His Real Father [Large Print]

Joe Kelly returns to his small hometown in California from Los Angeles after his mother announces that she is selling the family bar and getting married. This means that Joe will have to face childhood friend Lisa Madden, the woman he spent most of his youth loving. Seventeen years before Lisa had chosen Joe's twin brother, Patrick, over him but Patrick died before the two could marry, the result of a drunken driving accident in which Patrick was the driver. Lisa Madden discovered that she was pregnant shortly before Patrick was killed but having had a one night fling with Joe, she questioned the child's paternity. Patrick assured her that he was unquestionably the father, insisting that Joe was not able to father a child; Lisa was left to raise her son Brandon alone after Patrick's death. Joe had left for Los Angeles and embarked on a successful career as a filmmaker. Lisa always felt an undeniable attraction to Joe, despite the fact that Patrick was her boyfriend and later her fiancé. Lisa is carrying a heavy load on her shoulders; she is finally graduating from college, after attending off and on for years, she helps Joe's mother at the bar and she has hopes of buying the bar from her. Lisa is also trying to keep her teenage son on the right path after he shows signs of experimenting with alcohol. Given Patrick's problems and eventual death as a result of his alcoholism, Lisa is especially concerned about the direction Brandon seems to be headed. Joe begins to realize all that he has missed by being away from Lisa and his family for so many years; he finds himself longing to make Lisa and Brandon a part of his life. Lisa knows that she must tell Joe of her suspicions as to Brandon's paternity, not knowing what his reaction will be, and she also has to face the troubled relationship she has with her own mother, who was never there when Lisa was growing up, and whose promiscuous behavior was a constant source of embarrassment to Lisa. Joe's mother is also struggling emotionally, having successfully battled breast cancer, and being engaged to a man whose suitability for her is being questioned by everyone. These characters experience a roller coaster of emotions; not only do you feel their joy and pain, but Lisa's experiences as the mother of a teen are familiar to everyone who is or has been responsible for a child. The impact of Lisa's mother's behavior during Lisa's youth and the impact of that behavior on her as an adult are excellently written. Ms. Salonen allows these characters to shine, both on their own and in their caring and compassion for each other. HIS REAL FATHER is a well written book with comfortable characters with very real feelings, heartaches and triumphs, and giving it a high recommendation comes easily. Courtesy Laurie/Romance Junkies

Documentary director Joe Kelly comes home to Worthington, California to film his family's bar Joe's Place before it is sold. To his shock, the buyer is Lisa Malden, who he has been attracted to for over seventeen years, but his twin brother Patrick scored with the ten teen Lisa should have been his sister-in-law but she never married Patrick although she gave birth to Joe's nephew Brandon who she raises as a single mom. Upon seeing Lisa, Joe knows he still wants her; Lisa reciprocates Joe's feelings, but does not want to deal with another Kelly. Still they spend plenty of time over Kelly's bar and soon their deep attraction turns to love. However, neither feels adequate to take that first step towards the other with their history in the way. HIS REAL FATHER is a strong character study that looks at a couple that almost made it as teens, but did not and now have a second chance to rectify their error. The support players enhance the relationship between the lead duo so that readers understand motives to not act on feelings. Debra Salonen writes a strong family drama with the emphasis on a fully developed functioning cast. Harriet Klausner

HIS REAL FATHER by Debra Salonen June 5, 2005 Rating: **** Here's another book by Debra Salonen that I have enjoyed. In HIS REAL FATHER Lisa Malden was once Patrick Kelley's girlfriend, years ago, until he had died in a car accident shortly around high school graduation. His twin brother, Joe, had at one time been her best friend. Seventeen years later and Joe has finally returned home after living in Southern California, making a career as a filmmaker. What Joe doesn't know is that Lisa is hiding a secret about her son Brandon, who everyone assumes is Patrick's. It has to do with the paternity of her son, and Lisa is not sure what to think. But if what she thinks is true, the knowledge will change the lives of many persons, including Brandon, who had never recovered from the loss of his paternal grandfather. The story of Joe and Lisa circles around their past and their love of each other, which always remained hidden to the public, as Lisa had at one point been in love with Patrick. The two never really admitted their true feelings to each other, because of Patrick. But as the years pass, and they try to pretend nothing ever happened that one fateful day many years ago, it is now time to bring up the past and bury it. Joe had been running forever from the tragedy and blamed his father's bar for the death. Lisa's guilt stemmed from one illicit night, when passions between her and her boyfriend's brother were finally realized, something that never should have happened. There's a lot of soul searching in this novel, as well as secondary characters dealing with their own problems of unrequited love. The subplot of Maureen's (Joe's mother) upcoming wedding to a man that not everyone feels is suited for her, the paternity issue of Lisa's son Brandon, Lisa possibly buying the family owned bar from Maureen, and the love story between Lisa and Joe, are the major subplots of this story. But the focus is on Joe and Lisa, and Brandon who is spiraling downward for reasons his family do not fully understand. HIS REAL FATHER is yet another novel by Salonen that works for me, and I always look forward to her romances.