Claiming His Secret Son - Olivia Gates (HD #2387 - July 2015)

Series: Billionaires of Black Castle (Book 4)

Richard Graves has long battled his dark heritage, and only one woman nearly shattered his elegant facade. Though he seduced Isabella Sandoval to take revenge on the man who'd destroyed his family, walking away from her was the hardest thing he's done. Now he's learned the truth about her son, and he won't walk away again.
 
Richard's mission of vengeance nearly cost Isabella her life. But she can't resist rekindling their dangerous passion. Can she protect her child from the man sworn to claim him -- and herself from the desire she can no longer fight?
 
Good book. Richard appeared in previous books as a secondary character. Unlike the others, Richard had been on the wrong side as a youth and young man, responsible for training the boys kidnapped and held, though he also tried to watch out for them. From the first book, From Enemy's Daughter to Expectant Bride, Rafael was especially close to Richard, though the others in their brotherhood do not trust him. Richard has a reputation for being cold, unfeeling, and ruthless. This was especially obvious eight years earlier when he seduced the wife of the man responsible for Richard's involvement in The Organization to get information from her. He never expected the feelings she stirred up in him, and he walked away, never expecting to see her again.
 
Isabella spent years as the trophy wife of a drug lord to protect her family. Her short affair with Richard was intense, but leaving with him was impossible. It took her months to figure out his motivations for their liaison, and she knew she had to escape before her husband realized it too. Eventually, she earned her medical degree and moved her family to New York to join a friend in her medical practice.
 
When Isabella comes to Richard's attention all those years later, he wants to be sure her past won't cause problems for those he cares for. Their first meeting is volatile, as he makes demands and issues ultimatums. Isabella isn't the same person she had been when he knew her last, and she refuses to be intimidated by him. Unfortunately, the attraction that still burns between them complicates matters. But that's nothing compared to the shock Richard receives when he discovers that Isabella gave birth to his son soon after her escape.
 
This is where my feelings toward Richard began to change. That cold, emotionless, and ruthless man fell utterly in love with his son. I loved seeing a different, kinder, and softer side of Richard emerge, as he was embraced not only by young Mauri but also the rest of Isabella's family. It also affected Isabella, making it harder to keep him at a distance. Richard is stunned to find that the ability to feel he thought was gone forever had only been buried. I loved seeing the changes in him as those feelings begin to grow. When it comes time to talk about telling Mauri that Richard is his father, Richard knows he has to tell Isabella everything about his past. Doing so convinces him that he's too broken to trust himself in their lives. I ached for him and the devastating feelings of loss he experienced and for Isabella, who believed in him but thought he no longer wanted her.
 
Richard's departure precipitates a crisis involving Mauri. I liked that Richard was the first one Isabella called and how he sprang into action. This was one time when the immediate and unquestioning support of the brotherhood was critical. Not only did Antonio (the doctor) drop everything, the others also came to lend their support. The effect on Richard was amazing, and I had to laugh at the teasing he endured. I loved how the crisis brought Isabella and Richard back together, and the emotional turmoil brought everything to the surface. With no more secrets or misunderstandings, Isabella and Richard have a happy future ahead of them.
 
I liked the secondary characters also. Isabella's mom was terrific with the way she pulled Richard in from the moment she met him. I think she suspected the truth from the start. Isabella's son Mauri was adorable. He's smart and funny and connects with Richard immediately. Their relationship is fantastic and brings out an unexpected side of Richard. I also liked Isabella's partner Rose. Neither of them suspected their connection when they met, and both were stunned when they found out.  One of my favorite scenes was with Numair (Pregnant by the Sheikh) after saving Richard's life. It had a profound effect on both of them. 

 

Pregnant by the Sheikh - Olivia Gates (HD #2363 - Mar 2015)

Series: Billionaires of Black Castle (Book 3)

At first sight, Sheikh Numair Al Aswad's lethal sensuality overwhelms Princess Jenan Aal Ghamdi. And when he rescues her from an arranged marriage, he has a shocking price…an heir! Though logic screams no, her body and soul burn for him.

Numair has come from the darkest of pasts to exact revenge -- and to claim his throne. Jenan is vital to his plans. But his cold-blooded scheme melts under the heat of their passion. Now he must choose: his lifelong ambitions or the woman who carries his unborn child.

Good addition to the Black Castle series. Numair, the head of Black Castle Enterprises, is the latest of the "brothers" to pursue his revenge against those he holds responsible for the horrors he endured growing up. Known to be cold and ruthless in pursuit of what he wants, Numair focuses on Princess Jenan as the key to his plans.

Jenan is beautiful, intelligent, and will do anything to protect her family. Though she escaped her stifling homeland years ago to pursue her ambitions, she can't stand back and see her father and country destroyed. She consents to her father's arranged marriage to a neighboring king, but she dreads it.

Everything changes when Numair walks into the engagement party. He has a plan, and this is the first step in it. He doesn't expect the instant connection and intense chemistry that hits him the moment he sees Jenan. The feeling is entirely mutual despite Jenan's familiarity with Numair's reputation. Intrigued by his offer to get her out of the engagement, her first reaction is wariness when she hears his terms. A baby and marriage were not on her radar at all. His promises, his intensity, and the heat between them convince her to give in.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Numair and Jenan. From the moment he saw her, Numair's plans for revenge took a back seat to his complete absorption in Jenan. From the incredible home he made for her to keeping his promise to help her father, Numair's intensity is all for her. Jenan blows away the walls that kept his emotions buried within him, stunning him when he realizes he loves her. Jenan makes the same discovery, but having been burned once, hesitates to tell him so. I ached for Numair, who knows he must come clean with Jenan but wants the timing to be right. He picks a poor method of delaying that conversation, creating doubt and insecurity for Jenan just when she needs him. Add in a premature revelation of Numair's original motivations, and the devastating results are off the charts.

I ached for both of them. Jenan feels betrayed and duped and heartbroken at the thought he never cared at all. Numair realizes his mistake in keeping secrets and is devastated by the pain he caused Jenan and the fear he's lost her forever. There's an interesting twist resulting from that fear, changing Numair's view of part of his past. Help comes from an unexpected source, and Numair finally gets his chance to face Jenan. The depth of emotion as he bared his soul and his past was heartwrenching, and its effect on Jenan was no surprise. Jenan also realized that her lack of trust contributed to the problem and finally let go of those fears. The ending was great, and their future looks bright.

The secondary characters of Richard and Najeeb were great. Richard, aka "Cobra," and Numair have a rocky relationship. Richard's actions in the past had a devastating effect on Numair and his fellow Black Castle brothers. Numair doesn't trust him, and Richard seems to enjoy pushing his buttons, but they work together when necessary. Najeeb is the oldest son of the king Jenan was supposed to marry. He was originally the prospective groom, but he and Jenan feel more like siblings, so they refused the arrangement. Najeeb is a good friend of Jenan's and protective of her. The first meeting between Numair and Najeeb was hilarious, with the two pawing and snorting at each other. I laughed out loud at Jenan's comments and attempts to settle them down. Najeeb plays some important parts later in the story.