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The Paternity Claim
Isabella's first love affair has ended in disaster. Pregnant and alone, she's fled to England--to the only man she trusts enough to help her, Paulo Dantas....
Paulo is unprepared for Isabella when he sees her for the first time in years--she's grown up into a beautiful, beguiling woman. He feels honor bound to help his family friend; claiming paternity of her child is the only way. But being a father is a lifetime responsibility. And Isabella's father expects Paulo and Isabella to marry....
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published December 25, 2003
12 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Kendrick
1,220 books454 followersI was told off as a child for making up stories—little did I know that one day I’d earn my living by writing them!
To the horror of my parents, I left school at sixteen and held a bewildering variety of jobs: I was a London DJ (in the now-trendy Primrose Hill), a decorator and a singer. After that I became a cook, a photographer and, eventually, a nurse. I waitressed in the south of France, drove an ambulance in Australia, saw lots of beautiful sights but could never settle down. Everywhere I went I felt like a square peg—until one day I started writing again and then everything just fell into place. I felt like Cinderella must have when the glass slipper fit!
Today, I have the best job in the world, writing passionate romances for Harlequin. I like writing stories which are sexy and fast-paced, yet packed full of emotion—stories that readers will identify with, laugh and cry along with.
My interests are many and varied—chocolate and music, fresh flowers and bubble baths, films, cooking and trying to keep my home from looking burglarized! Simple pleasures—you can’t beat them!
I live in Winchester, one of the most stunning cities in the world, but don’t take my word for it—come see for yourself! I regularly visit London and Paris. Oh, and I love hearing from my readers all over the world…so I think it’s over to you!
To the horror of my parents, I left school at sixteen and held a bewildering variety of jobs: I was a London DJ (in the now-trendy Primrose Hill), a decorator and a singer. After that I became a cook, a photographer and, eventually, a nurse. I waitressed in the south of France, drove an ambulance in Australia, saw lots of beautiful sights but could never settle down. Everywhere I went I felt like a square peg—until one day I started writing again and then everything just fell into place. I felt like Cinderella must have when the glass slipper fit!
Today, I have the best job in the world, writing passionate romances for Harlequin. I like writing stories which are sexy and fast-paced, yet packed full of emotion—stories that readers will identify with, laugh and cry along with.
My interests are many and varied—chocolate and music, fresh flowers and bubble baths, films, cooking and trying to keep my home from looking burglarized! Simple pleasures—you can’t beat them!
I live in Winchester, one of the most stunning cities in the world, but don’t take my word for it—come see for yourself! I regularly visit London and Paris. Oh, and I love hearing from my readers all over the world…so I think it’s over to you!
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 4, 2018
Gross. Hated this.
The Brazilian pregnant h shows up at the ten years older H's house in London. She's had a crush on him forever and wants to avoid her father. She leaves as soon as she sees his possessive girlfriend and leaves to be a nanny to the twins of an overbearing woman. H shows up to get her.
What's to hate?
The Brazilian pregnant h shows up at the ten years older H's house in London. She's had a crush on him forever and wants to avoid her father. She leaves as soon as she sees his possessive girlfriend and leaves to be a nanny to the twins of an overbearing woman. H shows up to get her.
What's to hate?
May 10, 2010
I picked this outta my humongous TBR in honor of Mother’s day & turns out, it also fits 1 of my favs, May – December romance. H/H’s fathers have been lifelong BFFs, so H/H have known each other all their lives. Paulo is now 30 y/o & Isabella is 20 y/o. Bella has always had the hawtz for Paulo & vice versa. He felt the magnetic attraction as he watched her grow up into 1 foxy gal, but he thought she’s too young for him so he applied hands-off policy on himself. He’s now a single dad ‘cuz his wife tragically expired from a hit-and-run accident, leaving him to raise their infant son alone. Since then on, he always lets his potential galfriend know in advance that there’ll be no strings attached.
