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Surprise Of His Life (Special Edition) Mass Market Paperback – July 1, 1991

by Karen Keast (Author)

11 customer reviews

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Lindsey Ellison had a problem. She was in love . . . hopelessly in love . . . with Walker Carr. It would all be so lovely, so idyllic--if only he wasn't her father's business partner and best friend . . . and her godfather! And, of course, Lindsey couldn't ignore the fact that he'd be totally shocked to discover her feelings. She had to forget him.

But how?

It seemed impossible, especially now when she was returning to Galveston to help her parents through a rough time. She had to convince Walker that she was the woman he would love forever. Lindsey steeled her heart--because when Walker figured out her plan, it was going to be the surprise of his life!

Silhouette Special Edition #688, August, 1991.

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Editorial Reviews

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Silhouette Special Edition #688, August, 1991.

Series: Special Edition (Book 688)
Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Silhouette (July 1, 1991)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0373096887
ISBN-13: 978-0373096886
Package Dimensions: 6.7 x 4 x 0.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
Average Customer Review: 11 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,879,777 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #381352 in Books > Romance

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11 customer reviews

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Alpha Reader

I adored this book...

February 11, 2010

Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified Purchase

I put a question to Amazon's romance chat board. I was looking for a good romance book about an older man/younger woman. I know lots of 60's and 70's Mills & Boon and Harlequin unwittingly set up the old man/young woman dynamic - simply because such a pairing wasn't at all unconventional at the time. I was looking for a more modern romance in which the older/younger relationship was the crux of the story, not simply a given.

The book that came most highly recommended was Karen Keast's `The Surprise of his Life'(1991)... and I *LOVED* it!

The trigger of the story is 23-year-old Lindsey Ellison returning home to comfort her mother through the divorce her father has sprung on her after 25 years of marriage. Lindsey had previously been living in London, where she fled after she broke off her wedding the night before the big day. Lindsey has mixed feelings about returning home - she's devastated about her parent's divorce and angry at her father's mid-life crisis that prompted it. But she's also nervous and excited - because returning home means coming face to face with the reason she called of her wedding. Walker Carr. Family friend who was in Vietnam with her father and is also her godfather. Walker is also the man she loves - despite his being 47 to her 23.

Walker and Lindsey are H-O-T. There's no explicit sex really, as Keast tiptoes around the more nitty-gritty smut. She never uses the word `nipple' for example, but refers to the `centre of Lindsey's breasts'. Regardless, Lindsey and Walker are smoldering, especially because of the pent-up frustration Walker feels at having lustful thoughts about his goddaughter, and the illicitness of their affair. When these two do get together they burn up the page! It helps that the man on the books cover bears a striking resemblance to Cary Grant. Oh boy!

Despite the age difference and the illicitness of a godfather/goddaughter pairing; Lindsey and Walker's romance never felt 'wrong' or creepy. It helps that these two have such obvious sexual chemistry. Walker is also a real gentlemen and is never flippant about his feelings for Lindsey, and he really struggles with their newfound romance.

As well as Lindsey and Walker's romance, there's the storyline concerning Lindsey's parents, Bunny and Dean. This is actually a really good accompanying plot as Dean takes increasingly drastic and ridiculous measures to fend off old age, including having an affair with a 19-year-old girl. Dean's mid-life crisis is a great counter-point to Walker's feelings for Lindsey, and only proves to highlight how different his relationship is compared to Dean's desperation.

Karen Keast is a pseudonym for Sandra Key Patterson Caulfield. She unfortunately passed away in 2003 - having written 13 books, all of which are either Harlequin or Silhouette imprints. Reading her backlist, she has quite a few books that really appeal to me - they're all a little bit old school, and that's half the appeal. You kind of have to go scouting for Keast's books - a few are available via Amazon, second-hand, and most of them are only US$0.01 (not including postage + shipping). Others are a little more pricey for their rarity (US$19.99) and some are simply out of print.

I loved `The Surprise of his Life'. Loved it! No wonder it came so highly recommended.

