Customer Reviews

Lost Cause (Harlequin Superromance No. 1351)

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

LOST CAUSE by Janice Kay Johnson
June 10, 2006


Amazon rating 4/5


"This is the second in a trilogy centering on siblings separated after their parents died in a car accident. The previous book introduced the eldest, Suzanne Chauvin, who was six at the time of the accident. Suzanne was sent to live with her maternal aunt, while the others were adopted by different parents.

Middle child Gary (Lucien) was adopted by a farmer and his wife. Unfortunately, his childhood was not a happy one. He was abused, and it became worse when his adoptive mother finally left her husband. As an adult Gary feels he no need for family, and has kept friends at arm's length. He has a lot of issues and vows to never have children, afraid to follow in his father's footsteps. Though Gary does have vague memories of a happier time (he lost his parents at age three), most of his memories center on his adopted family.

Suzanne had already reunited with her sister Carrie. After asking Gary to meet them and being rejected, she does not expect him to show up on her front steps. The timing is bad, as she's about to be interviewed by a social worker about adopting a baby. Rebecca, employed by The Complete Family Adoption Agency, feels it best they reschedule. Suzanne invites Gary to stay with her while he is in town (a suburb of Seattle). Gary feels uncomfortable and overwhelmed by Suzanne's generosity. She barely knows him! But they slowly cultivate a relationship and catch up on the twenty-six years they missed. Gary gets involved with Rebecca against his best instincts. Their unlikely friendship and love affair is something that neither expected." - Complete review at BookLoons - M. Lofton

I enjoyed this story about a man who was separated from his siblings at a young age, thus changing the direction of his life in a very huge way. He's got a lot of baggage, and a lot of resentment. I was intrigued with all three siblings and how they handled their separation and their reunion. The romance between Gary and the social worker was almost 2nd to the story of the three siblings and where their lives went after the death of their parents 26 years ago. Nevertheless, both plot lines kept me interested until the very end. Recommended.