When Bella gets knocked up by 1 of her temp Psychology lecturers, she’s way too scared of telling daddy the real reason she decides to drop outta University (cue Madonna’s smash hit – “Papa don’t preach”). She’s a single child & knows that if she drops the bombshell on her dad, he’ll be crushed. In desperation, she flies all the way from Brazil to Paulo’s England home & surprises Paulo. He realizes from the get-go that their mutual attraction is still alive & kickin’, but he doesn’t notice her baby bump. Bella chickens out when his current broad, Judy, comes home w/ Eddie, his 10 y/o son (who’s cwazy ‘bout Bella). She leaves again w/out telling him that she’s @ her wit’s end. To make ends meet, Bella becomes an au pair for a slave-driver w/ 2 kids from hell. Much to her consternation, a furious Paulo shows up @ her employer’s house & blackmails Bella to haul her ass outta there or he’ll tell her daddy that she’s preggers. Her daddy has assigned Paulo to check on her ‘cuz daddy smells something fishy goin’ on but can’t pinpoint the reason. Left w/ no choice, Bella is installed @ his home & Eddie is ecstatic to have Bella around. Judy turns out to be a jealous, possessive beyotch & she signs her own “buhbye” warrant when Paulo rebuffs her unwelcome advances. I luv heroes who don’t bazooka themselves w/ their passive reaction as the ex-mistress tries to come on to ‘em. Big kudos to him. There's no big mis that gets dragged on & on =^2
Paulo has mixed feelings. He feels obligated to help a family friend, but more importantly, he also lusts after her ripe body (@ 37 weeks of gestation, almost ready to pop out bundle of joy). He feels cheated that the baby she’s carrying shoulda / coulda been his & that she gave up her purity for another dude whose identity she wouldn’t reveal. Bella’s daddy puts 2 + 2 together & comes up w/ a 5. Even Paulo’s long-time housekeeper is giving him the look, suspecting the baby is Paulo’s. Daddy’s not too thrilled that the baby’s conceived outta wedlock but isn’t too pissy ‘bout it ‘cuz he knows Paulo is a stand-up guy who’ll do the right thing & daddy has always suspected that there’s more than meets the eye between H/H. The wrong conclusion lands ‘em in an awkward position. Paulo is not keen on getting married again, all he wants is a lusty luv affair w/ Bella, but he also dreads the day if / when she leaves his home as she’s roamed into his heart. Bella knows marriage is not on his agenda & holds on to her pride. She’s been suffering from a hero-worship case, part of the reason why she’s facing the scary future of being a single mom.
I luved the hero, hence the generous rating…. He’s loaded (owns his own bank), alpha, bossy, isn’t afraid to utilize any ammo to make heroine do his bidding, he takes charge & forces heroine to grow up, but he’s not an @$$hole. They bicker a lot but he’s actually kinda sweet, caring, intuitive, sensitive, knowledgeable ‘bout ante & post partum ups & downs. He doesn’t give a hoot what others think. He asks heroine to come meet him @ his office so he can give her a tour, buys her flowers, gives her a massage when she has a backache etc. I’d say heroine’s actions are realistic, considering she’s hella young, she drags her feet in telling daddy that she’s dashed his hopes & expectations, w/ a bun in her oven. I could understand her stupidity in having a one-nite stand after having too much drink. Gee whiz what else is new ? Raging hormones, unrequited luv / lust & Alcohol are prolly the major contributors in unwanted pregnancies statistics, so here’s a valuable lesson : Wrap. It. Up ! Use some of that school loan to buy latex @ your nearest Walgreens ! And don't boink your teacher !
