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The Royal House of Karedes #6
The Future King's Love-Child
THE PRINCE'S BABY OF SHAME
Cassie Kyriakis was wrongly accused of murdering her father and jailed, leaving her wild-child roots and Seb, her one true love, behind her ...
Now, the throne awaits Prince Sebastian Karedes!
Seb once loved Cassie so passionately he would have chosen her over his kingdom. But she rejected him. Now that she's been released from prison, he discovers that she may be innocent and that she gave birth to his baby in her cell! Sebastian must choose between honor and duty. He will claim his love-child --- but what about Cassie?
Cassie Kyriakis was wrongly accused of murdering her father and jailed, leaving her wild-child roots and Seb, her one true love, behind her ...
Now, the throne awaits Prince Sebastian Karedes!
Seb once loved Cassie so passionately he would have chosen her over his kingdom. But she rejected him. Now that she's been released from prison, he discovers that she may be innocent and that she gave birth to his baby in her cell! Sebastian must choose between honor and duty. He will claim his love-child --- but what about Cassie?
177 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
25 people are currently reading
324 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Milburne
1,152 books394 followersI grew up on a small farm on the outskirts of Sydney and as a keen horse rider, often competed in local gymkhanas and even broke in a few horses from time to time. As I was surrounded by animals, I decided at an early age to become a nurse, however I couldn’t stand the sight of blood and so opted for a career in teaching. It’s a bit ironic that I married a surgeon.
I read my first Mills & Boon novel when I was 17 and that encouraged me to continue reading romance novels; the lure of the tall dark handsome hero, who in reality I fell in love with and knew I was going to marry on our second date! After marrying a year later, we moved to Scotland with our six week old baby so my husband could work and study for his MD in surgery. After the birth of our second son we came back to Australia to settle in Tasmania.
I went back to University and up-graded my teaching diploma to a degree and then went on to do a Masters but still I felt as if something was missing. I sat down one day and began writing and everything clicked into place - I had finally found ‘my brilliant career’! I used to write from instinct rather than a specific plan, but now, so many books later I find a loose plan doesn't go astray. An idea will pop into my head, sometimes it will be just a simple phrase or a what if question and I'm away.
Writing is a skill that can be learned and the best way to learn it is to read and to write. So many people feel they have a novel in them and very probably they are right-the only trick is to get it out. My advice to ‘would be’ writers is to write, write, and write even more. Carry a notebook at all times and jot down ideas. And like any other activity the more you do, the more it feels comfortable.
I hope you enjoy my stories and look forward to hearing from you.
I read my first Mills & Boon novel when I was 17 and that encouraged me to continue reading romance novels; the lure of the tall dark handsome hero, who in reality I fell in love with and knew I was going to marry on our second date! After marrying a year later, we moved to Scotland with our six week old baby so my husband could work and study for his MD in surgery. After the birth of our second son we came back to Australia to settle in Tasmania.
I went back to University and up-graded my teaching diploma to a degree and then went on to do a Masters but still I felt as if something was missing. I sat down one day and began writing and everything clicked into place - I had finally found ‘my brilliant career’! I used to write from instinct rather than a specific plan, but now, so many books later I find a loose plan doesn't go astray. An idea will pop into my head, sometimes it will be just a simple phrase or a what if question and I'm away.
Writing is a skill that can be learned and the best way to learn it is to read and to write. So many people feel they have a novel in them and very probably they are right-the only trick is to get it out. My advice to ‘would be’ writers is to write, write, and write even more. Carry a notebook at all times and jot down ideas. And like any other activity the more you do, the more it feels comfortable.
I hope you enjoy my stories and look forward to hearing from you.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 26, 2018
A secret baby story where the baby is born in prison and the father knows nothing about him until six years later. At 18, heroine was railroaded into a manslaughter plea after her abusive (and socially prominent) father dies after a fall down the stairs. She had just broken up with the heir-to-the-throne prince hero (because she loved him too much!) and was too depressed to defend herself. Hero, who had kept their sexual affair a secret, believed all the lies about her and has harbored a grudge for being dumped all of these years.
