Scandalously Expecting His Child - Olivia Gates (HD #2345 - Dec 2014)

Series: Billionaires of Black Castle (Book 2)

Self-made billionaire Raiden Kuroshiro escaped a dark past vowing to reclaim his heritage. But when the woman who once betrayed him returns, his desire for her threatens his plans. So he swears he'll purge her from his system and be done with her…

Scarlett Delacroix believes she's sinned beyond forgiveness. So she accepts Raiden's offer of temporary passion as her last chance with him. Then she becomes pregnant. But she and her baby have no place in Raiden's future -- unless he walks away from all he's ever wanted…

Good book with some very intense emotions. Raiden is on the verge of gaining everything he has worked for during the last ten years. Taken as children and forced to work for organized crime, Raiden and his "brothers" finally escaped. They all swore to do whatever necessary to bring down those that harmed them and save others from the same fate. Raiden also wants to reclaim his heritage and is about to enter the highest echelons of Japanese society through marriage. It doesn't matter to him that there is no love between them, only understanding. Then, the night of his engagement party, the one woman he's never forgotten reappears in his life.

Five years earlier, Raiden and Scarlett had met under different circumstances. Their attraction was explosive, and they couldn't stay away from each other. Raiden opened up to her in a way that he hadn't with anyone else, until the day he discovered it was all a lie. Furious at the betrayal, and helpless to do anything about it, they parted ways, but Raiden has never forgotten her. Though she looks completely different now, Raiden knows that this is the same woman. Determined to purge her from his system, he proposes a short affair.

Scarlett had her own reasons for her actions back then, ones that haunt her to this day. She never expected him to recognize her, but since he has she accepts his proposal as a way to make amends. It's also her last chance to make memories that will have to last her a lifetime. But she has secrets from her past that could drastically change everything he believes about her.

I really liked both Raiden and Scarlett. Raiden has a well-earned reputation for ruthlessness, but he isn't a cruel man. Though he doesn't love Megumi, he still treats her with kindness and respect. Because of what he's been through he guards his emotions, with his "brothers" being the only ones who know all of him. Scarlett is an amazing woman. She has reinvented herself so many times that she frequently wonders if she knows who she really is. My heart broke for her as her past was slowly revealed.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Raiden and Scarlett. There was no denying the explosive chemistry between them. But along with that chemistry was a deeper connection. Being with Scarlett made Raiden feel again, something he wasn't too sure he was happy about. As his feelings for Scarlett deepened, Raiden also needed his questions answered. I ached for Scarlett as she shared a small part of what had brought them together, and the guilt she feels because of it. An unexpected twist comes when Raiden asks one of his brothers to do a full investigation into her past. I was brought to tears as her full story was revealed and Raiden learned of the horrors she'd been through. His support of Scarlett as she confessed all was fantastic. I had to laugh at his actions when she fainted, even as they revealed the depth of his feelings for her. But there are still some serious obstacles to them having a future together. I loved the fierceness of the other men of Black Castle as they banded together to help Raiden. I loved how everything came together at the end, with an especially fun scene to close it out.

 

From Enemy's Daughter to Expectant Bride - Olivia Gates (HD #2337 - Nov 2014)

Series: Billionaires of Black Castle (Book 1)

Rafael Salazar came back to Rio to destroy the man who stole his childhood. Then he spies the beauty across the ballroom…and passion overwhelms him. Even after the shock of discovering who she really is, he vows to make her his.

Eliana Ferreira has never met a man like Rafael -- powerful, irresistible, unstoppable. She knows something dark drives the self-made billionaire, yet she can't deny him anything…until she discovers his terrible purpose. She is expecting his baby and is days away from becoming his bride, but will his revenge tear them apart forever?

Overall a good book. The story opens with Rafael as a child. He has been kidnapped from his home and forced to use his mathematical abilities for organized crime. Fortunately, there are several other boys who make him part of their group, as they watch out for each other and plan their escape. Years later, this brotherhood has created their own business and are some of the wealthiest men in the world. The series opener is Rafael's story, as he plots his revenge on the man responsible for his kidnapping.

Rafael's focus on his mission is clear as he talks to one of his friends, but that focus is suddenly interrupted by the sight of a beautiful woman across the ballroom. Their eyes met, and she was just as instantly captivated. The sparks between them were undeniable, and passion flared as soon as they touched. Rafael is determined to make her his. The intensity is overwhelming and Eliana asks that they slow down, as she goes to find her boss and check in with him. Rafael is stunned to discover that her boss is also her father - and the man he's pledged to destroy. He rapidly backed off to process the information, while his friend Richard takes it upon himself to drive a wedge between them, in an effort to protect Rafael. Eliana is devasted by what he says and flees the party.

The strength of the attraction between Rafael and Eliana is intense. Rafael is obsessed and determined to have her for his own. I loved seeing this ruthless businessman brought to his knees by his need for her. There were some amazing scenes between them where an unexpectedly sweet and poetic side of Rafael emerged. I also loved the scene at the orphanage, as Rafael sees Eliana's love and protectiveness for the children. I loved her fierceness when she confronted him about raising the hopes of the children. An unexpected side of Rafael emerged, and I loved his scene with the nuns. Eliana is a bit naïve, but she is also good at seeing to the heart of people. She knows that Rafael is a good man at heart, but she also senses that there is a darkness that she hasn't been able to breach. The relationship between Rafael and Eliana seems to me to border on the obsessive, especially on Rafael's part. His unwillingness to go more than a few hours without talking to her was intense.  This comes to a head when Eliana is in an accident. I ached for Rafael and his fear of losing her. Their reunion was deeply emotional and brought home to them both the depth of their feelings and their desire for a permanent commitment.

But Rafael has also not given up his need for revenge. He continues his plans to destroy Eliana's father, all the while believing that he can keep his involvement a secret from her. When Eliana overhears him talking to his friends about his plans, she is devastated. I loved seeing her stand up to him and defend her father. I also enjoyed the scene with Rafael's friends, both her ability to get them to tell her about Rafael's past and their reactions to her. I had to laugh at these three tough guys falling all over themselves. I loved seeing Eliana take what she found out and use it. Her persistence revealed some interesting twists to the story of Rafael's abduction. I loved the ending, as Eliana's love for Rafael destroyed that which had driven him for so long, enabling him to become the man she believed he could be. The scenes with Eliana's father were fantastic.

I enjoyed meeting some of Rafael's friends, the members of the brotherhood. All of them have been affected by what they went through. I am looking forward to all of their stories, but especially Richard's story. There were some very interesting scenes with him, and it is going to take a very special woman to get to him.

This book would have been a four-star read except for one scene. The part where they finally came together was deeply emotional and would have been outstanding for me except for one thing. The violence of their union was very off-putting for me. With the descriptions of Rafael's "attributes" and their actual coming together, I couldn't help but feel that what followed was unrealistic. It was more likely, in my opinion, that there would have been too much pain for Eliana to enjoy, much less demand, further intimacy right away. No matter the intensity of their desire, Rafael should have taken more care with their first time.