Lots of steamy fun with a strong family focus

Sebastian and Alice share a connection - his son is her nephew, and all she has left of her sister Emily, who was Sebastian's wife. Only the connection doesn't stop there - the child's biological father was Alice's husband, Edward, who died along with Emily when their car crashed. The complex custody issue has only one solution that Sebastian will accept - marriage to Alice wherein they raise the child together.

Alice is naturally resistant to Sebastian's demanding and controlling manner, but she can't deny her attraction to him, either. Their marriage of convenience is where it starts, but Alice refuses to accept anything less than a true partnership, which forces Sebastian to find a way to heal from his own childhood trauma.

I really enjoyed this entire story, from the sizzling chemistry to the deeply emotional connection. The HEA is followed by an extraordinary epilogue which was just the icing on the cake. Highly recommended for all romance readers. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

The h goes to Spain to get her nephew from her brother in law, the H. Although he is not the father , he refuses to give up the baby, who is the result of an affair between the h’s husband and the H’s wife. Both have been attracted to each other for many years, but didn’t act on it because they were both married.

Too much story packed into too short a novel. It would have been better too take some parts out. Or, taken this story and made it into a full 200-300 page book.

Sebastian Castellano, a Spanish Duke, grapples with the loss of his wife while facing a custody battle with his grieving sister-in-law, Alice, over his son, Diego. Despite their emotional turmoil, their journey is filled with captivating chemistry and engaging dynamics, leading to a satisfying happily ever after.

Usually, when I read this author, it isn’t in a Harlequin Presents format. But when I saw this ARC available through Netgalley, I jumped at the chance to read it. As always with this author’s books, I was immediately drawn into the storyline within the first few pages, and this time was no exception.

Sebastian Castellano, a Spanish Duke, is coping with the sudden loss of his wife and has no desire to be challenged by his grieving sister-in-law for custody of his son, Diego. Ah, but it’s more complicated than that!

(I do not do spoilers, so you’re just going to take my word for it - it’s an interesting complication!)

Alice faces a range of emotions, including the loss of her sister, Emily. Despite this, she remains steadfast in her belief that Diego should be in her custody, not Sebastian’s, and is committed to succeeding in this mission.

I love the easy connection I feel with these characters and the emotional dynamics they have. Full of captivating chemistry and sizzling scenes, this author’s writing is both easy to read and engaging. I appreciate the way this story wrapped up and how their journey led them to the HEA I hoped for.

I recommend exploring this author’s collection of interesting works, both her many Harlequin Presents and her own published series, as they will keep you flipping pages, and very entertained. This well-crafted story was a breeze to read, and the happily ever after ending kept me satisfied. I feel fortunate to have received a complimentary copy of this story, happily leave my review, and look forward to her next creative venture.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Presents for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This book is set mostly in Spain but a small part in New Zealand. Sebastian and Alice have off the charts chemistry. Sebastian is her brother in law, and she is there to take care of her nephew. This is a cute pretty predictable romance. I felt bad for both of them, as they had both been betrayed by people that they cared about, I didn't quite get the epilogue-it just seemed out of place and skipped like 20 years. Overall I liked the book, 3.5 stars