What do you think?
Rate this book
The Surprise Of His Life
Lindsey Ellison had a problem. She was in love . . . hopelessly in love . . . with Walker Carr. It would all be so lovely, so idyllic--if only he wasn't her father's business partner and best friend . . . and her godfather! And, of course, Lindsey couldn't ignore the fact that he'd be totally shocked to discover her feelings. She had to forget him. But how? It seemed impossible, especially now when she was returning to Galveston to help her parents through a rough time. She had to convince Walker that she was the woman he would love forever. Lindsey steeled her heart--because when Walker figured out her plan, it was going to be the surprise of his life! Silhouette Special Edition #688, August, 1991.
252 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
5 people are currently reading
279 people want to read
About the author
Karen Keast
29 books14 followersSandra Kay Patterson Canfield was born on 21 November 1944 in Longview, Texas, USA. She wrote as Sandra Canfield and under the pseudonym of Karen Keast. She also used the pseudonym of Sandi Shane in collaboration with the writer Penny Richards (alias Bay Matthews). At 58, Sandra passed away on 23 January 2003 in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
June 19, 2011
Lindsey dumped her fiance after having an epiphany during her wedding rehearsal, that she's in luv w/ her godfather, Walker (serving as a stand-in to walk her down the isle, as requested by her daddy). She went to London to start a new job & sort thru' her conflicted feelings. 1.5 yrs later, she's back to home sweet home, due to the bombshell that her parents' 25 y/o marriage is heading to splitsville 'cuz daddy dearest is having a mid-life crisis. She's also on a mission, to settle an unfinished business w/ Walker, who still wonders why his goddaughter inexplicably canceled her wedding @ such a late stage. Lindsey becomes her mom's emo crutches as well as Walker's temp assistant 'cuz his secretary is out sick. Walker & Lindsey find out that Dean, her daddy, is bangin' a 19 y/o red-haired chick he met @ a diner. Being a positive matchmaker that she is, Lindsey tries in vain to set up her parents to patch things up. Instead, Bunny, her mom, takes a walk @ a beach after the disastrous dinner w/ estranged spouse & bumps into Don, a divorcee cum new confidante. Lindsey's dad sits up & takes notice. He's not thrilled that his soon-to-be ex seems to be moving on just fine w/out him, esp after hearing that Bunny's going back to school. Can we say double standard here ? It's ok for the 2-timing randy ol' goat to re-invent himself by skewering a broad 4 yrs younger than his daughter, buying a flashy sports car, dressing up like Don Johnson wannabe (red slacks, sunglasses, a multi-colored braided bracelet ? Seriously, dude ? That's so outdated!), but it's a big no-no for the dumpee to date anotha guy. Anyhoo, amidst all the family dwama, Dean also flips as he inadvertently catches the flaming going-ons between 47 y/o BFF & his 23 y/o daughter. Somehow this escapes his radar. Walker has always thought of Lindsey as Adam's (his only son) playmate, he feels wrecked w/ guilt by the illicitness of their relationship. Did I mention that Adam is a new daddy too? Yup, Walker is apparently a hawt grandpa, able to bag his goddaughter, whose birth he supposedly attended to.
Adam is too accepting, which was not realistic to me. I had to suspend disbelief that Bunny spills her guts on a tourist, a stranger she just met (all tell, no show). Stranger things have happened in romancelandia, I guess.
I thought this was the holy grail of all May - Dec luv stories, after being tantalized by all 5* Ami reviews (none less than that), but I had a really a hard time buying the romance. We know Walker isn't immune to Lynsey's come-hither looks. Walker's loneliness & grinding out @ the cramped office help in tipping the balance in Lindsey's favor. Forget that by the time H/h's twins graduate from high school, Walker will be on Medicare & may need a walker due to his arthritic knee. When Adam approves dad tying the knot w/ his BFF, that automatically makes Lindsey a grandma by 24 y/o. Twisted family dynamics are so delish, but again, my main problem was too much tell & li'l show. Not to mention the icky feeling throughout the book was too pervasive to ignore. By the 1st chapter, we're already told of Lindsey's realization that she got the hawts for her BFF's dad. It seemed to me Lindsey was in luv w/ an ideal man but it felt like I went to the theatre & the show already reached its peak 'cuz the subsequent pages are a showcase of one-sided angst (Walker's colossal guilt trip) & dealing w/ the devastation caused by Dean's mid-life itch to recapture his youth. After a harrowing brush w/ death, everyone seems to regain their senses that U gotta count your blessings. I wanted more internalizations by Lindsey & a broader pic of why / how she fell in luv w/ him. I appreciate the effort to show the contrast between H/h's tru luv & the parents' rocky marriage, but the sidestory stole the main characters' screentime & the book is only 252 pages. The conflicts had the potential to be explosive, but the emo punch got muted. It's sweet & we get the message that luv is blind & we can't always choose who we luv. A huge age discrepancy is no biggie as long as I'm convinced & can see how / why H/h fall in luv / lust, but in this case it didn't quite happen. We're constantly reminded of the long inter-connected history. Even the epilogue we get treated to a "fatherly" kiss on her forehead. Too many unsubtle touches to remind me of the forbidden, squicky feel of their relationship. I almost sprayed my fingers w/ Lysol afterwards B^P
I will read more by KK, I've read her other book, "The loving", written under Sandra Canfield, which was a solid & interesting time-travel book, w/ a crapola ending tho'.
Adam is too accepting, which was not realistic to me. I had to suspend disbelief that Bunny spills her guts on a tourist, a stranger she just met (all tell, no show). Stranger things have happened in romancelandia, I guess.
