Luka was handsome, sexy, rich and a playboy. the main reason his very efficient PA Cecelia was crazy about him and quitting. Luka didn't want her to quit, he was crazy about her too but they shared sad upbringing and mistrust that kept them apart. I found Cecelia annoying and it was difficult to like her but the ending was great. I recommend this book.

Claiming His Hidden Heir was not what I had hoped for. Luka was not my kind of hero. He fell short of redeeming qualities and was not a good match for Cecelia. I connected with Cecelia, but felt the story did not do her character justice. I wish there had been a better storyline that supported her journey and a hero to help her through her ordeal. I hope the next romance delivers more of what we have come to love from Marienelli.

Ceclia wondered about the best way to resign and when to do it. Most people thought she was mad to quit, but she had reached limit on primness radar. Luka was a playboy in the extreme. She just couldn’t do it anymore. So Friday as Luka ran off to his helicopter for a debacle weekend in France. Cecilia accepted a six month P A assignment ta an esteemed and elderly diplomat. Her aunt and uncle had raised Cecilia since the age of eight and had never made much of her birthday which was today. Her aunt and uncle had not wanted kids but took her in. At eighteen her uncle had a contact who needed a nanay. She had went but only lasted four weeks as she hated the job. Then the mother asked if Cecilia would work with her instead- the mother was a television producer and that was how Cecilia’s career as a P A had started. Even her mother before she had died had never done anything special for Cecilia birthday. Then Cecilia got a message from Luka to cancel his his meetings and he would call her later. Luka had never missed a day of work in the eleven months Cecilia had worked for him. This was the one day Cecilia needed to speak to Luka. She wanted her resignation handed in and sorted and her time with Luka over. Also Luka had an online meeting with Mr. Garcia and it had been very hard to set up and extremely messy to cancel. There was certain things that never changed for Cecilia - her clothes were set out the night before, as was her breakfast which she ate before tackling ehr hair. Routines were vital to Cecilia’s sense of well being, for during the first eight years of her life when she had lived with her mother chaos had been the only certainty. Luka dated at whim and discarded with ease and all too often Cecilia was mopping up tears and fielding calls from scorned lovers. That Cecilia might leave became a disquiet to Luka like he had never known. Luka liked her im his life and he didn’t want her to go. Cecilia was very career minded and knew that by resigning she was throwing away an amazing role- Luka’s empire of hotels was rapidly expanding and to be a part of it would be amazing on her resume. Luka was determined to get Cecilia to stay. Luka told Cecilia his mother had cancer and he would be away a lot in the coming months as she had to have extensive treatments and he not want to have to deal with a new P A also. Possibly resigning was the worst career move she had ever made , but soon sanity would be restored to her mind. Order would be restored to her heart. Luka came back to the office and took Cecilia out to dinner and made her have desert and there was a slice of cake with a candle on top of it. There was a tune playing and it was Happy Birthday. She was sharing a piece of cake on her birthday with Luka and she was afraid to look up in case she had tears in her eyes. Luka also had a gift for her and told her it was the other reason he had come into the office that day. Luka had bought her a necklace she had admired when they were in Florence. This was the first time Cecilia had ever been spoiled on her birthday. Luka was Cecilia’s one weakness and that wouldn't do. Luka and Cecilia had sex that evening then she got up and said she wanted to go home and she left. The next morning Cecilia went to Luka’s condo to pack for his two weeks away and he and Cecilia had unprotected sex. Luka had talked about growing up poor and being a gigolo and san=ving all the money he mad until he bought his first restaurant from the man he had worked for and met the rich women. He had expected Cecilia to walk away disgusted but she hadn’t. Luka’s mom would not come to London for her treatments she would not leave Luka’s father. And he would have to make his base in Greece for awhile. Then Cecelia found out she had gotten pregnant by Luka. She decided not to tell Luka, if he could have Sabine pack up her stuff and escort her out he could easily do the same to his child. Cecilia thought about terminating her pregnancy but in the end she couldn’t do it. SHe remembered that her father had wanted her mother to abort her but her mother wouldn’t do it. So Cecilia kept her baby, she knew she could not have the same kind of job with a child, she sometimes considered contacting Luka. Cecilia was heading to see her aunt and her uncle’s to tell them the news.. Deep down Cecilia knew she had to tell Luka just not right now. When she was at her aunt's , she said she had raised her mother’s mistake she was not raising Cecilia’s. Now Cecilia realized why she had never felt welcomed at her aunt's and uncles. Cecilia had a terribly lonely pregnancy. Cecilia was barely talking to her aunt and uncle and her few friends were shocked she went through with her pregnancy and she missed Luca. She had finally tried tyo call luka but his number had been changed so she called him at work but whoever answered said Luka wasn’t taking any unscheduled calls so Cecilia left her name and number but Luka never called. At ten minutes past six on a spring morning Cecilia fell in love for the second time the first time had been Luka and the second time was her daughter Pandora. It had been hard for Luka but now he was finally back home in London. His father had passed away. Luka had flown with his mother to Athens and after each treatment he checked them into a luxurious hotel he had there. Then when her strength was built up her strength they returned to Xanero. Luka also had to face his demons and he regretted how he and Cecilia had parted He thought about her each day. He missed CeCe each day as he called her. Then he seen someone that he thought was Cece but she had baby. Then he had the driver turn around and it was Cecilia. He called Cecilia and the woman he could see answered the phone and Luka told her he needed to stop by the office as he had a couple things he needed when she worked there. Cecilia went but there really wasn’t anything but as she went to leave Luka said “ haven’t you forgotten to tell me about my baby”? Cecilia still left but she didn’t have the right codes to get the elevator to come up. Cecilia told Luka he had no right and his reply was don’t speak to him of rights when she had denied his to his child. Then luka told Cecilia he would be meeting his daughter on that night. His daughter-Pandora was three months old. Luka told Cecilia she hated her for keeping his daughter from him and he longer wanted further part of her. Pandora nd Cecilia went to Greece so Luka’s mother could meet her granddaughter. They were flying back to London and Luka thought three weeks apart. But not just Pandora. Luka ached for Cecila. He acned for a glimpse of her smile.
I loved this book. It was a fun easy dramatic romantic read. I adored Luka and Cecilia together. I felt bad that Cecilia was so unloved all her life and to never have a real birthday celebration until the one with Luka. I liked how Luka grew- facing his demons in his past and was tired of all the different women and not letting anyone in his life or close to him. I found nothing to criticize in this book was GREAT!!! I loved the plt and pace and didn’t want to put this down. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend.