Heroine is on parole and working for an orphanage when she meets the hero again at a charity event.. He wants to continue a sexual affair until she's out of his system. He threatens to drum up charges to send her back to prison is she doesn't comply. He also has to find some sort of diamond so he can take the throne and there's a bunch of court intrigue stuff that isn't the least bit interesting - but it does make you wonder if the hero has rocks in the head for carrying on a secret affair with a convicted murderer when he's supposed to be preparing for his role as king.
Heroine tries to keep her son, her father's abuse and her time in prison a secret from the hero, but eventually it all comes out. Hero manages to slut shame her and lose his temper several times in the story, but heroine still winds up in his bed.
This could have been a four star read because the story line was different, the angst was off the charts and the five year old son was so sweet and shy and heartbreaking in his insecurities. He was just a great kid and you could see how both the H/h just melted for him. One of the most compelling kids I've read in an HP.
But - the slut shaming was a bit much, the heroine's lies went on too long, the heroine succumbed to her traitorous body too easily, and the political backdrop from this series took away from the intensity of the romance. So three stars it is.
Heroine is on parole and working for an orphanage when she meets the hero again at a charity event.. He wants to continue a sexual affair until she's out of his system. He threatens to drum up charges to send her back to prison is she doesn't comply. He also has to find some sort of diamond so he can take the throne and there's a bunch of court intrigue stuff that isn't the least bit interesting - but it does make you wonder if the hero has rocks in the head for carrying on a secret affair with a convicted murderer when he's supposed to be preparing for his role as king.
Heroine tries to keep her son, her father's abuse and her time in prison a secret from the hero, but eventually it all comes out. Hero manages to slut shame her and lose his temper several times in the story, but heroine still winds up in his bed.
This could have been a four star read because the story line was different, the angst was off the charts and the five year old son was so sweet and shy and heartbreaking in his insecurities. He was just a great kid and you could see how both the H/h just melted for him. One of the most compelling kids I've read in an HP.
But - the slut shaming was a bit much, the heroine's lies went on too long, the heroine succumbed to her traitorous body too easily, and the political backdrop from this series took away from the intensity of the romance. So three stars it is.
February 5, 2020
The House of Karedes has more than its fair share of arrogant, unappealing, entitled heroes.
I want you but you’re not good enough to marry awesome me is not a seductive argument.
The heroine isn’t much better as she breaks up with the hero by telling him she’s had sooo many affairs which later leads him to refer way too many times about her spreading her legs for other men. Thanks a lot and yuck. The fact that she was the Future King's dirty little secret from the beginning is another mark against both of them.
The star of the story as others have mentioned is Sam the only character’s name I can remember. More than a plot moppet, he’s sweet and confused and deserves better.
‘So you and Mummy and me are going to always be together?’ Sam asked with hope shining in his eyes.
‘For the time being at least,’ Sebastian said after a slight pause.
Always together ≠ For the time being
Very abrupt ending. Was there a word count issue?
I want you but you’re not good enough to marry awesome me is not a seductive argument.
The heroine isn’t much better as she breaks up with the hero by telling him she’s had sooo many affairs which later leads him to refer way too many times about her spreading her legs for other men. Thanks a lot and yuck. The fact that she was the Future King's dirty little secret from the beginning is another mark against both of them.
The star of the story as others have mentioned is Sam the only character’s name I can remember. More than a plot moppet, he’s sweet and confused and deserves better.
‘So you and Mummy and me are going to always be together?’ Sam asked with hope shining in his eyes.
‘For the time being at least,’ Sebastian said after a slight pause.
Always together ≠ For the time being
Very abrupt ending. Was there a word count issue?
May 28, 2018
I ended up giving this three stars because the hero loved her so much he abdicated the throne. Little Sam broke my heart and eventually the heroine told him what really happened with her Father who she was imprisoned for killing. She was abused her whole life and she acted out by partying and running with the wrong crowd. The hero had a secret affair with her when she was 17 or 18 and it was very passionate. Her Father was still abusing her and I am not sure why but she felt she had to break it off with the hero so she lied to him and told him she was cheating on him and spreading her legs for anyone so he would hate her. The next day her Father assaulted her and in the fight he fell down the stairs and she was accused of murdering him. She was villified by the press and sent to prison for manslaughter. People hated her. in prison she gave birth to the Hero's son and it was sad to read what she went through. She got on and was on Parole and worked at an orphanage. The Hero sees her at a charity event and still wants her. He had other lovers but they never compared. He hated her too because of the lies she told. Eventually he finds out that she had a kid and it was his. The little boy was so cute and he broke my heart. He was taken away from her for one year and put in foster care and he was very insecure. There is a lot of stuff going on in the story and I didn't like it at first but eventually I warmed up to it. Will I read it again? Hell no. And the reason I gave it three stars? One was for Sam and his vulnerability and one was for the H abdicating the throne for the love of his new family.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2019
A good secret baby story. Very passionate and angsty! Hero is a sexy prince and heroine has been released from prison for killing her abusive asshole father. She has a sweet son who was born while she was in prison. When she was younger she had an affair with Sebastian our hero but she abandoned him because she felt she was not good enough. When the future king discovers his son she has a lot to answer for. Great love story with loving characters and a cute toddler. I wish there was an epilogue though!
June 25, 2017
Very, very intense story.
Cassie has been released from prison for killing her father, and is working her parole off to help support her son, Sam who was born while she was in prison. When she was younger she had an affair with Sebastian, the future king of Aristo, but he abandoned her when she was convicted.
Now he is determined to reinstate the affair in punishment for her actions, but there are a lot of things he doesn't know about Cassie.
Book #6 of "The Royal House of Karedes" series in the volume that contains #5-8.
Cassie has been released from prison for killing her father, and is working her parole off to help support her son, Sam who was born while she was in prison. When she was younger she had an affair with Sebastian, the future king of Aristo, but he abandoned her when she was convicted.
Now he is determined to reinstate the affair in punishment for her actions, but there are a lot of things he doesn't know about Cassie.
Book #6 of "The Royal House of Karedes" series in the volume that contains #5-8.
August 11, 2010
Another good addition to the Royal House of Karedes series. (Of course excluding the virgin-stable girl nightmare book).
At times the heroine annoyed me but I did enjoy this story. Little Sam was so adorable and you just feel so bad for him at times. Poor little thing.
Anyway, enjoyable read and good way to pass the time.
At times the heroine annoyed me but I did enjoy this story. Little Sam was so adorable and you just feel so bad for him at times. Poor little thing.
Anyway, enjoyable read and good way to pass the time.
December 24, 2010
Bloodly unlikely! Give me a freaking break...so, a notorious parent killer has a baby in jail and not ONE WORD of it leaks to the press?? Get real!
August 5, 2017
3.75 Stars
February 13, 2016
Stopped after 1 chapter. too dreadful to continue.
Read
April 25, 2019Ever finished a romance book and thought “hmm these two people shouldn’t be together”? Then you need to read this one! The author didn’t seem to like our heroine cause no matter what her past is colored as “tramp/slut/whore”. She lies, unnecessarily a lot! We never find out what happened the night her dad died. She was 18?! Pregnant abused and sent to prison. And because she lies about little things the hero can’t trust her when she confesses big things. Poor frightened kid is just paranoid his mom is going back to prison the whole time. The hero sleeps with the heroine without protection hoping she is tied to his royal ass, initially tried to blackmail her into sleeping with him again, threw away an album she made with her son’s baby photos, claims SHE leaked everything to the press when all she wants to do is protect her child for that. Great guy. Didn’t really believe the ending cause these two should just try to raise their son not together. Skip cause it’s not romantic.
January 24, 2018
Plenty of sex, some appropriate, some totally unnecessary. Plenty of daddy's physical abuse towards the heroine. A ton of pathos over the heroines tragic past life.
A hero who is a prince in waiting. A love child born out of hasty, secretive sexual meetings between the hero and heroine in the past. A shy little boy born and brought up in prison where the female lead is serving a sentence for murdering her abusive dad !!
Phew, you get the idea. It's a cocktail mix of sex, sympathy, sacrifice laid out to you by the author. You come out faintly entertained, partly bored.
Ok for a one time read. Might make more sense if read in the sequence of the story series.
3 stars.
A hero who is a prince in waiting. A love child born out of hasty, secretive sexual meetings between the hero and heroine in the past. A shy little boy born and brought up in prison where the female lead is serving a sentence for murdering her abusive dad !!
Phew, you get the idea. It's a cocktail mix of sex, sympathy, sacrifice laid out to you by the author. You come out faintly entertained, partly bored.
Ok for a one time read. Might make more sense if read in the sequence of the story series.
3 stars.
September 4, 2019
this is another lovely, but too short
November 18, 2019
1/3 stars
August 6, 2014
Review:
This is an older Harlequin and with the amount and pace they’re put out, not to mention the recycled a couple of dozen words they use to form titles, it would have disappeared amongst others if I accidentally hadn’t clicked on it and if the synopsis hadn’t caught my attention. I’m all guilty for liking hidden baby plots combined with misjudged heroines whom the hero has to grovel to and work hard to win back her affections. So, yes, a great angsty reconciliation romance with a cute kid was what I expected and more or less received.
What I got:
Cassie was an incredibly likable, strong and, especially, mistreated and misunderstood heroine – exactly what I was hoping for. Abruptly having been woken up to a harsh reality from her wealthy socialite days to being locked up in prison, pregnant to boot, she had to grow up and fight day and night for her little boy. I loved her adoration for her son and how she handled her misery and distressing situation – this was one tortured heroine. She also wasn’t as naïve, juvenile, unintentionally egoistic and illogical as too many Harlequin Presents heroines tend to be.
Sam was utterly cute, sweet and shy. I’m also glad that he wasn’t just there as a plot device, he actually SPOKE and was included in the story line and events – he was a full-fledged character. I was fond of each and every moment he had a scene with his mom or dad. It’s funny, but many other Harlequin Present have the kid just for the sake of it or as a means to an end.
Well, who doesn’t like a Cinderella-like plot with a prince and a heroine needing to be taken care of and spoiled after many hardships? And despite the hero being a self-serving douche for some time, he did grow into the shoes of a good hero in the end.
What I didn’t get:
Sebastian didn’t grovel nearly as much as he should have! Well, he did make the right decision in the end with sacrifices from his side as well, so I guess I can just turn a blind eye this time.
It was short and went by too fast and, as usual, the plot in itself was kind of basic and none-existent, but such is the case with 99% of Harlequin Presents. Honestly, I don’t really read them for the “brilliant” and “complex” plots anyway so I shouldn’t whine about this.
Overall:
Since I liked the plot and the heroine then this is already worth 4 stars. You can’t always ask more from a Presents novel and this certainly outdid itself compared to most others. I enjoyed and liked!
This is an older Harlequin and with the amount and pace they’re put out, not to mention the recycled a couple of dozen words they use to form titles, it would have disappeared amongst others if I accidentally hadn’t clicked on it and if the synopsis hadn’t caught my attention. I’m all guilty for liking hidden baby plots combined with misjudged heroines whom the hero has to grovel to and work hard to win back her affections. So, yes, a great angsty reconciliation romance with a cute kid was what I expected and more or less received.
What I got:
Cassie was an incredibly likable, strong and, especially, mistreated and misunderstood heroine – exactly what I was hoping for. Abruptly having been woken up to a harsh reality from her wealthy socialite days to being locked up in prison, pregnant to boot, she had to grow up and fight day and night for her little boy. I loved her adoration for her son and how she handled her misery and distressing situation – this was one tortured heroine. She also wasn’t as naïve, juvenile, unintentionally egoistic and illogical as too many Harlequin Presents heroines tend to be.
Sam was utterly cute, sweet and shy. I’m also glad that he wasn’t just there as a plot device, he actually SPOKE and was included in the story line and events – he was a full-fledged character. I was fond of each and every moment he had a scene with his mom or dad. It’s funny, but many other Harlequin Present have the kid just for the sake of it or as a means to an end.
Well, who doesn’t like a Cinderella-like plot with a prince and a heroine needing to be taken care of and spoiled after many hardships? And despite the hero being a self-serving douche for some time, he did grow into the shoes of a good hero in the end.
What I didn’t get:
Sebastian didn’t grovel nearly as much as he should have! Well, he did make the right decision in the end with sacrifices from his side as well, so I guess I can just turn a blind eye this time.
It was short and went by too fast and, as usual, the plot in itself was kind of basic and none-existent, but such is the case with 99% of Harlequin Presents. Honestly, I don’t really read them for the “brilliant” and “complex” plots anyway so I shouldn’t whine about this.
Overall:
Since I liked the plot and the heroine then this is already worth 4 stars. You can’t always ask more from a Presents novel and this certainly outdid itself compared to most others. I enjoyed and liked!
June 18, 2013
I found it really hard to like Sebastian, the hero of this novel. He was your typical chauvinistic, a-hole HP hero (which I suppose is to be expected since he's a prince about to be King) until he finally learns the real truth about Cassie and can put his injured pride aside and admit what it is he really feels for her. It was shocking to me that it took him six years to finally get someone he trusted to discreetly surveillance and report back about Cassie's life. What stopped you from doing so before and glibly believing all the lies she told you six years ago?! And how the hell did no one, even the press report about Cassie's pregnancy and Sam's birth? Paps live for that kind of juicy stuff.
June 3, 2021
THE PRINCE'S BABY OF SHAME
Cassie Kyriakis was wrongly accused of murdering her father and jailed, leaving her wild-child roots and Seb, her one true love, behind her ...
Now, the throne awaits Prince Sebastian Karedes!
Seb once loved Cassie so passionately he would have chosen her over his kingdom. But she rejected him. Now that she's been released from prison, he discovers that she may be innocent and that she gave birth to his baby in her cell! Sebastian must choose between honor and duty. He will claim his love-child --- but what about Cassie?
Cassie Kyriakis was wrongly accused of murdering her father and jailed, leaving her wild-child roots and Seb, her one true love, behind her ...
Now, the throne awaits Prince Sebastian Karedes!
Seb once loved Cassie so passionately he would have chosen her over his kingdom. But she rejected him. Now that she's been released from prison, he discovers that she may be innocent and that she gave birth to his baby in her cell! Sebastian must choose between honor and duty. He will claim his love-child --- but what about Cassie?
Read
May 19, 2013Horrible. Cassie was a complete shrew, screeching at every opportunity over nothing. Sebastian was dull of anything I've ever read. The ending was completely ridiculous. This book really puts me off the series. I don't have high expectations for these little novellas, but a little effort would have been appreciated.
November 9, 2016
This was an okay read as a whole. I am not fully on board with the H's character but it was good to see the growth of that character. I'm not sure if the story could've been pulled off by another writer but I find that MM can put together interesting factors of a story and execute them well.
April 25, 2013
tierno, conmovedor libro. Estas novelas cortas esconden grandes historias que vale la pena leer
October 26, 2013
I liked it!
December 9, 2013
4.5 stars
March 21, 2015
sweet but unrealistic.
October 27, 2016
¿Qué tipo de final es ese?
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews