LynneC’s review of Claimed: The Pregnant Heiress by Day Leclaire
Contemporary Romance published by Silhouette Desire 4 Jan 11
I’m a big fan of Day Leclaire’s Dante’s Inferno books, so I looked forward to reading her entry to The Takeover series for Desire. I wasn’t disappointed. I had a great time with this book. Even if I did read it out of order (out of the two books available, I read the second one first!). The takeover concept is a nice one to hang a series on because it’s easily explained and you don’t have to read all the books to make sense of it. Day Leclaire has written a book that contains familiar themes, but with vividly drawn, likable and believable characters you’ll really root for.
Chase Larson has a big (and understandable) chip on his shoulder, not because he’s illegitimate, but because of the nature of it and the way he was treated. But he doesn’t hold it against his brother, Rafe. In fact, he’s helping Rafe to purchase the company owned by Emma’s father – the takeover of the series title. Chase owns a financial services company that deals with the complexities of these deals. And during this book, Chase does work and sometimes has to concentrate on that rather than Emma. Emma doesn’t fuss when he needs to work, and Chase finds it difficult at times. WTG both of them. I like responsible, mature heroes and heroines.
Chase spent the night with Emma before the story starts, and now Emma knows she’s pregnant. There’s a problem—she didn’t know Chase’s full name, and she didn’t give him the chance of discovering hers. So when they meet at a social affair to commemorate the takeover, they are both stunned to discover their true identities.
When she tells Chase she’s expecting his baby, it triggers all his issues, and he demands a permanent connection. He wants marriage, even if divorce is in the cards later on, because he wants to give his baby a name.
Normally I’d roll my eyes at this trope, because in this day and age, people don’t usually think that way. But Emma beats me to it. I sighed in relief when Emma shows the response that a modern woman would, especially a woman with money of her own. She doesn’t need Chase, but she’ll give him access and won’t fight over it. Chase wants more and eventually Emma agrees. But she never loses her head, except in the bedroom and even there she never promises anything she doesn’t mean or doesn’t believe is right for her, Chase, and their baby.
The sex scenes, while few, are genuinely sizzling and well worth waiting for. Leclaire builds up the tension beautifully, and I didn’t feel, as I sometimes do, that the sex scene is being postponed for no good reason. When there needs to be one, or rather, where there is no spurious reason why there shouldn’t be one, there is one. No phones ringing, no “but I shouldn’t” in a woman who’s panting for it a minute earlier. No “I love you, I hate you” either.
One of the reasons I like Leclaire’s books is that her heroines are usually interesting, believable characters in their own right. They have their strengths, and they don’t do TSTL stuff – or if they do, they don’t blame someone else for it. Emma is no exception. She’s interesting and she’s strong. Also beautiful, of course. And intelligent. Really intelligent, not an intelligent heroine who makes really stupid choices, like I’ve read elsewhere.
Chase is more difficult to like, but Leclaire gives the reader valid reasons why he’s so difficult. We learn about him along with Emma and get deeper into his psyche. In the end I like him, and I could see why Emma wants him, that’s apart from the “I want you” pull they both feel when they meet. And he’s a blond. What can I say? I love blonds.
Leclaire also manages to pull off a feat that I thought I expected, but then, didn’t. All through the book Chase and Emma get their phones mixed up. Same model, same ringtone. And when they change the ringtone, the other does too, and it ends up the same one. The little irritation to them shows the reader how well they are matched, despite their doubts and adds lighter moments to the story. The feat? Worth waiting for, and you’ll have to read the book, because I ain’t saying. See if you agree with me.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the characters in it, and I think it’s well worth your money.
Grade: A-
Summary: “I’m having your baby.” With those words, Emma Worth changed Chase Larson’s life forever. Having been born on the wrong side of the marriage bed, the millionaire vowed no baby of his would be so cruelly labeled. There was just one thing that might keep him from making Emma his wife: their feuding families. She’d never dreamed one night with Chase would bind them forever. The pregnant heiress desperately wanted to raise their child together, but only if Chase could forget they were enemies….
Read an excerpt.
