The Heiress and the Baby Boom - Lauri Robinson (HH #1634 - Feb 2022)

Series: Osterlund Saga (Book 2)

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.

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.

Marriage or Ruin for the Heiress - Lauri Robinson (HH #1628 - January 2022)

Series: Osterlund Saga (Book 1)

A pretend marriage
A passion that's anything but…
 
The great depression has left heiress Jolie Cramer's family destitute! To save them, Jolie must abandon her dreams of independence and marry wealthy Randal Osterlund. Thank goodness Randal only wants a wife to secure a business deal and shares her feelings about love -- nothing but heartache! Jolie quickly realizes that's not all they have in common, but falling for her charismatic husband wasn't part of their agreement…
 
Terrific book. It's not often you find a romance set during the Great Depression, which made this one even more appealing. Here we have two sides of the Depression. Jolie Cramer's father invested heavily in the stock market, so when the crash came, he lost almost everything. This brought on a fatal heart attack. Jolie's mother, devastated by the loss of her husband and their lifestyle, spends her days either depressed or pretending that they are still rich. Seeing the effect of her father's loss on her mother, Jolie intends never to fall in love or marry. She plans a career in fashion design. That is, until the day her mother informs Jolie that it's up to her to save the family by marrying Randal Osterlund.
 
Randal's family came through the crash in good shape. After he took over the business after his father's death, Randal diversified their holdings, ensuring that they still had income. Randal was raised by a father and grandfather who had high expectations - nothing was ever good enough. Now that he's in charge, Randal wants to make a name for himself through his own efforts. He plans to purchase an airline and start passenger service. But the man who owns the airline he wants to buy will only sell to a married man. Randal has avoided love and marriage after seeing the effect his mother's death had on his father. He doesn't want that kind of pain in his life. He makes a deal with Mrs. Cramer (believing it has Jolie's agreement) that he will pay their taxes, provide for the two younger Cramers, and give Mrs. Cramer an allowance if Jolie marries him.
 
Once she recovers from the shock, Jolie and Randal have a heart-to-heart conversation regarding expectations. They are honest about their anti-love opinions and feel they will do well together. They spend time together getting to know each other. I loved that Randal was Jolie's port in the storm of her mother's controlling behavior. It said a lot about him that he stood up for Jolie's desire to make her wedding dress. They were well on the way to becoming good friends by the time the wedding arrived. The scene with the wedding chase was hilarious and exciting, and I enjoyed how they bonded over it.
 
As Randal and Jolie settled into life together, I enjoyed seeing their relationship grow. An unexpected attraction grew between them, leading each to contemplate the future. They had already agreed to take the time to be comfortable with each other before adding anything physical to their relationship. Neither expected the deepening feelings, especially after their agreement that love had no place in their marriage. I loved their continuing support of each other. Randal's pride in Jolie's sewing accomplishments was unmistakable, and I loved the scene at the department store when he took her shopping. Jolie was equally supportive of his airline plans. I loved her joy and excitement when he took her flying. There was a fly in the ointment of Randal's plans, however. The owner of the airline he wants turned out to be Jolie's godfather, and he has very different plans for the airline. I ached for Randal and its effect on him and his belief in himself.
 
There was some conflict near the end brought on by a trouble-making rival of Jolie's. She and Amy were long-time adversaries, and Amy excels at creating trouble. An unexpected encounter between Amy and Randal gives her the ammunition - twisted though it was - to prey on Jolie's fears. While the confrontation between Jolie and Randal was painful, it did end up clearing the air and opening their eyes. I loved the conclusion.
 
I also enjoyed the importance of family to both Randal and Jolie. Randal has a powerful protective gene, and he likes nothing better than looking out for his family. It became clear that he perhaps takes it a little too far when he objects to his sisters and their husbands exerting some independence. Jolie, being outside looking in, has some good suggestions for his sisters and sees nothing wrong with helping them find their way. I loved seeing the sisters get involved with Jolie's sewing endeavors. For her part, Jolie is just as protective of her siblings but is a bit more clear-headed about it. She spent years protecting them from their mother's foibles, but now that Jolie isn't there, her brother and sister become mom's next money-making targets. When Jolie helps them find their own jobs rather than asking Randal to give them money, he feels hurt and rejected. I enjoyed the ending as the various threads came together in one giant tangle and the love, honesty, and communication it took to weave a solid cloth from them.
 
I also enjoyed seeing characters from some of the author's earlier series make appearances. It's always fun to see how their lives are going.