I don't recommend this book. ( )

Man I really wanted to give this book a higher rating. It had elements that were superb. But it weirdly seemed as if there were actually two books here. We started out reading about a couple dealing with the results of an unexpected pregnancy after a one night stand. There were some really good scenes where he flips out when she tells him she's pregnant. I mean seriously good writing and setting up of a serious conflict with a lot of ground for the hero to make up. I was really interested in that story. But suddenly I blinked and they were totally in love and the story was about his paternity. They were all about solving the mystery of who his parents really were. So I was going with that when suddenly Epilogue! I kid you not, the book ended right in the middle of a scene. Like someone told the author just wrap it up. This was about the worst ending I have ever read. They were doing all this fairly interesting solving of the mystery when the story just stopped and they were suddenly at the hospital having the baby. The heroine just thought "well they had found out the real villain was X who I suspected but who none of the main characters had even thought about before. I just cannot convey to you how lame the ending was. ( )

I'm always discovering new romance authors. I found this an absorbing gentle story with sympathetic characters. It's the story of Ellie and Hudson who hook up and then find there are consequences. That's sounds pretty blah, but the storytelling moved along and the story was quite serious. ( )

Heartwarming....

Trying to get over discovering her fiance in bed with his male best friend (BOTH of whom she also had the displeasure of working with... Ellie agreed to go out with her friend to a club. So against her usual type. As a scientist looking for a cure for diabetes she normally eats clean and doesn't drink. After all, Ellie knows EXACTLY what ramifications that has on ones body. The last thing she expected was to find an amazingly good looking and kind man... So out of character for herself. That was only the beginning. As she never kept up on entertainment news... How was she to know her cute one night stand was actually one of the biggest names in football? Hunter is usually the one to let the women down... Imagine his shock upon waking to an empty room. Both went back to their lives, yet NOT unaffected. Both Hunter and Ellie thought of one another over the following weeks... And then the unexpected happened. PREGNANT?!?! No she couldn't be... At that point she had no clue who he was other than his first name. Follow the journey of how they met, and how they came to find one another again. Growing up abandoned under a hedge and then in Foster care his while life Hunter isn't exactly trusting... He has a soft heart, but when it comes to romantic relationships he's EXTREMELY gun shy... Mimagine his shock when Ellie finds him to share the news. Will they make things work? Imagine how things might go when kernels of his last pop into existence... Are they true or just a scam? Will it affect what's going on with he and Ellie? Take the ride and see... ( )

Good story about two people with some trust issues. The story opens with Ellie being dragged to a club by her friend Amy. For the last couple months, Ellie has been dealing with the fallout of finding her fiancé in bed with another man by immersing herself even further in her work. She's pretty bored at the club until she notices the good-looking guy sitting alone in the back corner of the club. She's surprised when he approaches her, but he seems nice. A long walk on the beach and some hot kisses in the moonlight lead to an even hotter night in his bed. Embarrassed by her behavior, she sneaks away the next morning without exchanging more than first names.

Hudson is a pro football player in town to play against the local team. He's dragged to the club by his new agent but isn't really in the mood to be there. He hates being the center of attention, so he's hiding out in the corner until he notices Ellie. What amazed him most was that she appeared to have no idea who he was. The novelty of being treated like a normal guy added to the attraction he felt for her. He was surprised to find her gone without a trace the next morning.

I really liked their instant connection that night. Hudson's interest in her and obvious attraction to her goes a long way toward making Ellie feel better after the disaster of her broken engagement. I loved how comfortable she was with him, able to talk about anything without feeling awkward. I ached for Hudson, who was so used to being sought out for his fame and fortune. It was sweet to see him relax and enjoy being an ordinary guy. I could sense that bit of hurt when he woke up to find her gone. That connection remained with them as neither was able to forget their time together.

I loved the fact that Ellie felt it was important to let Hudson know about the baby. She was nervous about being a single parent but ready to raise him on her own since she didn't know how to find him. Her reaction when she found out Hudson's identity was realistic. I loved her determination to do the right thing. Unfortunately, Hudson's trust issues rear their ugly heads and he doesn't react at all well to her news. I ached for Ellie when her expectations were so rudely shattered. I was frustrated by Hudson's cruel words since I thought he was better than that. Fortunately, he redeemed himself pretty quickly once he got over the shock. His actions as he was there when Ellie needed him showed that he was a stand-up guy after all, but he had an uphill battle to prove himself to her.

I liked the development of their relationship. Once the drama of the revelation was over, and Ellie recovered from her illness, their maturity had a chance to show. I liked that they had an honest conversation about the best way to deal with her pregnancy and their relationship. Though the attraction is still there, neither is willing to make any permanent commitment. Ellie doesn't see how her nerdy self could keep the interest of a man who is used to so much more than she is. She knows that she could fall for him and is desperate to protect her heart. Hudson never planned to marry or have kids. He was abandoned as an infant, grew up in a series of foster homes, and feels that he doesn't know how to give the love that a child would need. But he refuses to reject a child the way he felt rejected all his life. Once Ellie and Hudson are living in the same house, they have the opportunity to get to know each other and discover that there is much to like. Though they try to maintain their distance physically, the attraction between them is too strong. But it isn't just lust that finally draws them together, but the need for emotional comfort. I loved Ellie's determination to be there for Hudson as he deals with his whole background issue. Her belief in him and that he was more than his parentage gave Hudson the strength he needed to face those issues. I ached for Hudson and his conflict of wanting to know but being afraid of what he might learn. The growth of his feelings for Ellie made him feel protective of her, which also affected his ideas of what to do. I liked seeing them take that leap of faith, opening up their hearts to the hope of love in spite of their fears of rejection. The epilogue was good. I especially enjoyed Hudson's delivery room feelings.

The story of Hudson's search for his parents was heartbreaking at times. His need to know was understandable, and I ached for the loneliness that was evident in that search. He had so much love to give, and it was buried under those feelings of rejection. I hurt for him as the PI he hired turned up leads that seemed to hurt more than help. I loved Ellie's insistence on helping and wasn't surprised at what she uncovered. I liked the final resolution, but it felt a bit rushed. I would have liked a bit more detail, especially regarding the PI and his actions. ( )