An Unlikely Father

AN UNLIKELY FATHER by Cynthia Thomason May 19, 2006 Rating **** (4 stars) Characters from a previous novel return in AN UNLIKELY FATHER, the latest Superromance by Cynthia Thomason. Helen Sweeney is having a bit of bad luck. In the opening chapter, she runs her car into the open car door of visiting Ethan Anderson, who also happens to be the son of the wealthy Archie Anderson who is reopening an old historic resort hotel, a place that is reputedly known to be haunted. The building has a history that goes back to Archie's younger days connected to Helen's father, the crippled Finn Sweeney, but their story has been kept secret all these years. The story also involved a third person, a lovely young woman named Charlotte (Lottie) and neither Helen nor Ethan are aware of what happened between their fathers all those years ago, when they were young men in their 20's. With this rather awkward introduction, Helen and Ethan are not starting on the right foot. Helen for one already has a bad driving record, and the fact that she appears to be running from her responsibilities (she gives Ethan a wrong telephone number on purpose when they exchange information at the scene of the accident) doesn't look good. She also doesn't have insurance and is barely able to make ends meet. Her father was crippled from an accident that occurred when he was in his 20's, so she helps out by running their fishing boat chartering business, with Helen doing all of the hard labor. Ethan comes from a different world. He's wealthy, and he shows it. Helen notices he doesn't fit in with his fancy clothes. The two rub each other the wrong way, but something about Helen excites Ethan. She's certainly different from the women he's known in the past, and she doesn't let the world get her down. She's a fighter, and she doesn't hold back. There is a secret that Helen is keeping from everyone except her doctor - her latest relationship landed her pregnant. Donny was not the man her father or best friend Claire wanted her to be with, but now that she's pregnant and he's left her in the cold, she is in near hysterics. She can barely afford to keep herself and her father fed and clothed. Helen has to find a way to remedy her financial situation quickly, but was not sure exactly how she could do this. When she sees Ethan as a possible way out of her predicaments, he has no idea what she is planning. AN UNLIKELY FATHER brings back characters from Thomason's previous novel, AN UNLIKELY MATCH, and takes the reader back to the fictional town of Heron Point, Florida, a quaint little fishing town with characters the reader will grow to love. In the previous book, Claire, the mayor of this small town, meets her match in Jack who was sent by Archie Anderson to investigate this small town. Now, both characters are back, along with Petula (Pet), Claire's eccentric aunt, and Finn, the love of Pet's life. All these characters played a prominent role in this new novel, with the mystery behind F

Fishing tour operator-owner Helen Sweeny runs her business out of Heron Point, Florida near Tampa. She is stunned to learn she is pregnant since she and her boyfriend Donny practiced safe sex. However, when she informs Donny that she is carrying his child, he abandons her. Newcomer Ethan Anderson arrives in town to open the latest family inn when he meets Helen, who almost ran him over. He finds her fascinating on land and at sea; as they fall in love, she worries about telling him she is carrying someone else's "bean" as he says he does not ever want kids. When she finally informs him, Ethan has doubts about raising a child especially one that is not his. Helen and Ethan make for a fine contemporary romance as each evolves while their love grows. Helen hides the truth because she fears his rejection as she really likes Ethan and he has already told her no children. On the other hand Ethan likes Helen, but is upset that she failed to tell him the truth though he understands why she concealed it and struggles with someone else's bean in her belly. Fans will enjoy Cynthia Thomason's fine tale due to the realistic, caring and growing relationship between the two protagonists. Harriet Klausner