We get to see hero’s thoughts & POVs, so that’s a big plus in making him come across as a sympathetic, confused, conflicted & sexually frustrated hero. His luv for his 10 y/o son is another bonus. He holds heroine’s hand @ the most pivotal moment of her pregnancy & attends the birth, even tho’ he’s not the biological daddy. Aaaawww…. I know I’m such a bleeding heart when it comes to babies since the existence of my own nieces, so yeah, I adored this hero for everything he did for heroine, even after the baby’s born. He appreciates the domestic side of Bella, esp her bond w/ Eddie. He starts to ponder that he may have another chance @ having a real family after all, something he hasn’t contemplated B4, since the death of his 1st wife. His sensitivity shows in more ways than 1. He uses his prior experience w/ former wife’s pregnancy, to make sure Bella’s well-being is her 1st & utmost priority. He takes her shopping for baby paraphernalia, marches her to an ob-gyn doc himself, decorates the nursery, lends her a shoulder to cry on when she’s feeling vulnerable. Have I mentioned how protective he is too, when the slimy douchebag aka Bella’s 1-nite stand shows up unexpectedly ? It’s refreshing to see H/H who actually have a mutual liking & respect for each other & are not @ each other’s throats throughout the book until the mandatory epiphany @ the finish line as in most HPs. Yep some of U folks may gag / puke in your mouth, esp if baby / pregnancy theme isn’t your cuppa, but I was in the mood for a squishy romance & I hit a home run w/ this 1, esp ‘cuz single dads (w/ some culinary skills !) are not common. H/H have a fine chemistry. 1 brief passage reminded me of her most infamous book that I haven’t read (the playboy sheikh’s virgin stable gal). She’s fond of horsey 4 real !
If I gotta whine ‘bout 1 thing, it’s the misleading slogan on the back cover : “Expecting ! She’s sexy, successful… and PREGNANT !” In this case, the heroine isn’t successful, career-wise, ‘cuz she’s a college drop-out & even tho’ she’s not a hanger-on, she’s financially not equal to Hero. She’s not an emotional cling-on. They have their differences but they’re not super mean in their interactions & hero’s up front w/ his intentions, that he doesn’t do “serious”, take it or leave it. In the end, all the minor quibbles just didn’t matter ‘cuz I thought the hero was so luvly to her. They’re both stubborn & wouldn’t give an inch on some issues, but hero forces heroine to stop running away from her problems & talk it out. It’s just so darn cute to see how he goes above & beyond to take care of her, despite his initial bitterness & disappointment. He has this tender side of him & it shows in his words & deeds. He doesn’t keep flogging himself to a bloody pulp over the fact that she’s lost her cherries to someone else. There’s nothing sexier than a hero who knows what he wants, forgives & forgets, who senses it when heroine’s drifting farther from him & he doesn’t just clam up. He doesn’t maul her even tho’ he longs to have his wicked ways w/ her. He has a nickname ‘Gato’ (‘Cat’). Well, all I can say is, I am woman, hear me purrr….Definitely 1 of the better heroes I’ve ever laid eyes on in HPlandia. Methinks SK is a go-to author for baby theme =)~
When Bella gets knocked up by 1 of her temp Psychology lecturers, she’s way too scared of telling daddy the real reason she decides to drop outta University (cue Madonna’s smash hit – “Papa don’t preach”). She’s a single child & knows that if she drops the bombshell on her dad, he’ll be crushed. In desperation, she flies all the way from Brazil to Paulo’s England home & surprises Paulo. He realizes from the get-go that their mutual attraction is still alive & kickin’, but he doesn’t notice her baby bump. Bella chickens out when his current broad, Judy, comes home w/ Eddie, his 10 y/o son (who’s cwazy ‘bout Bella). She leaves again w/out telling him that she’s @ her wit’s end. To make ends meet, Bella becomes an au pair for a slave-driver w/ 2 kids from hell. Much to her consternation, a furious Paulo shows up @ her employer’s house & blackmails Bella to haul her ass outta there or he’ll tell her daddy that she’s preggers. Her daddy has assigned Paulo to check on her ‘cuz daddy smells something fishy goin’ on but can’t pinpoint the reason. Left w/ no choice, Bella is installed @ his home & Eddie is ecstatic to have Bella around. Judy turns out to be a jealous, possessive beyotch & she signs her own “buhbye” warrant when Paulo rebuffs her unwelcome advances. I luv heroes who don’t bazooka themselves w/ their passive reaction as the ex-mistress tries to come on to ‘em. Big kudos to him. There's no big mis that gets dragged on & on =^2
