Daddy by Chance
Seven years ago, a masked and spellbinding stranger at a
costume party swept Tara Blayne away for a night of dreamlike passion. Her son,
Harry, was the very real result.
Harry was definitely not your usual kid. His gift for
making objects levitate just wasn't normal, even in California. Tara was
starting to think Harry's dad was even more mysterious than she'd thought. But
every time she'd tried to find his house, the streets seemed to rearrange
themselves and signs pointed to different directions. Now a stranger had come
into her life again.... Chance Powers, a man who had an oddly familiar effect
on Tara...almost like a...spell.
Fun book that is a little different than the usual Harlequin
American Romance. The story opens as Tara and her friend Denise make their way
to a Halloween party but get lost and end up at a different party. The setting
is unique, and Tara feels an odd connection to it. That oddness increases when
she meets an intriguing stranger who sweeps her off her feet for the night. It seemed
like a dream the next day, but that dream had very real consequences - her son
Harry.
Seven years later, Tara works hard to make ends meet and
raise her son alone. Harry is an unusual kid with what Tara believes is a vivid
imagination. But imagination doesn't explain the occasional flying object - so
she doesn't try. It does make her wonder about Harry's father. When Harry gets
suspended from school because of an incident with a school bully, Tara has no
idea how her life is about to change.
Chance has never forgotten the woman he spent one magical
night with. When a news story about a strange incident at a school shows him
his mystery lady, he's stunned. But when he looks at her little boy, he's blown
away by the realization that he is most likely Chance's son. Knowing what he
does about his own powers, Chance realizes he needs to become a part of Harry's
life to protect and train him. That means finding a way to get involved in
Tara's life.
I liked Chance. He is a financial whiz but uses his brain
rather than his powers. He broke with his father after Ray tried to get Chance to
use his powers in unethical ways. He has Harry's best interests in mind when he
manufactures a job as his live-in personal assistant for Tara. He has an
instant connection with Harry and uses that connection to instill a sense of right
and wrong ways to use his gifts - not easy with such a young child. He knows he
needs to convince Tara of the reality of Harry's gifts, but it is an uphill
battle. And that's before confessing that he's Harry's dad.
I liked Tara, too. She's a terrific mom to a challenging
boy. She's practical, level-headed, and determined to be the best possible
parent for Harry. She also has a blind spot about his gifts, convinced that his
"mind reading" is pure imagination and trying to ignore the whole levitation
thing.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Chance
and Tara. The chemistry between them is just as strong as seven years ago. Though
Chance had done an excellent job of burying the memory of that night in Tara's
mind, the more time she spent in his home and with him, the closer those
memories came to the surface. There is also a deeper connection between them
that comes into play as the book goes on. I liked watching Chance try to ease
Tara into seeing the truth, but she is very stubborn. When another incident
involving Harry makes denying the truth impossible, she's also faced with the
knowledge that Chance is Harry's father.
There is some interesting push and pull between Chance
and Tara over using magic and when it is and isn't appropriate. Chance had his
doubts about her rules but wanted to make her happy. A near tragedy showed her
that a compromise was possible. In the meantime, the attraction between Tara
and Chance continued to grow. Something in the past hangs over them, making
Chance believe it is better to keep their distance.
The ending was frightening as the perils associated with
their gifts brought danger to Harry and Chance. I was on the edge of my seat
until it was over, and everyone was safe. An unexpected benefit to what
happened made it possible for Chance and Tara to look forward to a life
together.
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