Donna Sterling
Sterling, Donna - DADDY DECISION, THE (Harl. Tempt. 754 - 11/99) (4)
Impoverished bad boy, Cort Dimitri, and naive rich girl, Laura Merritt, had an intense love affair when Laura was a freshman in college. She had been willing to abandon school to stay with Cort, but he broke off the relationship in a hurtful manner when Laura's parents issued an ultimatum. Cort knew he had barely enough money to take care of himself and his sister, so he thought he was doing the right thing by ending their affair—giving Laura a future.
Fifteen years later, Laura decides she wants to have a child. She's chosen a close friend and business partner to father her baby through artificial insemination, a logical, almost businesslike arrangement she favors because no passion or emotion is involved. Laura plans to announce her intentions at the annual Thanksgiving get-together with her college pals, which includes Cort's sister, her former roommate and longtime friend. Cort has deliberately stayed away from these gatherings in the past so as not to encounter Laura, but he is bamboozled by his sister to attend this year's Thanksgiving bash.
Shaken after seeing Laura and feeling the old magic, Cort is devastated when she announces her baby plans. He realizes he wants Laura more than ever. He's willing to invest money in the business she operates with the baby's future father, and he insists that she personally decorate his Atlanta home—part of his plan to delay the baby-making process at the clinic. Now a successful businessman and multimillionaire, Cort can envision a future with her. But can he melt the layers of ice that surround the heart he broke so many years ago?
THE DADDY DECISION is an exquisitely written, hot, hot romance that needs to be read in front of an open window, or I guarantee you'll burst into flames! Ms. Sterling creates a wonderful hero in Cort Dimitri, and it was a pleasure reading how Cort and Laura slowly realize that what they'd always had wasn't based on just sex. Highly recommended. ~Debora Hosey for Bookbug on the Web
Sterling, Donna - SAY "AHHH..." (Harl. Tempt. 726 - 4/99) (3+)
Sarah Flowers knows she has a past, but since the accident six weeks ago, her memories have been locked up in a mind that has given up very few secrets. One thing is crystal clear, however; in order for her to stay safe she must blend into her surroundings and remain anonymous.
With no memory and no real identity, she is grateful to be in rural Sugar Falls, Colorado. The woman who had been driving the car that hit her had also brought her to this small town, where Sarah found a job and a place to stay...along with a sense of security. But the question is how long will her fragile peace of mind last? What if the handsome young doctor who is examining her finds out what her "real" problem is and feels compelled to contact the authorities? When Dr. Connor Wade begins to ask questions about her medical history, Sarah feels a rush of panic that goes far beyond her fear of detection. As he determinedly probes for information, for which she has no answers, an overwhelming feeling of terror compels her to run from him...and from the kindness and interest she sees in his eyes.
When Connor walked into the clinic's examining room, he was expecting to see a patient with complaints of dizziness and fatigue, symptoms that can be diagnosed and treated. Her evasive responses and the pain in her eyes tell him she's hiding something, and he can't figure out why that should matter so much to him—or why he feels an overpowering need to protect her. Then the realization hits him that his response to Sarah Flowers is anything but professional. Ever since his return to town, after many years away at college and medical school, Connor has enjoyed being a much sought after and very eligible bachelor. Having the people of Sugar Falls see him as a capable, educated man instead of the "outside looking in" boy of his childhood is wonderful; but none of the women he's been involved with have piqued his interest quite like shy, quiet Sarah. Even though she does her level best to elude him, eventually circumstances conspire to break down her resolve, and in the end they both find answers to questions they didn't realize they had.
Overall, SAY "AHHH..." turned out to be an enjoyable book even though it really didn't cover any new ground. The amnesia theme has been done many times before; however, what the author did do, and do very well, was put all the elements of the story together in a provocative, steamy package. There were times when I felt the heroine's frequent waffling about whether or not to trust the hero was a bit too much, and the circumstances that led up to a rather predictable ending were somewhat contrived, but the story held my interest and I read it in one sitting. If you're looking for an emotion-filled book with which to wile away a few hours, SAY "AHHH..." may be just what the doctor ordered. ~Connie Ramsdell for Bookbug on the Web
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