I thought this was the holy grail of all May - Dec luv stories, after being tantalized by all 5* Ami reviews (none less than that), but I had a really a hard time buying the romance. We know Walker isn't immune to Lynsey's come-hither looks. Walker's loneliness & grinding out @ the cramped office help in tipping the balance in Lindsey's favor. Forget that by the time H/h's twins graduate from high school, Walker will be on Medicare & may need a walker due to his arthritic knee. When Adam approves dad tying the knot w/ his BFF, that automatically makes Lindsey a grandma by 24 y/o. Twisted family dynamics are so delish, but again, my main problem was too much tell & li'l show. Not to mention the icky feeling throughout the book was too pervasive to ignore. By the 1st chapter, we're already told of Lindsey's realization that she got the hawts for her BFF's dad. It seemed to me Lindsey was in luv w/ an ideal man but it felt like I went to the theatre & the show already reached its peak 'cuz the subsequent pages are a showcase of one-sided angst (Walker's colossal guilt trip) & dealing w/ the devastation caused by Dean's mid-life itch to recapture his youth. After a harrowing brush w/ death, everyone seems to regain their senses that U gotta count your blessings. I wanted more internalizations by Lindsey & a broader pic of why / how she fell in luv w/ him. I appreciate the effort to show the contrast between H/h's tru luv & the parents' rocky marriage, but the sidestory stole the main characters' screentime & the book is only 252 pages. The conflicts had the potential to be explosive, but the emo punch got muted. It's sweet & we get the message that luv is blind & we can't always choose who we luv. A huge age discrepancy is no biggie as long as I'm convinced & can see how / why H/h fall in luv / lust, but in this case it didn't quite happen. We're constantly reminded of the long inter-connected history. Even the epilogue we get treated to a "fatherly" kiss on her forehead. Too many unsubtle touches to remind me of the forbidden, squicky feel of their relationship. I almost sprayed my fingers w/ Lysol afterwards B^P
I will read more by KK, I've read her other book, "The loving", written under Sandra Canfield, which was a solid & interesting time-travel book, w/ a crapola ending tho'.
September 24, 2018
Mature and plausible romance with parallel stories.
The primary characters are the much younger heroine and her godfather falling for each other. She is the aggressor in the relationship while he is pretty horrified at what he sees as cradle robbing. It doesn't help that his best friend, the heroine's father, took too many stupid pills and has gone off the rails in his mid-life crisis. The h's dad doesn't miss any of the cliches: fast car, new clothes (new gawdawful tacky rainbow clothes), next best thing to a comb over, and sadly a twinkie younger than his daughter. The even sadder thing is she sounded like a sweet girl, and under Kristen Ashley or someone else she would have been the h.
Anyhoo, the paralleling May-December romances is seriously scaring the H, and he puts the stop on the romance after some epic sex.
All in all, a nice group of people. And, yes, I can't believe I am saying this, but once the errant dad gets his head out of his backend he's redeemable. the fact that the mother decided to step up for herself and leave him behind was his second wakeup call. I usually hate, despise and loathe second chances for cheaters, but I found this believable.
The primary characters are the much younger heroine and her godfather falling for each other. She is the aggressor in the relationship while he is pretty horrified at what he sees as cradle robbing. It doesn't help that his best friend, the heroine's father, took too many stupid pills and has gone off the rails in his mid-life crisis. The h's dad doesn't miss any of the cliches: fast car, new clothes (new gawdawful tacky rainbow clothes), next best thing to a comb over, and sadly a twinkie younger than his daughter. The even sadder thing is she sounded like a sweet girl, and under Kristen Ashley or someone else she would have been the h.
Anyhoo, the paralleling May-December romances is seriously scaring the H, and he puts the stop on the romance after some epic sex.
All in all, a nice group of people. And, yes, I can't believe I am saying this, but once the errant dad gets his head out of his backend he's redeemable. the fact that the mother decided to step up for herself and leave him behind was his second wakeup call. I usually hate, despise and loathe second chances for cheaters, but I found this believable.
May 25, 2012
There is no doubt that this book had a huge age difference, 24 years to be precise besides the fact that the hero was the heroine's godfather, but despite the icky factor I ended up enjoying the book maybe because I really liked Lindsey, she was mature yet child like, wanting her parents who were on the verge of divorce to get back together all the while grappling with fears and doubts about her feelings for Walker.
Eighteen months ago she aborted her own wedding when she found herself having thoughts about Walker, they alarmed her and made her feel dirty but in the intervening time she came to terms with her feelings and the conclusion that it was love and that love can happen anytime, with anyone.
The heroine's father is going through a mid-life crisis and is deeply unhappy himself, hurting everyone and himself and he is also having an affair with a 19 year old girl, his own daughter is 23.
Walker is also a grandfather and his son is 24. The way the heroine's father finds out about them is not pretty, it is the morning after and he finds Lindsey in his kitchen dressed in Walker's clothes and at that time Lindsey throws all that her father has done in his face.
All the age factor, everything was addressed in the book. Walker had fears and reservations and they were a given since things with Lindsey were new for him while Lindsey had had time to deal with her feelings and knew she wanted to marry him and have his kids. While Walker didn't want to limit Lindsey.
I also liked how the book addressed the marriage of Lindsey's parents and depicted how her mother came out of the shadow of her husband and accepted her husband back with conditions.
All in all I am rating this book higher in part because of the bold theme, I read a lot of tried and tested formula and enjoy it but something different is like a breath of fresh air.
