THE PREGNANCY SHOCK– Lynne Graham (Drakos Baby “duet”)

Author: Lynne Graham
Line: Mills and Boon Modern/Harlequin Presents
Release month: UK: JUL 2010 / North America: Nov 2010
The S-Factor: Steamy


Back Blurb:

When his personal assistant asked for extended leave, Greek billionaire Alexei Drakos was extremely inconvenienced. He relied on Billie Foster for everything—running his life, even getting rid of his girlfriends. Little did Alexei know that Billie had left to have his baby! In fact, he didn't even remember their passionate night and he had no idea she was pregnant!

With Billie gone, there was something missing in Alexei's glittering existence. When she returned, he needed to offer her something special to make her stay—maybe a wedding ring of convenience?

Review ♥♥♥♥♥

Billie Foster from the age of eight had lived on the Island of Speros along with her mother. Her mother was notorious for being with lots of men and that was putting it mildly. As a young child, Billie was “bullied” by some of the kids she went to school with, until Alexei Drakos, the son of Speros most importantly family. The Drakos family owned the entire island, it’s resorts and homes. Alexi was an only child, a very spoiled and arrogant Greek. And as he matured, women danced to his tune and then some.

Billie and Alexei had a history from that day on, especially when he found out her mother Lauren had left her alone for days and he took her home to his family’s villa until her mother who didn’t have a maternal finger, returned home from Athens. They had a connection and I firmly believe at that moment Billie fell in love with the handsome Greek! The only other person Billie could count on in her life was her aunt Hillary, her mother’s sister. Throughout the years, Billie went back and forth from Speros to Athens for her schooling. During her university years she worked odd jobs to put herself through school and when she finished school and her first job which didn’t work out for her, she applied and was hired as a personal assistant by Alexei Drakos. He was a very demanding an obstinate boss who demanded long hours of Billie’s time.

Billie certainly earned every bit of money working directly for Alexi. She made all of his travel plans, bought parting gifts for his women and took care of everything he didn’t have time for, including managing all of his properties all over the world. And now she had a secret she was keeping from him and she wanted months off because she was needed in England to help her Aunt Hillary. She deliberately lied to Alexei about why she needed the time off, because she was pregnant with his baby, a baby he would not know he had a part in creating because he suffered a slight amnesia and didn’t and couldn’t remember he had slept with Billie due to a head injury. A head injury due to a fall and hitting his head on the evening of both of her parents death!

I was so amazed at Billie’s love for Alexei and what lengths she would go to protect him and her baby son. There were so many complications because a woman he had once loved, a woman, Calisto who had married an older man because of his wealth, was now free and she was also his mistress. So Billie’s plan was to go to England, have the baby and pass him off as her aunts baby son. She would return home to Speros and to the home she had built for herself, where she, her son Nikolos and her aunt would all live. Back to the man she adored and loved but would need to love from afar because he was with the “horrible” Calisto, a demanding and spoilt woman who made his staff at the office and the villa all dance to her personal tune.

One of Billie’s first duties was to organize an annual Speros festival where the villagers would be invited to the Drako’s villa for the festivities and then on board the Drako’s yacht. Calisto didn’t want the festival at the villa but Alexei and in the end created such a scene that Alexei dismissed her from his life. As for Billie, her mother guessed who the father of Nicky was and her aunt continued to beg Billie to tell Alexei he was Nicky’s father. And then when Billie accompanied Alexei to a business meeting at his London’s residence and asked her to be his hostess, he also asked her to be his life’s partner, his wife? Was this crazy or not? Alexei told her he wasn’t a romantic, never would be but he wanted no more casual sex, he wanted her in his life and knew there was an attraction. Billie thought he was on the rebound but he assured her he respected, trusted her, admired her honestly and first and foremost she knew him better than anyone. As far as proposals went, she was offended because honestly, Alexei took her for granted and also her love for him. However, he was irresistible and she wanted her chance to become his wife, wanted her chance for the three of them to be a family.

While reading the final chapters I had the feeling of a brewing disaster yet I thought how would the extremely talented Lynne Graham tie this all together in such a short time? Shame on me, as I did not do my normal research by checking Lynne’s website. Had I done so I would have found out there would be a book two, which would address their marriage, Alexei learning he had a son and of Billie’s betrayal. Would he understand? Well I hoped for her sake and for that of her son’s he would and I was thrilled when my copy of A Stormy Greek Marriage arrived on my doorstep!

Hero Hotness Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Heroine Lovability Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Awww Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Stickability Factor ♥♥♥♥♥
Weepy Factor♥♥♥
Reviewed by: Marilyn

(From the Drakos Baby linked-story duet).
This book is part one of a linked story. See Part Two: A Stormy Greek Marriage.