Paulo has mixed feelings. He feels obligated to help a family friend, but more importantly, he also lusts after her ripe body (@ 37 weeks of gestation, almost ready to pop out bundle of joy). He feels cheated that the baby she’s carrying shoulda / coulda been his & that she gave up her purity for another dude whose identity she wouldn’t reveal. Bella’s daddy puts 2 + 2 together & comes up w/ a 5. Even Paulo’s long-time housekeeper is giving him the look, suspecting the baby is Paulo’s. Daddy’s not too thrilled that the baby’s conceived outta wedlock but isn’t too pissy ‘bout it ‘cuz he knows Paulo is a stand-up guy who’ll do the right thing & daddy has always suspected that there’s more than meets the eye between H/H. The wrong conclusion lands ‘em in an awkward position. Paulo is not keen on getting married again, all he wants is a lusty luv affair w/ Bella, but he also dreads the day if / when she leaves his home as she’s roamed into his heart. Bella knows marriage is not on his agenda & holds on to her pride. She’s been suffering from a hero-worship case, part of the reason why she’s facing the scary future of being a single mom.
I luved the hero, hence the generous rating…. He’s loaded (owns his own bank), alpha, bossy, isn’t afraid to utilize any ammo to make heroine do his bidding, he takes charge & forces heroine to grow up, but he’s not an @$$hole. They bicker a lot but he’s actually kinda sweet, caring, intuitive, sensitive, knowledgeable ‘bout ante & post partum ups & downs. He doesn’t give a hoot what others think. He asks heroine to come meet him @ his office so he can give her a tour, buys her flowers, gives her a massage when she has a backache etc. I’d say heroine’s actions are realistic, considering she’s hella young, she drags her feet in telling daddy that she’s dashed his hopes & expectations, w/ a bun in her oven. I could understand her stupidity in having a one-nite stand after having too much drink. Gee whiz what else is new ? Raging hormones, unrequited luv / lust & Alcohol are prolly the major contributors in unwanted pregnancies statistics, so here’s a valuable lesson : Wrap. It. Up ! Use some of that school loan to buy latex @ your nearest Walgreens ! And don't boink your teacher !
We get to see hero’s thoughts & POVs, so that’s a big plus in making him come across as a sympathetic, confused, conflicted & sexually frustrated hero. His luv for his 10 y/o son is another bonus. He holds heroine’s hand @ the most pivotal moment of her pregnancy & attends the birth, even tho’ he’s not the biological daddy. Aaaawww…. I know I’m such a bleeding heart when it comes to babies since the existence of my own nieces, so yeah, I adored this hero for everything he did for heroine, even after the baby’s born. He appreciates the domestic side of Bella, esp her bond w/ Eddie. He starts to ponder that he may have another chance @ having a real family after all, something he hasn’t contemplated B4, since the death of his 1st wife. His sensitivity shows in more ways than 1. He uses his prior experience w/ former wife’s pregnancy, to make sure Bella’s well-being is her 1st & utmost priority. He takes her shopping for baby paraphernalia, marches her to an ob-gyn doc himself, decorates the nursery, lends her a shoulder to cry on when she’s feeling vulnerable. Have I mentioned how protective he is too, when the slimy douchebag aka Bella’s 1-nite stand shows up unexpectedly ? It’s refreshing to see H/H who actually have a mutual liking & respect for each other & are not @ each other’s throats throughout the book until the mandatory epiphany @ the finish line as in most HPs. Yep some of U folks may gag / puke in your mouth, esp if baby / pregnancy theme isn’t your cuppa, but I was in the mood for a squishy romance & I hit a home run w/ this 1, esp ‘cuz single dads (w/ some culinary skills !) are not common. H/H have a fine chemistry. 1 brief passage reminded me of her most infamous book that I haven’t read (the playboy sheikh’s virgin stable gal). She’s fond of horsey 4 real !