Eighteen months ago she aborted her own wedding when she found herself having thoughts about Walker, they alarmed her and made her feel dirty but in the intervening time she came to terms with her feelings and the conclusion that it was love and that love can happen anytime, with anyone.
The heroine's father is going through a mid-life crisis and is deeply unhappy himself, hurting everyone and himself and he is also having an affair with a 19 year old girl, his own daughter is 23.
Walker is also a grandfather and his son is 24. The way the heroine's father finds out about them is not pretty, it is the morning after and he finds Lindsey in his kitchen dressed in Walker's clothes and at that time Lindsey throws all that her father has done in his face.
All the age factor, everything was addressed in the book. Walker had fears and reservations and they were a given since things with Lindsey were new for him while Lindsey had had time to deal with her feelings and knew she wanted to marry him and have his kids. While Walker didn't want to limit Lindsey.
I also liked how the book addressed the marriage of Lindsey's parents and depicted how her mother came out of the shadow of her husband and accepted her husband back with conditions.
All in all I am rating this book higher in part because of the bold theme, I read a lot of tried and tested formula and enjoy it but something different is like a breath of fresh air.
July 28, 2016
Hero was the heroine's godfather and 20+ years older than her. I love this trope so I enjoyed this book. Heroine is ready to get married but she realizes she is in love with her godfather. She cancels her wedding and she is off to pursue the hero. Of course he loves her back but he has doubts that a marriage between them would last. She is too young for him and he doesn't want to trap her but heroine is pretty determined to win his heart.
June 12, 2021
3 ⭐⭐⭐ - OK decent reads.
======================
Our heroine is about to get married when she realizes that she loves our hero and not her fiance. She runs away to work in another country and only returns a year later when her parents are having problems in their marriage.
Our hero is her father's best friend and business partner. He is much older than her and has a son her age. He practically followed her growth closely and is her godfather. Yuck!
In the background we see the heroine's father embark on an extramarital affair with a 19-year-old girl and ask for a divorce from her mother. Her mother is devastated by her husband's cheating and has a wake-up call from it.
We have all the hero's internal battle due to the age difference and his feelings for her.
Our heroine is determined and has a personal growth due to events.
I liked the story and was hooked from start to finish, but I confess I didn't like her mother accepting the cheater back.
======================
Our heroine is about to get married when she realizes that she loves our hero and not her fiance. She runs away to work in another country and only returns a year later when her parents are having problems in their marriage.
Our hero is her father's best friend and business partner. He is much older than her and has a son her age. He practically followed her growth closely and is her godfather. Yuck!
In the background we see the heroine's father embark on an extramarital affair with a 19-year-old girl and ask for a divorce from her mother. Her mother is devastated by her husband's cheating and has a wake-up call from it.
We have all the hero's internal battle due to the age difference and his feelings for her.
Our heroine is determined and has a personal growth due to events.
I liked the story and was hooked from start to finish, but I confess I didn't like her mother accepting the cheater back.
July 26, 2011
Practically perfect book. May/December theme which is a favorite of mine. This story is very well written. He is her father's best friend and is the heroine's godfather. You know both characters intimately. One of the best portrayals of realistic emotions I've ever read. You watch the hero, Walker, become aware of Lindsey as a woman slowly and see him fight against the attraction he feels for her until finally he can't fight any longer. You see her try to get him to realize that she is grown up and is making a mature decision. She has known how she feels for some time and does not come across as too young to know her own mind at all. She's 23, he's 47. Most of the story is the two of them together so you get to enjoy the whole progression of their relationship. Every scene is necessary and nothing drags. You also get to see how their relationship is received by her father/his best friend. I didn't end up saying "boy I wish there had been a scene showing X or Y" like I do so many times.
February 25, 2017
I quite liked this; it was very well-written, but maybe a bit too realistic for my personal taste? Idk. I'm a huge fan of the much-older-man Hero, it's my thing tbh, but maybe it was just too real the way Walker thought about himself as over-the-hill and how the word "grandfather" hit him, and talking about his bum knee aching all the time and then thinking about how he'd be too old to play with any new kids he might have. That did a good job of dampening down my enthusiasm for the match, lemme tell ya. Gruff, tough "father"-type is hot; creaky old "grandfather"-type NOT SO MUCH!!
Still, I enjoyed the romance between Walker & Lindsey when he wasn't thinking about how very, very old he was. The turmoil each of them goes through when they realize their attraction to each other is well-depicted and convincing, and I enjoyed the chase once Lindsey got the memo that it wasn't totally unrequited.
I was unexpectedly blindsided by the anger I felt at Lindsey's dad. I sometimes skim secondary romance arcs when I'm too caught up in the primary one, but I couldn't ignore the one here between Lindsey's parents, who are about to divorce. Her dad's affair totally infuriated me, and I could barely keep it together. To throw away a loving and devoted wife of over 20 years for some skanky little baby bitch, OMG I was steaming mad. I wanted her mom to drop his ass and refuse to ever reconcile! It was the most angsty I got over the whole book, I needed him to suffer hard. I wanted them to divorce and he would have to come home to a cold dark empty apartment and live on disgusting microwave burritos and think back on his ex-wife's delicious home cooking and warm loving house and maybe visit her one day and find she's making a new husband happy the way he once was, and realize that he threw it all away because he's a huge idiot moron. I wanted that. I guess my strong reaction is a testament to how good the writing was, and it's unusual as it wasn't even about the main characters.
