Dinca’s review of Found: One Secret Baby by Nancy Holland
Contemporary Romance published by HarperImpulse 7 July 2016
Rosalie Walker is an LA lawyer and the guardian of Joey, a young boy of her deceased client. Martha, Joey’s mother, was killed by Charlie, Joey’s father. Rosalie promised, as his legal guardian, that she would keep him safe from his paternal grandparents.
Rosalie loves Joey as her very own and will do anything to protect the boy. When she determines the best way to do this is to legally adopt him, she’s aware for the adoption to proceed his living relatives will be notified.
When Morgan Danby shows up unexpectedly in her office inquiring about the missing baby of one of her clients, she knows she has to keep Joey a secret. Morgan is no blood relation to Joey but he is enquiring for his paternal grandmother.
Morgan is in LA on business and has promised his stepmother he would check into the stories about Martha having a child. The woman his stepbrother is in prison for killing. When he meets Ms. Walker, he gets a feeling she is not telling him everything she knows. Regardless, he tries to find a way to get to know her better. He takes an interest in the paintings in her office and finds that her mother is the artist. He offers to connect her with an art gallery selling the retro type art. Showing up a week later on her doorstep for more paintings without notice, he discovers Joey.
Mixed with all the turmoil are slices of humor, and the plot develops well. Joey has a great personality of his own and he’s a very well-developed character for a two-year-old. The stepmother, aka grandmother to Joey, is a necessary evil for the story’s development. The grandfather leaves no doubt why Charlie turned out the way he did and a good reason why Rosalie needed to complete that adoption as soon as possible.
This sexual tension between Rosalie and Morgan progresses very well. Other than being a hunk and wealthy, however, he doesn’t have a lot going for him, in my opinion. He tries to manipulate Rosalie into solving the problem his way,instead of coming right out and admitting feelings for her and Joey.
Other than a few distracting faux-paus regarding place events (which I find distracting, when the accurate information can be found online), I enjoyed the story. The characters are well developed with a good sense of humor. Even the old bat…Oops! Granny got a laugh out of me.
Grade: B
Summary:
LA lawyer Rosalie Walker will do whatever it takes to protect her adopted son from his father’s family. So when wealthy businessman Morgan Danby walks into her office in search of his nephew, she must keep the baby a secret—even if one look from Morgan makes her want to share everything with him.
As a favor to his stepmother Morgan is searching for the child of her incarcerated son. He knows Rosalie is hiding something, and the temptation to seduce her for her secret is strong, but will he be able to handle the consequences once all is revealed?