If I gotta whine ‘bout 1 thing, it’s the misleading slogan on the back cover : “Expecting ! She’s sexy, successful… and PREGNANT !” In this case, the heroine isn’t successful, career-wise, ‘cuz she’s a college drop-out & even tho’ she’s not a hanger-on, she’s financially not equal to Hero. She’s not an emotional cling-on. They have their differences but they’re not super mean in their interactions & hero’s up front w/ his intentions, that he doesn’t do “serious”, take it or leave it. In the end, all the minor quibbles just didn’t matter ‘cuz I thought the hero was so luvly to her. They’re both stubborn & wouldn’t give an inch on some issues, but hero forces heroine to stop running away from her problems & talk it out. It’s just so darn cute to see how he goes above & beyond to take care of her, despite his initial bitterness & disappointment. He has this tender side of him & it shows in his words & deeds. He doesn’t keep flogging himself to a bloody pulp over the fact that she’s lost her cherries to someone else. There’s nothing sexier than a hero who knows what he wants, forgives & forgets, who senses it when heroine’s drifting farther from him & he doesn’t just clam up. He doesn’t maul her even tho’ he longs to have his wicked ways w/ her. He has a nickname ‘Gato’ (‘Cat’). Well, all I can say is, I am woman, hear me purrr….Definitely 1 of the better heroes I’ve ever laid eyes on in HPlandia. Methinks SK is a go-to author for baby theme =)~
will-not-read
April 4, 2018Note to self: This is the one where the h is pregnant by OM, the H's wife died and has a child...
April 3, 2018
La protagonista queda embarazada de otro hombre, después de que el héroe calentara la pava pero no se tomara los mates (?). Así que la pobre va con sorpresa a buscar consuelo en él y quedan juntos en un plot de lo más horrible. El héroe es papá garrón.
September 12, 2011
Good story but not perfect. I found the hero enjoyable. Liked the heroine. At times the 10 years between the hero and heroine felt much larger. The hero has a lot more experience than the heroine which is obvious. I also didn't like the way the baby's father was wrapped up.
May 19, 2011
Isabella, seorang gadis kuliah yang akhirnya harus berhenti kuliah karena hamil di luar nikah. Akhirnya kabur ke Inggris untuk meminta bantuan kepada teman masa kecilnya Paulo Dantas.
Paulo Dantas, bankir keturunan Brazil, duda , beranak satu. setelah kematian istrinya, Elizabeth, Paulo berkomitmen tidak mau melakukan hubungan serius dengan wanita lagi. sampai suatu hari Isabella muncul di depan nya dang mengetahui kalau Isabella tengah mengandung seorang anak dari pria lain.
Antara cemburu dan ingin menolong Isabella, mengakui bahwa anak yang dikandung Isabella adalah anaknya, belum lagi dengan komitmen Paulo yang tidak akan menjalin hubungan serius.. apakah Isabella merupakan perkecualian??
yang bikin ngakak baca ini, waktu bokapnya Isabella mengumumkan kelahiran cucunya di koran dan mengucapkan selamat buat Isabella dengan Paulo.... huahahha.. neh kakek satu ini, emang geloo juga.. ckckkc.. bisa2 nya sampe masukin koran sgala o_O
adegan cemburuan Isabella - paulo , Paulo - Isabella... " seharusnya itu aku" <<<< Gyahhh!!! kata2 cemburu Paulo, di malam Isabella mengakui siapa ayah kandung anaknya.. kiikikkkiikkikk
Paulo Dantas, bankir keturunan Brazil, duda , beranak satu. setelah kematian istrinya, Elizabeth, Paulo berkomitmen tidak mau melakukan hubungan serius dengan wanita lagi. sampai suatu hari Isabella muncul di depan nya dang mengetahui kalau Isabella tengah mengandung seorang anak dari pria lain.