Overall the romance was great but the book made me think more about the realities of mid-life crises than I ever have before. I hope when it happens it hits me and my guy the way Walker handled it; if my guy goes Dean's route I might have to cut someone.
Still, I enjoyed the romance between Walker & Lindsey when he wasn't thinking about how very, very old he was. The turmoil each of them goes through when they realize their attraction to each other is well-depicted and convincing, and I enjoyed the chase once Lindsey got the memo that it wasn't totally unrequited.
I was unexpectedly blindsided by the anger I felt at Lindsey's dad. I sometimes skim secondary romance arcs when I'm too caught up in the primary one, but I couldn't ignore the one here between Lindsey's parents, who are about to divorce. Her dad's affair totally infuriated me, and I could barely keep it together. To throw away a loving and devoted wife of over 20 years for some skanky little baby bitch, OMG I was steaming mad. I wanted her mom to drop his ass and refuse to ever reconcile! It was the most angsty I got over the whole book, I needed him to suffer hard. I wanted them to divorce and he would have to come home to a cold dark empty apartment and live on disgusting microwave burritos and think back on his ex-wife's delicious home cooking and warm loving house and maybe visit her one day and find she's making a new husband happy the way he once was, and realize that he threw it all away because he's a huge idiot moron. I wanted that. I guess my strong reaction is a testament to how good the writing was, and it's unusual as it wasn't even about the main characters.
Overall the romance was great but the book made me think more about the realities of mid-life crises than I ever have before. I hope when it happens it hits me and my guy the way Walker handled it; if my guy goes Dean's route I might have to cut someone.
April 18, 2010
*** 3 1/2 stars ***
This one came very highly recommended over on the amazon forums, so I had high expectations for it. Yes, it was a great May-December romance, but there was a slight "creepy" feel to the relationship. I could not get over the fact that the heroine and the hero's son grew up together. He was her godfather. Although he felt nothing romantic toward her until she was 23, there was just something not quite right about that. But that said, I did enjoy the book and was torn between rating it as a 3 or 4 star book. If there had not been the past history between the two, I would have added another star.
This one came very highly recommended over on the amazon forums, so I had high expectations for it. Yes, it was a great May-December romance, but there was a slight "creepy" feel to the relationship. I could not get over the fact that the heroine and the hero's son grew up together. He was her godfather. Although he felt nothing romantic toward her until she was 23, there was just something not quite right about that. But that said, I did enjoy the book and was torn between rating it as a 3 or 4 star book. If there had not been the past history between the two, I would have added another star.
September 13, 2009
The adultery in this book does not involve the hero/heroine so please don't let it put you off from reading a great May-Dec romance. Yes, the hero is 20 plus years older than the heroine & I usually don't care for stories where the hero is that much older but I loved this one. I read something else by Keast and decided to give this one a try. Glad I did. It's a keeper.
May 1, 2016
Walker and Lindsey. I love May/Dec romances but this one pushes the envelope even for me. And yet the author manages to carry it off!
Walker is Lindsey's dad's best friend and the same age as him. He's 47 and she is about 25. He was there when she was born, has babysat for her and she remembers his first wife fondly (she died 8 years ago). She's the same age as his son. It's kinda weird and should be kinda kinky, but somehow it isn't. The author writes a slow-build romance for 2/3 of the book until they finally can't resist each other and then it's full steam ahead. The sex scenes are sexy but not as detailed as modern books are. I didn't mind. I thought they were perfect for the story and all that was needed. There was real chemistry between Walker and Lindsey and a believable depth of feeling. I was worried it would be horribly awkward when the truth of their affair out, but it wasn't, although it wasn't easy either. I gave it 5 stars despite it's being a bit slow for the first half because I found his declaration of love just so romantic!
Walker is Lindsey's dad's best friend and the same age as him. He's 47 and she is about 25. He was there when she was born, has babysat for her and she remembers his first wife fondly (she died 8 years ago). She's the same age as his son. It's kinda weird and should be kinda kinky, but somehow it isn't. The author writes a slow-build romance for 2/3 of the book until they finally can't resist each other and then it's full steam ahead. The sex scenes are sexy but not as detailed as modern books are. I didn't mind. I thought they were perfect for the story and all that was needed. There was real chemistry between Walker and Lindsey and a believable depth of feeling. I was worried it would be horribly awkward when the truth of their affair out, but it wasn't, although it wasn't easy either. I gave it 5 stars despite it's being a bit slow for the first half because I found his declaration of love just so romantic!
January 25, 2012
I really liked this book. Im a HUGE fan of Older Hero romances and especially if the heroine has loved him for years.. Both Walker and Lindsey were extremely likeable and this author can definitely make you feel all the characters emotions.. My heart broke for Bunny at the start of the book. I literally hurt when I read how she was acting and how much she had changed.
Id just like to explain my shelving choices right quick. When I shelved it "disappointed" it doesnt mean I didnt like it. But I was disappointed because I was looking forward to reading more about Bunny and Dean than Lindsey and Walker. The emotions I felt were much stronger when we got to read a little tidbit about them.
I mentioned that I was a huge fan of Older H romances but I have to admit this particular story had me a little off-put because of the years that separated the h/H.. This is the first book Ive read with such an amount of years between them but it can defintely be overlooked.
Walker always mentioning how old he was did get old quick because he harped and harped on it. (but this happens in other books regarding a person's social status, wealth, weight etc. so it can be overlooked)
Overall this was a very good read and I read it in one evening.
Id just like to explain my shelving choices right quick. When I shelved it "disappointed" it doesnt mean I didnt like it. But I was disappointed because I was looking forward to reading more about Bunny and Dean than Lindsey and Walker. The emotions I felt were much stronger when we got to read a little tidbit about them.