No - just no! I cannot believe this is a Carol Marinelli or a Harlequin read! This book has absolutely no place in Harlequin Presents and shame on those who placed it there because it is not "safe", "contemporary" or what we expect from HP books!
The story plot was awful and the characters just plain despicable! A Hero who was a paid Gigolo and a heroine who contemplates abortion and sleeps with a Fiancee while fantasizing the Hero? .

While I thank you NetGalley for giving me this free read, I am so very grateful that I didn't spend my hard earned money to pay for it! If this is the direction Harlequin is going, you are going to loose many loyal customers like me!

Let me just put this out there. This book surprised me in a really good way. The book was far more about the maturing of the relationship between billionaire playboy Luka and his straitlaced personal assistant Cecelia than any crazy baby stuff.

Cece and Luka were both flawed people with difficult childhoods and I felt real emotional depth from both of them. I was actually most impressed with Luka's character. I have very, very little patience for playboys but by the middle of the book I actually rooting for him.

The ending was a little problematic for me. Cecelia blamed herself entirely for keeping the pregnancy from Luka and Luka blamed her too. I won't spoil anything, but I believe Cecelia had decent reasons for keeping the pregnancy news from Luka. I know both characters changed and grew as people throughout the story but I think the emphasis on Cecilia's transformation made it seem like Luka didn't need to change or grow (which he absolutely did).

Another problem was how quickly everything was resolved at the end. I know the author has strict page limit but I feel like the balance of the book was off in some ways. It was very detail heavy at the beginning and the ending felt rushed in comparison.

Overall, I was very happy with my first Harlequin Presents novel! Sometimes you're just in a secret baby mood, am I right?

PA Cecelia, efficient, straight forward and straightlaced-laced has had a crush on her boss, Luka for a while now. She watched his playboy/manwhore ways and it's was becoming too much. She gives her notice, she leaving.

