Unexpected Daughter

UNEXPECTED DAUGHTER by Suzanne Cox December 16, 2006 Rating **** (4 Stars) Years ago Cade Wheeler lived in Cypress Landing (Louisiana), and during that time he fell in love with Brijette Dupre, who ended up becoming pregnant. Cade never knew about the pregnancy, thanks to his mother's lies. Brijette was then told by his mother that he didn't want the baby, so instead she promised never to see Cade again, and took money from Cade's mother to help support her while she got an education. She had also promised to abort the baby, but Brijette knew all along that she would never do it. While she was angry with Cade for his lack of support of their baby, she vowed she would raise her child on her own and give it the life she never had. Ten years later and Cade is back in town. Brijette is now a nurse and supporting her daughter Dylan, who was never told about her real father. Cade is the substitute doctor, replacing his uncle who is recuperating from surgery. Cade does not see the resemblance between himself and Dylan, and demands to know who the father is. He at first thinks the child is his, knowing the age of the child, but he believes Brijette's lies that Dylan's father was someone that she had met later on. Seeing the birth certificate, Cade believes it. Brijette is now worried that Cade (and his mother) will find out the truth about Dylan. And worse yet, Dylan would never forgive her mother for lying to her all these years. In the mean time, ten-year-old Dylan finds Cade fascinating, and the two enjoy each other's company. Brijette doesn't want the two to get close, but finds that she needs Cade's help more often than not when it comes to taking care of her daughter while she's at the clinic. What is going to happen once the secret is out? Brijette and Cade are beginning to forgive each other and forget their past, but once the secret is out, it may be too late for them. Brijette is enjoying her newfound relationship with Cade, but knows it will all end once he learns her secret. UNEXPECTED DAUGHTER was a wonderful story about two people who had once loved each other, but due to lies and misunderstandings, were torn apart and went their separate ways. Dylan plays a major role in the reunion of these two long-lost lovers, and it was fun to watch her as she first started out with a crush on Cade, and then eventually realized that Cade could be a good father to her. Cade's Uncle Arthur also gets into the matchmaking act, as it was he who pretty much manipulated Cade into coming back to Cypress Landing to renew acquaintances with Brijette. Even the employees at the clinic where Brijette worked knew there was something going on between the two, and some were even hinting that the two get together. A subplot involving a drug ring, which investigators believe could involve Brijette, spices up the story with a hint of danger for both Brijette and Dylan. The author's skills at writing this story gave credibility to the plot for the most part