From high school enemies
To shotgun wedding!
Growing up, heiress Randi Osterlund found the only person
who didn't care who her parents were was penniless Jason Heim -- until a bitter
exchange left bad blood between them. Now, years later, Randi needs Jason's
land for a business venture, but the self-made man refuses to sell. There was
always something burning between them, and when their arguing turns into one
unforgettable night, the consequences risk adding to the '50s baby boom!
Terrific follow-on to Marriage or Ruin for the Heiress. Randi
is the daughter of Randal and Jolie from that book and is a chip off both
blocks. She is independent, driven, and more than a little stubborn. Rather
than go to work for her mother's clothing company, Randi set her sights on her
father's Air America airline company. She's worked for Randal for several years
and has earned his respect. Unfortunately, she is constantly undermined by a misogynistic,
chauvinistic, and generally annoying coworker. With her dad about to start a
run for the US Senate, Randi feels she needs to do something big to show him
that he can trust her to lead the company. Her idea to build their own plane-washing
facility needs the land next to the airport to make it possible. The problem is
that the land is owned by Jason Heim, her high school crush - until a
misunderstanding turned them into bitter enemies.
Jason grew up as the son of a poor man who drank too much.
At the age of twelve, Jason started working to pay the bills and keep food on the
table. His father had an intense hatred for the wealthy, especially the
Osterlunds, and swore they would never get his land. Jason was a bit of a
hell-raiser as a youth, racing around in his hot rod and flirting with the
girls. Nobody knew that he only had eyes for Randi until the night he got up
the nerve to ask her out, and she laughed. Then his attempt to do something for
her brother got him sent to reform school instead, and their enmity seemed set
in stone.
The book opens as Randi takes courage in hand and shows
up at Jason's house with a purchase proposal. The sparks fly as he flat-out refuses
to sell no matter what she says. They part in anger again, but Randi refuses to
give up. Their subsequent encounter starts just as antagonistic, but Jason
inexplicably invites Randi to go with him to a little friend's birthday party.
With the land purchase set aside, Randi and Jason discover a mutual love of
milkshakes and dancing, and suddenly the sparks of attraction overcome those of
antagonism. A goodnight kiss turns into a night of passion with unexpected
consequences.
When Jason finds out about the baby before Randi can tell
him, he heads right for her parents' house. There's no way he will be left out
of his child's life. I wanted to shake him for how he handled it, as it got
their relationship off on the wrong foot. Jason insists on marriage, and Randi
goes along with him to prevent a scandal from harming her father's political
aspirations. The wedding happens quickly, without Jason and Randi having a
chance to get to know each other or talk much about their future. They agree to
fake being in love when they are in public to save face for both.
I liked watching the development of the relationship
between Randi and Jason. They make the best of their marriage, working their
jobs, settling into life together. They have their routine of dinner, cleanup,
watching shows like I Love Lucy or the Red Skelton Show, or listening to the
radio. Their active sex life hides their doubts and insecurities, but
eventually, they start to feel the effects. When a fire damages their house,
they move in with Randi's parents, and Jason's insecurities hit home. Despite
his successful construction business, he feels he can't provide Randi with the
life she's accustomed to - even though she shows no interest in that lifestyle.
Randi and Jason are deeply in love, but neither dares to
tell the other of their feelings, fearing rejection. The fire and moving into
Jason's childhood home fuel his insecurities. Randi's unhappiness at Jason's
belief that he couldn't be loved led her to take an unexpected risk. I loved the
emotional result of that risk and the change it made in their relationship. I
loved the ending and the excitement of the baby's arrival. Trust Randi to make
it an especially memorable experience. The epilogue was terrific, and I loved
seeing how Jason and Randi found their path to making their dreams come true. I'd love to see a book for their kids but the 1970s might be a little too recent for the Harlequin Historical line.
Another thing I loved about this book was seeing how Jolie
and Randal's story continued. I liked catching up on how they realized their
dreams, and their love grew stronger. Their example was a big part of what
Randi wanted for herself and hugely impacted Jason and his beliefs about
wealthy people. I loved how Jolie and Randal found ways to help Randi and Jason
get past their problems by sharing the beginning of their marriage.
To shotgun wedding!
I loved the cover with Randi's beautiful red dress and Annette-style hair. Jason's iconic "bad boy" black jacket and red Chevy were the perfect touch to go with them.
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