Luka, worked hard to leave his poverty childhood behind him and provide for his parents. He enjoys life now as well as woman. He's disturbed when his PA, who's one of the best he's ever had, says she leaving. Luka knows what he needs to do, he's an expert on working a woman's body and he'll do the same with her to convince her to stay.

Cecelia lets her guard down and finally gives into her attraction before she leaves. A year later after quitting, she has had his baby and the two meet again. Luka learns he has a daughter is determined to be part of the girl life.

The hero and heroine didn't endear themselves to me at all. Calculated and cold, that's how they pretty much came across. He's going to seduce her into staying as his PA and she doesn't let him know he has a daughter. The heroine was standoffish and cold. And Luka was all over the place, hot and cold.

I really enjoyed reading Claiming His Hidden Heir! It was my first read by Carol Marinelli and I'm sure it won't be my last! I loved reading about straight laced Cecelia falling for her playboy boss, Luka! This book was a quick and sexy read! I really loved reading about Cecelia and Luka's pasts that shaped them who they were and how they were going to have to overcome these pasts to secure their future. I won't say anymore, so as not to give away too much! Definitely check this out if you like quick and steamy reads!!!

I didn't like this one as much. Lukas was such a jerk.

This book is a curious spin on the Secret Baby trope. The majority of the narrative deals with the unwanted romance between property magnate, Luka Kargas, and his efficient secretary, Cecilia Andrews. The “claiming of the hidden heir” is relegated to the last third of the book, which wraps up all the loose ends almost ludicrously swiftly. Despite this, the story-line is enjoyable, the hero hard yet vulnerable, the heroine the epitome of the buttoned-down secretary ripe for breaking free of her self-constraints. Worth a read.

3 1/5 stars

Two damaged hearts find love in each other. Billionaire Luka Kargas pulled himself and his parents out of the gutter. In the years since, his demanding work schedule and his fast lane living have been tabloid fodder. When the best PA he's ever had gives notice, he knows he needs to do something. Can he seduce her into staying? Using his body has worked for him before but Cecelia is made of sterner stuff.

Cecelia Andrews has had a thing for her boss ever since she started working for him. It has nearly killed her to but his "breakup" flowers, or read about his exploits with other women almost every weekend. She has spent her whole life hiding her beauty, fearing that if she ever loosens her iron grip on herself that she will turn out like her mother. When she turns in her resignation, she also let's down her guard with Luka.

How do you tell a playboy that he has a gorgeous baby daughter?

Carol Marinelli has done it again! She makes her readers care about even the most irredeemable characters and gives them qualities that tug at heartstrings. I was invested in this story start to finish.

I received an arc from NG for review.

I really enjoyed this story. It pretty much starts from the beginning of Cece and Luka's relationship into their break in relationship and the one year later after she has had the child. While Luka is a HUGE playboy he also really likes Cece. They work together for a long time and he really treats her very well.

I really liked that after they are together and through the separation it was life that kept them apart and yet they were never really apart in their hearts. Even after Luka finds the child, his heart is always Cece's. Its really that Cece has to discover that.

I really loved both main characters and really enjoyed this story.

A fast paced read by one of my all time favorite authors Carol Marinelli. A fairly straight forward story. Bland, no nonsense PA (Cecelia) hooks up with arrogant playboy boss (Luka). They reunite quite by accident and Luka is infuriated when he discovers they have a secret child.

This is Luca and Cecelia’s story. Cecelia is Luca’s PA. She wants to quit. They end up in bed. This changes nothing, she is still leaving. She finds out she is pregnant. He doesn’t know. When he finds out there is hell to pay. It was a fast moving story. I finished it in one sitting.

I'm a fan of this author and this one didn't disappoint. Luka And Cecelia are believable as a couple. Of course Luka comes across as unfeeling-especially in the beginning when he was indifferent to his own child-but he reddemed himself!

Luka's skills need to be worked on, the man just doesn't have a delicate touch when it comes to women, ‘not to the resort or anything,’ he added, pushing up onto his forearms. ‘Or my mother would think we were serious or something. You could stay on the yacht.’ I liked this nook, Luka could be a little harsh the man could be hot and then cold gave me whiplash, but overall I liked him.