Michael's Father (a Little Secret)

The family patriarch Salvatore Messina demands his pregnant granddaughter name the father of her child so that he will either marry her or be ruined. Cori refuses so Salvatore gives her an ultimatum because he will not fund the raising of a bastard on his Sonoma, Northern California winery. Cori informs the octogenarian that she has obtained work in Los Angeles and will raise the child alone as she cannot betray the man she loves Blake Austin.Several years later, Cori accompanied by her son Michael returns to the family estate to help her mother cope with her pending death from cancer. She also believes she must inform Blake he sired a child when they shared that one night of bliss. However, she is disappointed that he fails to recognize the boy is his when they first meet. As Cori realizes she still loves Blake and wants to be with her family, she also must consider what will happen to Michael if his father rejects her or his son.The theme of MICHAEL'S FATHER has been used quite often in contemporary romance novels, but contains a degree of freshness due to the soap opera like angst of the Messina family. However, the extended family's emotional woes also weigh heavily on the audience as everyone carries baggage. The lead couple follows the typical script, but readers still will empathize with them especially with Cori. Though Melinda Curtis includes too many troubles for the audience to cope with, fans of deep emotional conflict plots will want to read her fine novel, but turn to a comedy immediately afterward.Harriet Klausner