I mentioned that I was a huge fan of Older H romances but I have to admit this particular story had me a little off-put because of the years that separated the h/H.. This is the first book Ive read with such an amount of years between them but it can defintely be overlooked.
Walker always mentioning how old he was did get old quick because he harped and harped on it. (but this happens in other books regarding a person's social status, wealth, weight etc. so it can be overlooked)
Overall this was a very good read and I read it in one evening.
October 6, 2013
Gawd the H was delish!! This would have been 5 stars if it wasnt for the secondary characters cheating it left a bad taste in my mouth... Nice how everyone uses mid-life crisis as an excuse to act like a douche,,, im no dude so maybe im wrong but the whole mid-life crises excuse to cheat on such a lovely lady doesnt wash with me... I wish she dated some other deserving guy, made him suffer and or grovel more.... Buutt no i wuv u and i forgive you for everything ! Please anyone give me a rope so i can hang myself!
Loved it and totally rec'd it :-)
Loved it and totally rec'd it :-)
January 12, 2018
Reread. Still one of the best age gap romances I've read.
September 15, 2010
I put a question to Amazon’s romance chat board. I was looking for a good romance book about an older man/younger woman. I know lots of 60’s and 70’s Mills & Boon and Harlequin unwittingly set up the old man/young woman dynamic – simply because such a pairing wasn’t at all unconventional at the time. I was looking for a more modern romance in which the older/younger relationship was the crux of the story, not simply a given.
The book that came most highly recommended was Karen Keast’s ‘The Surprise of his Life’(1991)… and I *LOVED* it!
The trigger of the story is 23-year-old Lindsey Ellison returning home to comfort her mother through the divorce her father has sprung on her after 25 years of marriage. Lindsey had previously been living in London, where she fled after she broke off her wedding the night before the big day. Lindsey has mixed feelings about returning home – she’s devastated about her parent’s divorce and angry at her father’s mid-life crisis that prompted it. But she’s also nervous and excited – because returning home means coming face to face with the reason she called of her wedding. Walker Carr. Family friend who was in Vietnam with her father and is also her godfather. Walker is also the man she loves – despite his being 47 to her 23.
Walker and Lindsey are H-O-T. There’s no explicit sex really, as Keast tiptoes around the more nitty-gritty smut. She never uses the word ‘nipple’ for example, but refers to the ‘centre of Lindsey’s breasts’. Regardless, Lindsey and Walker are smoldering, especially because of the pent-up frustration Walker feels at having lustful thoughts about his goddaughter, and the illicitness of their affair. When these two do get together they burn up the page! It helps that the man on the books cover bears a striking resemblance to Cary Grant. Oh boy!
“You are different,” Walker whispered, reaching out and touching her love-tossed hair with his fingertips. “So very different.”
A tiny smile budded, grew, ripened. “I grew up.”
At that he began to gently twist the blond strands of her hair about his fist. Each roll brought her closer to him until the tips of her breasts brushed against his chest. Her neck was arched, her head angled upward. “Did anyone ever tell you that you grew up in all the right places?” he said, his mouth only milli-inches from hers.
“I’ve been waiting all these years for you to tell me,” she whispered.
Despite the age difference and the illicitness of a godfather/goddaughter pairing; Lindsey and Walker's romance never felt 'wrong' or creepy. It helps that these two have such obvious sexual chemistry. Walker is also a real gentlemen and is never flippant about his feelings for Lindsey, and he really struggles with their newfound romance.
As well as Lindsey and Walker’s romance, there’s the storyline concerning Lindsey’s parents, Bunny and Dean. This is actually a really good accompanying plot as Dean takes increasingly drastic and ridiculous measures to fend off old age, including having an affair with a 19-year-old girl. Dean’s mid-life crisis is a great counter-point to Walker’s feelings for Lindsey, and only proves to highlight how different his relationship is compared to Dean’s desperation.
Karen Keast is a pseudonym for Sandra Key Patterson Caulfield. She unfortunately passed away in 2003 – having written 13 books, all of which are either Harlequin or Silhouette imprints. Reading her backlist, she has quite a few books that really appeal to me – they’re all a little bit old school, and that’s half the appeal. You kind of have to go scouting for Keast’s books – a few are available via Amazon, second-hand, and most of them are only US$0.01 (not including postage + shipping). Others are a little more pricey for their rarity (US$19.99) and some are simply out of print.
I loved ‘The Surprise of his Life’. Loved it! No wonder it came so highly recommended.
5/5
The book that came most highly recommended was Karen Keast’s ‘The Surprise of his Life’(1991)… and I *LOVED* it!
The trigger of the story is 23-year-old Lindsey Ellison returning home to comfort her mother through the divorce her father has sprung on her after 25 years of marriage. Lindsey had previously been living in London, where she fled after she broke off her wedding the night before the big day. Lindsey has mixed feelings about returning home – she’s devastated about her parent’s divorce and angry at her father’s mid-life crisis that prompted it. But she’s also nervous and excited – because returning home means coming face to face with the reason she called of her wedding. Walker Carr. Family friend who was in Vietnam with her father and is also her godfather. Walker is also the man she loves – despite his being 47 to her 23.
Walker and Lindsey are H-O-T. There’s no explicit sex really, as Keast tiptoes around the more nitty-gritty smut. She never uses the word ‘nipple’ for example, but refers to the ‘centre of Lindsey’s breasts’. Regardless, Lindsey and Walker are smoldering, especially because of the pent-up frustration Walker feels at having lustful thoughts about his goddaughter, and the illicitness of their affair. When these two do get together they burn up the page! It helps that the man on the books cover bears a striking resemblance to Cary Grant. Oh boy!