Antara cemburu dan ingin menolong Isabella, mengakui bahwa anak yang dikandung Isabella adalah anaknya, belum lagi dengan komitmen Paulo yang tidak akan menjalin hubungan serius.. apakah Isabella merupakan perkecualian??
yang bikin ngakak baca ini, waktu bokapnya Isabella mengumumkan kelahiran cucunya di koran dan mengucapkan selamat buat Isabella dengan Paulo.... huahahha.. neh kakek satu ini, emang geloo juga.. ckckkc.. bisa2 nya sampe masukin koran sgala o_O
adegan cemburuan Isabella - paulo , Paulo - Isabella... " seharusnya itu aku" <<<< Gyahhh!!! kata2 cemburu Paulo, di malam Isabella mengakui siapa ayah kandung anaknya.. kiikikkkiikkikk
February 6, 2022
This was good. The hero Paulo was simply delicious and Bella was sufficiently interesting that I could overlook her stupidity and frequent bouts of adolescent thinking and behaviour. I loved the way we could see him falling in love with her. I was a little put off at the beginning by the ‘pregnant by another man’ trope, but SK handled this so well! We watched as Paulo took on all the Daddy responsibilities with grace and charm and real concern. I thought that Isabella’s reluctance/inability to see he loved her, was irritating but I loved the ending.
I wanted an epilogue set in the future - with a teenaged Eddie, Estella and a couple more children in the mix. So I was disappointed there wasn’t one!
But overall I really loved this one. 😉
I wanted an epilogue set in the future - with a teenaged Eddie, Estella and a couple more children in the mix. So I was disappointed there wasn’t one!
But overall I really loved this one. 😉
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2010
Ck, nyesal bacanya, ini ceritanya kukira bagus, ternyata segitu aja. Bukannya muluk2, tp cewenya hamil di luar nikah, it's OK, gk masalah buatku, namanya juga nafsu dikira cinta trus cowonya duda, dah punya 1 anak lk2, ini jg gk masalah tp aku berharap setidaknya mereka married dl baru mengembangkan perasaan mereka, eh, gk taunya gk menikah, nikahnya pun di ujung2 cerita. ~_~
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2012
Wow just wow, I loved this story so much. It was really good in a way I didn't expect it, the whole time I was confused how they're going to solve the paternity issue but it wrapped up so nicely. The writing was so good and kept me hooked from the first page, and the hero was sexy, adorable and NICE, NICE, NICE… no wonder I loved him so much.
Very enjoyable read
Very enjoyable read
November 21, 2016
One of my favorite old reads. Short but sweet. Though the woman in the book seemed a little weak. She ran away from her troubles instead of standing on her own feet. Which only made it a three star read.
June 6, 2012
3,5*..
Sayang,sangat dsayangkn knapa bukan paulo yg jd pertama bwt isabella(klw iy,critax jd beda dnk...He3h)
Sayang,sangat dsayangkn knapa bukan paulo yg jd pertama bwt isabella(klw iy,critax jd beda dnk...He3h)
December 27, 2012
Not a bad novel, not really a good one either. I'm kind of on the fence about it, on one hand the hero was a character of integrity. I really liked him. On the other, the heroine really bothered me.
November 10, 2015
Simnary
It was good book to listen too. It flowed with the title. This book you can either read or listen to over and over.
It was good book to listen too. It flowed with the title. This book you can either read or listen to over and over.
April 24, 2017
It's a bit different. She is pregnant and the baby is not the hero's. He supports he and helps her and they grow closer, its an interesting twist to the normal romance.
November 16, 2010
salut sama Paulo....yg mau mengakui ank org lain sbg anaknya........
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews