365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #193

Once Touched, Never Forgotten - Natasha Tate
Mills & Boon Modern
Harlequin UK, 2011
ISBN: 9780263886917





My rating




From the back cover:

"Too good to forget… Super-exec Stephen Whitfield and high-flying colleague Colette Huntington both understand the rules of their affair.
One: it will never be anything more than a fling.
Two: either can walk away at any time they wish...
Only Colette hasn’t counted on walking away pregnant.
And, to Stephen’s frustration, after Colette other women don’t seem to provide quite the same satisfaction. Now Stephen’s going to lay down some new rules – rules that will most definitely give him the opportunity to indulge his craving for Colette once more..."


This is second book by Natasha Tate, I loved her first one (review here) so I was pretty excited to read this one. And the cover is beautiful!

The heroine Colette and the hero Stephan are involved in a hot and heavy fling when Colette discovers she is pregnant. Stephan is part of an influential, and rather cruel, family and after over hearing some unflattering talk about her plus the fact that Stephan has always said he never wants children, Colette decides to break of their affair and leaves without word. Five years later and Stephan has just taken over the hotel in New York Colette works for. When he finds out she is an employee he is immediately reminded of the hurt he felt when Colette left, and even though he has tried he hasn't ever forgotten her. Colette is terrified when she learns that Stephan is her new boss, especially about what will happen if he finds out about their four year old daughter. When they meet again it is clear that they both still desire one another as much as before, Stephan decides to pursue her but is constantly left frustrated by Colette's rejections. However when Stephan finds out about his daughter, frustration turns to anger and he makes it clear he will claim both his daughter and Colette. But Colette is so unhappy knowing that although the passion between them is intense, Stephan will never love her and that's the one thing she wants.

This is a very passionate re-united lovers story, with a nice twist on the secret baby theme. I liked that it wasn't revealed too soon and there wasn't that 'one look at the child and instantly know it's his' thing, which is definitely a positive! I hate a cliché! The chemistry between the hero and heroine lights up the pages, and is there from the first to last page. I liked both characters, although Colette went on a bit but that is OK! Stephan is a brilliant hero; well developed with good reasons for his conflict and behaviour, perfectly alpha but not at all cruel , in fact his rather tender side really appealed to me.

Natasha Tate's writing flows beautifully, there is lots of sparkle and sexual tension with a well thought out story. Recommended.

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