with an older man. Caught in the act and thrown onto the streets took her from one bad situation into another. Homeless and pregnant, a wonderful foster family took her in, but the friendship with Jordan was broken beyond repair. For the past eight years, she’s worked hard to create a decent life for her and her profoundly deaf daughter, Ashia. Will he forgive her when he finds out the truth?
For the past eight years, JORDAN STOJANOV has stayed away from Sydney where he grew up. An important business trip reinforces his frustrations when he ends up naked in a hotel lobby. The last person he expects to see is Esther—the very reason he left eight years ago—and he doesn’t expect the chance meeting to change everything. Jordan believed she destroyed their friendship, and when he hears the truth, he must reconsider his assumptions. Throw in a new chemistry between him and Esther, and their old friendship has grown into a fierce sensual fire. The revelation that he has a daughter is an added complication, and Jordan rearranges his life to meet Ashia, except not everything is quite as it seems. Can he move beyond his past to claim the future he yearns for?
- GenresRomanceContemporary
186 pages, ebook
First published February 20, 2019
80 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
About the author
Renée Dahlia
75 books75 followersRenée Dahlia is an unabashed romance reader who loves feisty women and strong, clever men. Her books reflect this, with a side-note of awkward humour. Renée has a science degree in physics. When not distracted by the characters fighting for attention in her brain, she works in the horse racing industry doing data analysis. When she isn’t reading or writing, Renée spends time with her partner, four children, and volunteers on the local cricket club committee.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 20, 2020
This series centers around people that were given a start in life via an extended foster family in Sydney. In this one Jordan, an extremely successful businessman, unexpectedly encounters Esther, the woman he feels betrayed him years earlier when they were both teenagers. He's also the father of Esther's daughter, but he has no idea about her.
These two have an extremely complicated shared history with an extremist religious cult and very different impressions of their shared history, and an even more complicated present with Jordan living overseas but still wanting to be present in the life of his daughter. On top of all that Jordan and Esther spark with sexual attraction and mild kink. It's quite impressive how much is crammed into this one short novel. I will say that this book needed either another editing pass or more beta readers, because there were quite a few simple mistakes, but it was still well worth reading.
I picked up a few books from this author after seeing her withdraw from the 2020 RITAs as part of the 2019/20 RWA implosion. The books sounded interesting and I've had little exposure to the Australian romance writing community.
These two have an extremely complicated shared history with an extremist religious cult and very different impressions of their shared history, and an even more complicated present with Jordan living overseas but still wanting to be present in the life of his daughter. On top of all that Jordan and Esther spark with sexual attraction and mild kink. It's quite impressive how much is crammed into this one short novel. I will say that this book needed either another editing pass or more beta readers, because there were quite a few simple mistakes, but it was still well worth reading.
I picked up a few books from this author after seeing her withdraw from the 2020 RITAs as part of the 2019/20 RWA implosion. The books sounded interesting and I've had little exposure to the Australian romance writing community.
February 16, 2019
This is the story of two people who had grown up together, neighbours and best friends until one betrayed the other and both went in separate ways both lead very different lives, and now maybe fate has bought them back together, this story is really well written and takes in some controversial subjects, that effect people in life today and MS Dahlia has done it well.
Esther Woodhall grew up in what most people would see as a normal church going family, but if people looked closer they would see that the church in their family rules and Esther was not always happy, but she had her best friend and neighbour Jordon, they spent a lot of time together talking about life in general, Jordon and his family belonged to the church as well but yes Jordon was male. Just before Esther turned fourteen her life changed dramatically and at the age of sixteen she did something that was desperate and in the end left her alone and pregnant, eight years later she runs into her friend Jordon.
Jordon Stojanov felt so deceived and betrayed when Esther encouraged him into her bed and then wouldn’t have anything to do with him, and with his family falling apart, at eighteen he did what he thought was right and took off to Hong Kong to study engineering and he has done well he now owns his own company but he has never forgotten his best friend Esther, and to say he is stunned when eight years later he ends up naked in a hotel lobby and Esther is there.
I really enjoyed this story but is it hot and steamy and there is BDSM in this one, Ester and Jordon have a very explicit sexual and emotional journey to a beautiful HEA, but this story deals with the emotions that these two have gone through in the past and opens them up in the now, Esther and her daughter Ashia have struggled with Ashia’s deafness and trying to make ends meet, Jordon has done well and lives well but he also has things that he needs to come to terms with, but to win Esther over he has to work hard she is a very strong and independent woman now who knows what she wants for herself and her daughter. This is a story that had me turning the pages, and I look forward to more in this series.