12 people found this helpful13 people found this helpful

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S. Richards

The best older man book ever

February 23, 2011

Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified Purchase

I couldn't have loved this book more! This book may be old and it may not be 'erotic romance', but it is damn sexy and is the best of the best of this theme.

Walker is 47 and Lindsey is 24. He struggles with the age difference, with the fact that he's her parents' best friend, and with the fact that he's her Godfather. Lindsey has been in love with Walker for a few years now and wants him to stop seeing her as the little girl she was. Walker finally starts to see her as a grown-up and not as a child, and he is so conflicted about wanting her! He really struggles with these unexpected feelings for her.

This book is from the early 90's so you may cringe a little at the clothes (her dad wore neon pants), but Walker is timeless with his fit body, shirtless and in his tight jeans with the snap unbuttoned. He is so very hot, one of the sexiest men I've read. Lots of delicious sexual tension between him and Lindsey.

This is the best older man romance I've ever read. It has it all: the big age difference, the conflict/hesitation because the Hero feels he's too old for the heroine (the taboo aspect), and the family concern/disbelief about the relationship. The way Keast described Walker's struggle and Lindsey's determination and her dad's reaction, all of it is so well-written. Just a wonderful, sexy story. SOHL is the benchmark by which I measure all books of this theme. It is so worth the trouble of tracking down a copy. You won't be disappointed. Definitely a keeper!

5 people found this helpful6 people found this helpful

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Better than expected.

May 8, 2017

Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified Purchase

I ended up liking this one a lot better than I expected since it is an older Silhouette. However, I liked both main characters and thought the author addressed some legitimate concerns about the age difference. I did feel like her parents' story took too much time, though.

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Vintage Sedona

Parallel May-December romances. The H is a yummy older man.

September 24, 2018

Format: Mass Market Paperback

Mature and plausible romance with parallel stories.

The primary characters are the much younger heroine and her godfather falling for each other. She is the aggressor in the relationship while he is pretty horrified at what he sees as cradle robbing. It doesn't help that his best friend, the heroine's father, took too many stupid pills and has gone off the rails in his mid-life crisis. The h's dad doesn't miss any of the cliches: fast car, new clothes (new gawdawful tacky rainbow clothes), next best thing to a comb over, and sadly a twinkie younger than his daughter. The even sadder thing is she sounded like a sweet girl, and under Kristen Ashley or someone else she would have been the h.

Anyhoo, the paralleling May-December romances is seriously scaring the H, and he puts the stop on the romance after some epic sex.

All in all, a nice group of people. And, yes, I can't believe I am saying this, but once the errant dad gets his head out of his backend he's redeemable. the fact that the mother decided to step up for herself and leave him behind was his second wakeup call. I usually hate, despise and loathe second chances for cheaters, but I found this believable.

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Anime, Manga and Harlequin Romance Girl

Hot! Hero and heroine had C-H-E-M-I-S-T-R-Y and I thought it was believable!

January 29, 2016

Format: Mass Market Paperback

This was a re-read and I must have been busy for not reviewing it on my first read. I enjoy older man/younger woman stories especially when they come with super angst. I picked it up when I saw it was recommended in an Amazon reviews forum and had high ratings. I certainly didn’t regret it! The H/h have a 24 year gap (47 to 23 I think) A warning though: For people who are leery on big age gaps and the fact that H has been in the h’s life since she was a kid this may not be for you. They have no blood relation but he was her “godfather”. That being said, I think the author really tackled the subject well and delved into the complications that this created. H was REALLY conflicted by this burgeoning attraction and I found certain moments in the book amusing especially when poop hits the fan LOL. Oh yeah, I found the H damn sexy hee hee! There’s also a nice side story about the h’s parents which I felt was very realistic in today’s life and really makes you think in some ways. Oh yes and there’s a nice HEA and epilogue, yay!

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Surprise Of His Life (Special Edition) Mass Market Paperback – July 1, 1991

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