FORTUNE'S SECRET HUSBAND – Karen Rose Smith
The Fortunes of Texas; All Fortune's Children
Harlequin Special Edition #2462
ISBN: 978-0-373-65944-9
March 2016
Contemporary Series Romance

Austin, Texas, the Present

The numerous and widespread Fortune family encompasses titled members in England. One such, Lady Lucie Fortune Chesterfield, a knight's daughter and earl's granddaughter, wanted some adventure at seventeen, so she joined a mixed group travelling to Scotland. The leader of the group was Chase Parker, an American from Texas. The two fell in love. At twenty-one, Chase was protective of the young innocent, so they married before coming together—Scotland's laws on marriage are looser than England's. Lucie needed no permission. When Chase's dictatorial father learned of the marriage, he quickly demanded an annulment and swore them to secrecy—to tell no one ever.

Now, ten years later, after the two have had no communication at all, Chase learns the marriage was never annulled, and he need's his wife's signature on a document to buy land. He searches for Lucie, and where does he find her? In Austin, Texas! Lucie and her mother work for the charitable Fortune Foundation travelling the globe to establish orphanages for needy children. She's in Austin for a couple of weeks looking for office space to house a local branch of the charity.

The Fortune Chesterfield family has already suffered notoriety, and Lucie shuns publicity. The paparazzi are always looking for her and are not above making up stories given the slightest chance. How are she and Chase going to meet unseen to talk? Or should they? Both their lives are tied up in different ways: Lucie's with the charities that take her around the world; Chase with his plans to leave his father's businesses and strike out on his own. It's not a small problem as they have never forgotten each other, nor have they ever known the whole truth of their separation. . .

Allot yourself enough time to read FORTUNE'S SECRET HUSBAND without too much interruption. You'll find it captivating to watch Chase and Lucie finagle time and place to meet, and you'll profoundly hope they can really come together again.

Jane Bowers