| Tori Carrington is a master
at the Special Editions, and WHAT A WOMAN WANTS is no exception. This is the story of Darby Conrad, mother of twin girls who
are precocious and adorable, and widowed wife of Erick Conrad, a firefighter who died a
hero's death less than a year before. Now Darby's pregnant again, by none other that John
Sparks, Erick's best friend since childhood.
How could this happen, you ask? Well, the old
fashioned way, of course. Pure lust. Well, readers, you know that's not the whole story,
but it is the beginning of how this story unfolds.
John has loved Darby for as long as he can remember.
But when Darby and Erick started dating, Darby got pregnant, and they ended up marrying,
John buried his feelings deep, lest either of them discover his secret. He couldn't ever
let that happen.
Now Erick is gone, and both Darby and John miss him
terribly. John helps Darby out at the farm, and his long dormant feelings begin to
resurface. But without the buffer of his best friend there to put a halt to his passions,
he's hard pressed to keep his hands off "The Widow Conrad."
For Darby's part, she's always cared for John; she'd
even wondered a time or two if they might have dated way back when, had she not started
dating Erick and she hadn't gotten pregnant. She's had just as hard a time thinking of
John as 'just a friend' now too.
Yes, you can see where this is going. One night,
their attraction is overwhelming, and a quick coupling in the barn (it was very cold, so
nudity was at a minimum, but passions burned hot, and even the bitter temps couldn't quell
their desires) makes Darby pregnant once again.
At first John is shocked, but he soon comes to his
senses, asking Darby to marry him. When she refuses, he's confused, and not a little bit
hurt, until she explains her reasons for refusing his proposal.
Add to that, the twins aren't happy with the whole
situation. They know that their mother and John are going to be parents, and they have the
same insecurities of any child when there is going to be an addition to the family. But
there is so much more to it, that when you understand their anger and hostility toward
"Uncle Sparky," You'll feel the tears well up.
Will Darby ever feel like John wants to be married
out of love for her and not his impending fatherhood? She sometimes feels that Erick
"did the right thing" but has often wondered if they'd have progressed to
marriage had she not gotten pregnant with the twins. She doesn't want those insecurities
this time around.
And John is from a big family. With so many
children, he often felt lost in the mix of siblings. He'd never thought to marry and have
children. Now that fatherhood is inevitable, can he put aside some of his bitterness and
give Darby and his unborn child the love they need? And can he break through the wall the
girls have built around themselves? He loved them as their honorary Uncle. Can he now be
the father they need so much?
The sexual tension in this story was so well
depicted, I completely understood how Darby, only months a widow, could be enticed by her
own desires to give into them. And John, a man whose life was boring but structured
before, was turned inside out whenever Darby was within sight. He has trouble saying
what's in his heart, but his actions said so much that Darby would have had to be blind
not to see.
Readers, WHAT A WOMAN WANTS is a keeper! Carrington
has a talent for writing hot, sexy love scenes, but also for pulling at your heartstrings
and giving a glimpse Into a character's heart as well. This story begins with a love lost,
but takes you on a journey to a love found. They never forget the man they all loved
dearly either. Simply put: It's a wonderful tale of second chances and new
beginnings. I loved it!
Reviewed by Morgan Arce for The Road to Romance
November 2, 2002
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