“You are different,” Walker whispered, reaching out and touching her love-tossed hair with his fingertips. “So very different.”
A tiny smile budded, grew, ripened. “I grew up.”
At that he began to gently twist the blond strands of her hair about his fist. Each roll brought her closer to him until the tips of her breasts brushed against his chest. Her neck was arched, her head angled upward. “Did anyone ever tell you that you grew up in all the right places?” he said, his mouth only milli-inches from hers.
“I’ve been waiting all these years for you to tell me,” she whispered.
Despite the age difference and the illicitness of a godfather/goddaughter pairing; Lindsey and Walker's romance never felt 'wrong' or creepy. It helps that these two have such obvious sexual chemistry. Walker is also a real gentlemen and is never flippant about his feelings for Lindsey, and he really struggles with their newfound romance.
As well as Lindsey and Walker’s romance, there’s the storyline concerning Lindsey’s parents, Bunny and Dean. This is actually a really good accompanying plot as Dean takes increasingly drastic and ridiculous measures to fend off old age, including having an affair with a 19-year-old girl. Dean’s mid-life crisis is a great counter-point to Walker’s feelings for Lindsey, and only proves to highlight how different his relationship is compared to Dean’s desperation.
Karen Keast is a pseudonym for Sandra Key Patterson Caulfield. She unfortunately passed away in 2003 – having written 13 books, all of which are either Harlequin or Silhouette imprints. Reading her backlist, she has quite a few books that really appeal to me – they’re all a little bit old school, and that’s half the appeal. You kind of have to go scouting for Keast’s books – a few are available via Amazon, second-hand, and most of them are only US$0.01 (not including postage + shipping). Others are a little more pricey for their rarity (US$19.99) and some are simply out of print.
I loved ‘The Surprise of his Life’. Loved it! No wonder it came so highly recommended.
5/5
May 26, 2021
A true May/December romance.(24 years) I didn’t have an issue with the fact that she was his goddaughter. It’s not like there was anything pervy going on when she was younger. She realized she was in love with him first...and left to explore those feelings. While she was gone, absence must have made his heart grow fonder(although he didn’t consciously know this). He really tried hard not to give in to the h’s active pursuit of him, but the heart wants what the heart wants. I liked that the author gave each of their POV’s about what was happening. It was love driving this story not lust. There was also a side story about the h’s parents troubled marriage...father midlife crisis, mother taken unawares by his asking for divorce. I think it was handled well as an add on in the story. I was pleased there was an epilogue!
June 26, 2009
Lindsay Ellison returns home after calling off her wedding while working in London. She comes home to find her father in the middle of a mid-life crisis, her mother desperately trying to hold on for control in her life and the man she has always loved, her godfather and father's best friend, Walker Carr to be the one rock in her life that will help her mend things with all parties.
A great story that not only focused on a burgeoning romance but also a commentary on getting older, the passing of youth into adulthood and the essence of marriage and staying with the same person over the years. I really liked the characters in this story and, although at times predictable, the storyline worked toward a satisfying resolution.
A great story that not only focused on a burgeoning romance but also a commentary on getting older, the passing of youth into adulthood and the essence of marriage and staying with the same person over the years. I really liked the characters in this story and, although at times predictable, the storyline worked toward a satisfying resolution.
April 1, 2011
Two stories. One, the main story is about a young and beautiful 20 something girl falling for her father's bestfriend, who is 20+ years older than her. The 2nd story is about her parent's troubled marriage, which I found it to be more interesting.
SPOILER:
I should mention, the second story had cheating.
SPOILER:
I should mention, the second story had cheating.
January 27, 2008
I loved everything about this book. Has the Older hero, younger heroine storyline. The characters really liked and loved one another, I wish it could have been longer
January 29, 2018
Oh this was so good. It really set the bar for May-December romances.
Lindsey Ellison realizes that she is in love with her godfather; Walker on her wedding rehearsal. She breaks up with her fiancé and goes to England for eighteen months. Now she is back home because her parents are getting a divorce.
Walker Carr at 47 notices he is starting to have feelings for Lindsey that he really shouldn't. His feeling, actions and words rang true. He is thorn with betraying his best friends with his feelings of Lindsey, their daughter and following his heart.
After Lindsey talks with Walker's son, Adam who is her best friend and he tells her that she is not a coward. She she go after then man she loves regardless of their age difference, she does.
With a 24 year age gap between a couple to make it work is no easy feet but Karen Keast has done it. The writing was excellent.
There is a side story with Lindsey's parents marriage problems. Dean Ellison has asked his wife Bunny for a divorce after being married for 20+ years. He had been cheating on her for months and then he finally asks for a divorce. Bunny knew of her husbands infidelity but first chose to turn a blind eye. Bunny learns how to be herself without Dean to defined her. Her actions were real after the shock of her husband's request. Dean is going through a mid-life crisis and is feeling everyone of his years. At 47 his hair is graying, receding and he is getting a bald spot. He dyes his hair, exercises, starts to dress more youthful, buys a red sport car and now has a 19 year-old girlfriend. He hurts his wife, daughter, best friend and himself as he tries to pick up the pieces of his life.
Lindsey Ellison realizes that she is in love with her godfather; Walker on her wedding rehearsal. She breaks up with her fiancé and goes to England for eighteen months. Now she is back home because her parents are getting a divorce.
Walker Carr at 47 notices he is starting to have feelings for Lindsey that he really shouldn't. His feeling, actions and words rang true. He is thorn with betraying his best friends with his feelings of Lindsey, their daughter and following his heart.
After Lindsey talks with Walker's son, Adam who is her best friend and he tells her that she is not a coward. She she go after then man she loves regardless of their age difference, she does.
With a 24 year age gap between a couple to make it work is no easy feet but Karen Keast has done it. The writing was excellent.
There is a side story with Lindsey's parents marriage problems. Dean Ellison has asked his wife Bunny for a divorce after being married for 20+ years. He had been cheating on her for months and then he finally asks for a divorce. Bunny knew of her husbands infidelity but first chose to turn a blind eye. Bunny learns how to be herself without Dean to defined her. Her actions were real after the shock of her husband's request. Dean is going through a mid-life crisis and is feeling everyone of his years. At 47 his hair is graying, receding and he is getting a bald spot. He dyes his hair, exercises, starts to dress more youthful, buys a red sport car and now has a 19 year-old girlfriend. He hurts his wife, daughter, best friend and himself as he tries to pick up the pieces of his life.
July 26, 2017
My low rating is purely due to this author's writing style. It's definitely not for me. POVs switch in the middle of paragraphs, and they have lots of silent eye communication that the author translates for us. Very distracting from the story for me. This was my first by this author, and probably my last.
Their romance. I just didn't see it from him. All I got was mid-life crisis lust. Which upon the back of the side story of her dad's mid-life crisis and young side bitch just seemed too close to the mark. I love age differences, but I need to feel it.
Their romance. I just didn't see it from him. All I got was mid-life crisis lust. Which upon the back of the side story of her dad's mid-life crisis and young side bitch just seemed too close to the mark. I love age differences, but I need to feel it.
May 30, 2018
Lindsey is 23 years old.
Walker is 47 years old. He is a grandfather and has a son younger than Lindsey by a year. Also, he is her godfather and a widowed. He all these years thought about her as his friend's daughter and his dear goddaughter till she chased him all the time without shame. All these facts killed my curiosity about the story. So I stopped reading at chapter 11.
Walker is 47 years old. He is a grandfather and has a son younger than Lindsey by a year. Also, he is her godfather and a widowed. He all these years thought about her as his friend's daughter and his dear goddaughter till she chased him all the time without shame. All these facts killed my curiosity about the story. So I stopped reading at chapter 11.
June 12, 2020
Verrast door hartstocht
June 5, 2022
She's 23, he's 47, is all I needed to know. Didn't even read it.
April 18, 2025
You ever reread a book and catch yourself smiling like you know a sweet secret? That’s exactly what this one did to me.
Review:
This was a reread, and it held up beautifully. The Surprise of His Life is one of those older romances that brings a different kind of heat—less flash, more depth. I’ve always loved a good age-gap romance, and this one hit the spot.
Walker, widowed and full of that quiet strength, was her godfather—yes, her godfather—and Lindsey was about to marry someone else. But during her wedding rehearsal, everything shifted. Her heart woke up, and she realized the man she truly loved was the one who had been in her life all along.
What I admired most was how Lindsey handled things. She didn’t drag anyone through drama. She stepped back, gave herself time, and returned—not to stir trouble, but because she had clarity. And of course, Walker resisted at first. He struggled with the pull, with what it all meant. But Lindsey had made up her mind. She came back knowing what she wanted—but she wasn’t going to force it if he didn’t feel the same.
So when he finally gave in and said he wasn’t giving her up? Whew. That moment hit hard.
The chemistry between them felt earned. It wasn’t loud or over-the-top—it was that vintage heat you only get in older romance novels. Subtle, grown, and full of feeling.
These kinds of books let the love build slow and deep, like something simmering on the stove. And even though I gave it four stars (because I’m a little stingy with my fives), this story? Pure satisfaction.
Review:
This was a reread, and it held up beautifully. The Surprise of His Life is one of those older romances that brings a different kind of heat—less flash, more depth. I’ve always loved a good age-gap romance, and this one hit the spot.
Walker, widowed and full of that quiet strength, was her godfather—yes, her godfather—and Lindsey was about to marry someone else. But during her wedding rehearsal, everything shifted. Her heart woke up, and she realized the man she truly loved was the one who had been in her life all along.
What I admired most was how Lindsey handled things. She didn’t drag anyone through drama. She stepped back, gave herself time, and returned—not to stir trouble, but because she had clarity. And of course, Walker resisted at first. He struggled with the pull, with what it all meant. But Lindsey had made up her mind. She came back knowing what she wanted—but she wasn’t going to force it if he didn’t feel the same.
So when he finally gave in and said he wasn’t giving her up? Whew. That moment hit hard.
The chemistry between them felt earned. It wasn’t loud or over-the-top—it was that vintage heat you only get in older romance novels. Subtle, grown, and full of feeling.
These kinds of books let the love build slow and deep, like something simmering on the stove. And even though I gave it four stars (because I’m a little stingy with my fives), this story? Pure satisfaction.
September 11, 2020
Loved it. I’m find it quite hard to write a glowing review but I’m gonna try cause this one deserves it. To start with May - December couples are my favourites so it got me hooked to start with. That said there were a few things that I enjoyed that I thought set it apart from other books of it’s kind.
Slight spoilers. Maybe.