Esther Woodhall grew up in what most people would see as a normal church going family, but if people looked closer they would see that the church in their family rules and Esther was not always happy, but she had her best friend and neighbour Jordon, they spent a lot of time together talking about life in general, Jordon and his family belonged to the church as well but yes Jordon was male. Just before Esther turned fourteen her life changed dramatically and at the age of sixteen she did something that was desperate and in the end left her alone and pregnant, eight years later she runs into her friend Jordon.
Jordon Stojanov felt so deceived and betrayed when Esther encouraged him into her bed and then wouldn’t have anything to do with him, and with his family falling apart, at eighteen he did what he thought was right and took off to Hong Kong to study engineering and he has done well he now owns his own company but he has never forgotten his best friend Esther, and to say he is stunned when eight years later he ends up naked in a hotel lobby and Esther is there.
I really enjoyed this story but is it hot and steamy and there is BDSM in this one, Ester and Jordon have a very explicit sexual and emotional journey to a beautiful HEA, but this story deals with the emotions that these two have gone through in the past and opens them up in the now, Esther and her daughter Ashia have struggled with Ashia’s deafness and trying to make ends meet, Jordon has done well and lives well but he also has things that he needs to come to terms with, but to win Esther over he has to work hard she is a very strong and independent woman now who knows what she wants for herself and her daughter. This is a story that had me turning the pages, and I look forward to more in this series.
April 6, 2023
Overall rating: 1 stars
Genre: Surprise Baby Romance
Plot: 7/10
Ending: 4/10
Writing: 2/10
Enjoyment: 1/10
Hero: 1/10
Heroine: 3/10
Supporting Characters: wasn't any
Humour: No
Sex: Yes
Feels: No
HEA:
Thoughts: I wanna start by saying I couldn't write a book of my own so I commend any author for taking the leap and trying, but I should've DNF'd at 25% but I wanted to see Jordan's reaction to finding out about what happened to Esther when he left but it didn't happen until near the end.
The writing is what let this down, it had potential but the descriptions of mundane things really wound me up. Why did we need a paragraph on a bus tracking app? I'd realised what I was in for by 4% when we got
"The white porcelain toilet shone like an oasis in the desert, a nirvana of necessity among the harshness of his desperation."
I mean, WHY?? Wtf is that all about? Parts like that were constant through the whole book so it was a bit of a let down after having it recommended.
Genre: Surprise Baby Romance
Plot: 7/10
Ending: 4/10
Writing: 2/10
Enjoyment: 1/10
Hero: 1/10
Heroine: 3/10
Supporting Characters: wasn't any
Humour: No
Sex: Yes
Feels: No
HEA:
Thoughts: I wanna start by saying I couldn't write a book of my own so I commend any author for taking the leap and trying, but I should've DNF'd at 25% but I wanted to see Jordan's reaction to finding out about what happened to Esther when he left but it didn't happen until near the end.
The writing is what let this down, it had potential but the descriptions of mundane things really wound me up. Why did we need a paragraph on a bus tracking app? I'd realised what I was in for by 4% when we got
"The white porcelain toilet shone like an oasis in the desert, a nirvana of necessity among the harshness of his desperation."
I mean, WHY?? Wtf is that all about? Parts like that were constant through the whole book so it was a bit of a let down after having it recommended.
October 22, 2021
It was okay.
June 30, 2025
The FMC, Esther, was a trip. Let me explain.
Esther and Jordan are childhood friends and neighbours who grew up in the same church. When Esther is 16, she learns that her parents are planning to marry her off to a much older member of their church, so she decides to derail those plans by losing her virginity to Jordan.
Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding, Esther and Jordan lose contact with one another, and she ends up having to raise the daughter that they conceived as a single mother.
Fast forward 8 years, Esther and Jordan run into each other at a hotel, and this is where the majority of the story takes place.
While Jordan went on to become very successful, Esther struggled to carve out a career as a real estate agent and juggle motherhood. She mentions a few times that she has worked really hard to get where she is, but then it's noted in the story that she has a 1 bedroom apartment and that she sleeps on the couch so that her daughter has her own room. (False pride?)
Esther is also irrationally prejudiced and bitter towards Jordan. Whilst I can understand that she felt abandoned, they weren't in a relationship, and he wasn't aware of their daughter.
She seems to begrudge his success, money, and gender as she makes a few comments that reek of anti-male sentiment (e.g., Esther refuses to let Jordan meet their daughter until he agrees to some strict rules, like not revealing that he is her father and not taking her picture and putting it on social media because, "Men in business do better than childless men. I won't let you use my daughter in that way." She also tells him he was lucky to be "born with a penis." WTF???
What kind of sexist, mental gymnastics brings someone to that deluded conclusion???
In addition to the above, Esther very much expects to have the first and last say on their daughter (fine) and their relationship. She doesn't want Jordan spending money on either herself or their daughter as she feels it would be a means for him to manipulate her (she tends to assume the worst about him in every scenario).
If I were Jordan, I would have petitioned the court for joint legal and physical custody. She was a total train wreck.
Esther and Jordan are childhood friends and neighbours who grew up in the same church. When Esther is 16, she learns that her parents are planning to marry her off to a much older member of their church, so she decides to derail those plans by losing her virginity to Jordan.
Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding, Esther and Jordan lose contact with one another, and she ends up having to raise the daughter that they conceived as a single mother.
Fast forward 8 years, Esther and Jordan run into each other at a hotel, and this is where the majority of the story takes place.
While Jordan went on to become very successful, Esther struggled to carve out a career as a real estate agent and juggle motherhood. She mentions a few times that she has worked really hard to get where she is, but then it's noted in the story that she has a 1 bedroom apartment and that she sleeps on the couch so that her daughter has her own room. (False pride?)
Esther is also irrationally prejudiced and bitter towards Jordan. Whilst I can understand that she felt abandoned, they weren't in a relationship, and he wasn't aware of their daughter.
She seems to begrudge his success, money, and gender as she makes a few comments that reek of anti-male sentiment (e.g., Esther refuses to let Jordan meet their daughter until he agrees to some strict rules, like not revealing that he is her father and not taking her picture and putting it on social media because, "Men in business do better than childless men. I won't let you use my daughter in that way." She also tells him he was lucky to be "born with a penis." WTF???
What kind of sexist, mental gymnastics brings someone to that deluded conclusion???
In addition to the above, Esther very much expects to have the first and last say on their daughter (fine) and their relationship. She doesn't want Jordan spending money on either herself or their daughter as she feels it would be a means for him to manipulate her (she tends to assume the worst about him in every scenario).
If I were Jordan, I would have petitioned the court for joint legal and physical custody. She was a total train wreck.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2019
This was a short and very sexy read. The sexual chemistry between the characters was there from the moment they bumped into each other, part of that is because they were once best friends. A lot has happened in the 8 years they've been separated, can they find a way to move past what happened and make a future together? Esther's life has been the opposite of Jordan's for the past eight years and she's not about to lean on another person, especially Jordan. The dance these two played was quite delightful and I was continually hoping that they would work things out, that Esther would let down her guard and trust and that Jordan would work out that he needed to work with Esther, rather than just for his own needs. There's plenty of hot scenes between the two of them which I very much enjoyed. Ashia their daughter was a gorgeous little character and definitely added to the story in many ways. A really enjoyable novella.
March 8, 2019
Esther and Jordan are brought up in a sect-like church where they don't have any say in matters pertaining to them. When Esther is forced to marry an older man, get gets in first by losing her virginity to Jordan. It's the only power she has. When she falls pregnant her parents kick her out. A chance meeting with Jordan sees an older and wiser Esther careful about making boundaries so she keeps control over her life. Things get very steamy as Jordan and Esther rekindle their relationship. I really liked this book and I was very interested in seeing them get their second chance.
August 3, 2021
Second chance romance, two teenagers within a deeply religious community found comfort in each other on the night that resulted in a pregnancy. After that, they lost touch, for which they both blamed each other. Years later they meet again and get to know each other again, so that if all goes well they can form a family?
Beautifully written story, a bit cliche in content, but from an original point of view
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Beautifully written story, a bit cliche in content, but from an original point of view
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 13, 2019
Great, raunchy read with depth and plot. The chemistry between the characters was spot on.
Want to read
July 2, 2023🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/2/2023)! 🎁
July 10, 2023
boring asf with no plot development, super slow read
September 25, 2023
DNF it needs help with editing. The editing could probably help the storyline.
May 18, 2019
A hit second change romance. Jordan is swoon worthy and Esther so independent and fiery.
Love the sweet side to Jordan especially with his daughter.
Love the sweet side to Jordan especially with his daughter.
February 25, 2019
Equal parts sweet and sizzling, this first entry in a new series from Renee Dahlia is sure to delight fans of second-chance romances and found families.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews