Tara Taylor Quinn, What Daddy Doesn’t Know

What Daddy Doesn't Know

Tara Taylor Quinn

Harlequin SuperRomance, Sep 2004, $5.50, 298 pp.

ISBN: 0373712251

In San Diego, Attorney Juliet McNeil defends client Eaton James, CEO of Terracotta Industries by discrediting key prosecution witness Blake Ramsden. It was not easy to remain professional as over eight years ago the independent Juliet shared a one night stand with Blake leading to her intelligent precocious and always in trouble in school daughter Mary Jane. Blake went overseas for a few years and is unaware that he sired a child.

Not long afterwards, Blake finds himself in need of a solid defense attorney and based on her recent court performance, he hires Juliet to defend him. As they work closely on his case, they fall in love, but she fears his reaction when he learns the truth about Mary Jane.

This engaging legal romance stars two fine independent protagonists and a delightful matchmaking child who has attended four schools in three year (Guinness beckons for Mary Jane). The story line is more legal than romance as Juliet sets the tone of the client-lawyer relationship by insisting on no hanky panky while she defends him. Though that seems realistic and ethical, the romantic relationship takes off late, but is fun as the two adults struggle between the case and the libido.

Harriet Klausner