The heroine. The heroine is mature. Not kinda, sorta, maybe mature. Lindsay is a woman and even though Walker occasionally comments how he likes the woman - child duality it struck me more like the child every person has in them, rather than an indication of Lindsays youth. She is 23 by the way (he’s 47), she has taken time to think about what she wants and what she wants is Walker -if he will have her. She pushes, she realises she’s harassing him, she backs off. I liked her. Very, very much. She also is probably not a virgin at least she comes off as such. Basically our heroine is a woman in love with an older man, has weighed things in her mind and decided she wants to be with him. Go get him girl!
The hero. Walker was fun to read about too. He’s not interested in Lindsay at the start, seemed to me that her behaviour affects his change. I liked the character. The author straight out tell you he’s a guy who has no problem showing emotion, hugging, kissing, expressing his feelings. I thought the way he becomes aware of Lindsay quite funny in certain ways -he goes out of his way not to touch her and she finds it amusing- and quite realistic in other ways. His thoughts about age made him very relatable to me. I could understand Walker and that made me want him to be happy.
Welcome hot bits :) On another note, Walker’s time at home and swimming habits were a very welcome mental image. I’m all for heroes who live in hot, hot weather that makes them go around shirtless and swim- hem hem.
The secondary couple. Dean and Bunny were enjoyable too. I liked Dean’s midlife crisis, I liked how Bunny tries to get on with her life and how she turns things around for herself, I liked Dean’s and Walker’s lifelong friendship. Everyone in this book was a nice person. Everyone cared about the others. It was just a nice warm family feel, with problems but still...
Safety: A couple of non graphic sex scenes. There’s quite a bit of sexual content (mostly thoughts, some making out and foreplay) but it’s nicely written. All sex is 100% consensual. Also, Dean cheats. It serves the story and it happens off camera.
Slight spoilers. Maybe.
The heroine. The heroine is mature. Not kinda, sorta, maybe mature. Lindsay is a woman and even though Walker occasionally comments how he likes the woman - child duality it struck me more like the child every person has in them, rather than an indication of Lindsays youth. She is 23 by the way (he’s 47), she has taken time to think about what she wants and what she wants is Walker -if he will have her. She pushes, she realises she’s harassing him, she backs off. I liked her. Very, very much. She also is probably not a virgin at least she comes off as such. Basically our heroine is a woman in love with an older man, has weighed things in her mind and decided she wants to be with him. Go get him girl!
The hero. Walker was fun to read about too. He’s not interested in Lindsay at the start, seemed to me that her behaviour affects his change. I liked the character. The author straight out tell you he’s a guy who has no problem showing emotion, hugging, kissing, expressing his feelings. I thought the way he becomes aware of Lindsay quite funny in certain ways -he goes out of his way not to touch her and she finds it amusing- and quite realistic in other ways. His thoughts about age made him very relatable to me. I could understand Walker and that made me want him to be happy.
Welcome hot bits :) On another note, Walker’s time at home and swimming habits were a very welcome mental image. I’m all for heroes who live in hot, hot weather that makes them go around shirtless and swim- hem hem.
The secondary couple. Dean and Bunny were enjoyable too. I liked Dean’s midlife crisis, I liked how Bunny tries to get on with her life and how she turns things around for herself, I liked Dean’s and Walker’s lifelong friendship. Everyone in this book was a nice person. Everyone cared about the others. It was just a nice warm family feel, with problems but still...
Safety: A couple of non graphic sex scenes. There’s quite a bit of sexual content (mostly thoughts, some making out and foreplay) but it’s nicely written. All sex is 100% consensual. Also, Dean cheats. It serves the story and it happens off camera.
June 8, 2016
This was a re-read and I must have been busy for not reviewing it on my first read. I enjoy older man/younger woman stories especially when they come with super angst. I picked it up when I saw it was recommended in an Amazon reviews forum and had high ratings. I certainly didn’t regret it! The H/h have a 24 year gap (47 to 23 I think) A warning though: For people who are leery on big age gaps and the fact that H has been in the h’s life since she was a kid this may not be for you. They have no blood relation but he was her “godfather”. That being said, I think the author really tackled the subject well and delved into the complications that this created. H was REALLY conflicted by this burgeoning attraction and I found certain moments in the book amusing especially when poop hits the fan LOL. Oh yeah, I found the H damn sexy hee hee! There’s also a nice side story about the h’s parents which I felt was very realistic in today’s life and really makes you think in some ways. Oh yes and there’s a nice HEA and epilogue, yay!
June 5, 2012
The heroine had been in love with the hero a long time, ever since she called off her wedding to another man. The kicker was the man she was in love with was well over twenty years older than her, her dads business partner and best friend. Not to mention her godfather. The heroine decided to take the chance anyways, she wanted the hero and she wouldn't give up.
As the book goes on we learn about the heroines parents, her father is in a midlife crisis and cheating on her mother, he is also filing divorce. The heroine grows up quite a bit in the book, she has a better understanding of the future but more specifically her future and the possible situations couples such as husbands and wives have.
Of course the hero and heroine eventually give in to their desires and the ending was pretty amazing and beautiful. The whole novel was well written and a joy to read.
As the book goes on we learn about the heroines parents, her father is in a midlife crisis and cheating on her mother, he is also filing divorce. The heroine grows up quite a bit in the book, she has a better understanding of the future but more specifically her future and the possible situations couples such as husbands and wives have.
Of course the hero and heroine eventually give in to their desires and the ending was pretty amazing and beautiful. The whole novel was well written and a joy to read.
April 12, 2007
1/1/2005
January 18, 2013
I really love the older man/younger woman theme! I've always had a thing for older men. =>
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews