The Dark Side of Desire (Paperback) by Michelle Reid

Synopsis:
She could run . . . but she couldn't hide.

No longer the shattered teenager who had left Thornley vowing never to return, Rebecca Shaw had come to terms with the legacy of Jay Lorence's betrayal and had built a new life on HER terms. But her mother needed her now--and nothing could keep Rebecca from going home.

Ten years melted in Jay's embrace; his kiss reopened old wounds and ignited forgotten temptations. Every instinct warned her to run before her hard-worked-for peace and stability came crashing down.

Rebecca had a new life--one she had no intention of letting Jay invade. But keeping a man like Jay at arm's length was next to impossible--especially when it wasn't what she really wanted to do.


Review: 
Rating: 5 stars
I usually hate abandoned-baby-shocked-father stories but this one works on so many different levels - First of all, its an honest book - The real issue b/w the H/H is the social classification of the society and then the story is very mature ( but not boring) - You can pretty much tell how the hero is feeling right from the start (and no he's not giving mixed signals and he doesn't rip the heroine apart like nobody's business) - not that he's not angry at her but its an anger that I can understand (as does the heroine, I might add) - the dialog from their child is well placed and very apt

The last recommendation I can give it is this: I read this book 10 years ago and reading it now, I still feel the gut-wrenching ache that I did initially....


Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.
Goodreads link if you want to add it to your shelf: Dark Side of Desire

Taken on Trust (Paperback) by Sally Wentworth - Harlequin Presents

Synopsis:

Lyn couldn't tell what he was thinking

That was the trouble. Despite their initial conflict, it hadn't taken Lyn long to realize that Morgan French was the only man in the world for her.
What Lyn wanted she usually got and this time was no exception. But Morgan was infuriatingly enigmatic about his feelings for her. And his question--"We'd better get married then, hadn't we?"--was disappointingly casual.
Was he only marrying her because of her wealthy background, Lyn wondered. Or did he really love her?

Review:
Rating: 4.75
 Well...any book of HQN that I've read with a groom and a bride on the cover has been a high-drama one and as far as I remember , they've all been very good. This one was no exception. 

When I started reading it, I was like "Oh, no! not another crappy book about a hero collecting the heroine and all that" but I actually felt exactly like the heroine in her reaction to her parents' marriage breakup. I know she acted like a spoiled brat and she lashed out but I loved that because it's human to react badly to a bad situation. I hate it when most authors make the heroines out to be a martyr and self-sacrificing type. I'd want blood as did the heroine. She finds out the H was somehow involved in the scheme and turns on him and I love her sharp retorts. Plus you can feel her pain quite visually so that was great

I usually don't like melo-dramatic books cuz it's easy to go OTT (this one did, too, slightly and I started thinking she was acting badly [which was the whole point of the story...she was!]) but this one worked quite well and I'll defo be reading it again..