Review: Good Romantic Suspense Novel with Likeable Heroine
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 22, 2013
“Baby Daddy” is the first in Kathy Clark’s new “Scandals” trilogy, and it’s a romance/suspense genre mix that is greatly readable and entertaining. Killeen is a junior at ASU, and her boyfriend Brandon has just graduated. It should be an exciting time, but there’s one wrench in the plans: Killeen is pregnant, and Brandon angrily walks out and wants nothing to do with her.As Killeen struggles with her emotions over this and what to do about the baby, she receives an odd visit from a stranger: Harlan Gooding, an attorney who says she may be the heir to an estate in Austin. He requests a DNA test and soon she finds out she has four brothers and sisters—all of whom were fathered by a country music star who is now deceased and trying to make up for his neglect of them from beyond the grave, via an inheritance. Part of the inheritance involves a P.I. agency called Scandals. Now, in addition to struggling with her feelings about potentially being a mother, Killeen must decide if she’s ready to accept her inheritance and forge a relationship with her four new brothers and sisters—and decide just how spicy she’s going to let things get with Christopher, who was actually like a son to her father though not related. In addition to those plot lines, there’s also danger, tension, and a possible murder, an excellent start in P.I. for the five young people.Killeen is an instantly sympathetic character, a smart girl who has made the right choices in life and still found herself in a hard position. Though the plot is interesting, it’s her as a character who keeps you turning the pages, because you want to find out what happens to her and also want her to find happiness. Her relationship with Christopher is never a given—there’s the question of will it work or won’t it—and that also adds tension and interest to the book. Finally, her siblings all seem to have interesting backstories and have unique personalities that go beyond just supporting Killeen’s story, so I hope to see their stories explored in the future. This book is recommended to readers of both suspense and romance, and most particularly those who enjoy a blend of the two genres.