An Accidental Family / Donna Fasano

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Romance

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words

Availability
Kindle US: YES UK: YES Nook: YES Smashwords: YES Paper: NO
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Author:

A bestselling and award-winning author of romance and chick lit both under her own name and as Donna Clayton, Fasano has written over thirty novels and sold more than 3.5 million books in her twenty-some-odd year career. Fasano lives on the Atlantic seaboard, and loves to go to the beach whenever she can, although actually getting in the water where creatures live is a different story. For more, visit her website. 

Description:

“I do,” they said, with fingers crossed. Thus begins a marriage of convenience for Jonas Winslow and Robin Hampstead. This was a temporary solution, an accommodation to ensure the court would appoint them co-guardians of their orphaned nephew. Simple and uncomplicated, until they began seeing each other differently.

Previously published by Harlequin ™ as Daddy Down the Aisle under Fasano’s pen name, Donna Clayton, An Accidental Family has been updated and expanded by almost 10,000 words for this independent reissue.

Appraisal:

There is an old Chinese proverb that says “the journey is the reward.” I’ve come to view romance novels the same way. The setup happens early. Start with two people –traditionally one man and one woman, although I think most states allow other combinations, at least in books– with at least one of the two not at all interested in the other, often actively disliking them. You know how the story is going to end. The entertainment, insight gained, or whatever reward the reader receives, is in the journey.

Working within the conventions of the Romance genre while keeping the story fresh and believable requires both creativity and a keen insight into human behavior. A good romance author needs to understand the range of emotions, inspirations, and reactions of both men and women in many situations. Fasano has this, and her success thus far demonstrates it. For example, in An Accidental Family, the man and woman don’t like each other, but their reasons are based on faulty first impressions and misunderstood motivations. Helping them make that journey from not-a-chance-in-hell to happy couple while maintaining credibility is a talent, amply demonstrated here. Fasano’s talent is the reader’s reward.

FYI:

This book contains some mild sexual content.

Format/Typo Issues:

The review is based on a Beta copy. I can’t evaluate the final product in this area.

Rating: **** Four stars