Review: fun, uncomplicated, romantic escapism
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 19, 2013
Shameless. Rebecca J. ClarkReview from Jeannie Zelos Book reviews.Wanting a simple easy romance I picked up this one. And got exactly that – a fun, uncomplicated read. Sometimes you want complex, in-depth plots and others just a gentle foray into happy fiction. Well, Shameless delivers that – Samantha wants a baby, but not a husband/father but is having problems finding the right man. John doesn't want either wife or child, but because of his feelings of guilt about Sam's past he agrees to father her child, on condition that’s all. No after contact, no responsibility, no maintenance. That suits Sam fine except...John wants to make a baby the traditional route not the baster one! She agrees and .. the action gets hot and heavy, sensual and steamy, there's some very active and sexy love scenes here.I liked Sam, loved the way Rebecca transformed her feelings about John and men in general over the course of the book. John was a great guy too – I understood his feelings of guilt, but it was heartbreaking that he'd let them get so dominating in his life. As well as the Sam/John/baby plot there was more to the book. The clubs for disadvantaged children he and his business partner Alex had set up, brought in some kids who really needed that help. Poor Brian, what a sweet kid and what an awful situation he was in, and I cried at That Part :( Then there's Alex mysterious past girlfriend Lori – they'd parted when they were in their teens and no-one has yet matched up to her. He was someone deserving of a HEA, kind, thoughtful, trying to help where he could but his romance from the past dominated his present.It was full of little day to day dramas that make fiction so realistic, and people feel like friends. I cared about them – to the point I was in tears at one part...and so cross at times, when they just didn't seem to see what was so obvious to me. Its a great, fun read, full of drama and emotion but not too deep, so perfect for those days when you want a good book, but not one that requires too much deep thinking, remembering who is who and how they fit the plot. In this book it all falls together naturally and makes for an enjoyable, easy read.  Excellent value too at 2.59 for 386 pages.Stars: four and a half.ARC supplied via Netgalley