THE SECRET AFFAIR – Brenda Jackson
Westmoreland Series
Harlequin Desire #2341
ISBN: 978-0-373-73354-5
December 2014
Contemporary Series Romance

Various locations around the United States – Present Day

Jillian Novak's oldest sister married into the Westmoreland family, bringing the families into one big group. It was inevitable that Jill came into contact with Dr. Aidan Westmoreland, even though she's aware that he's a ladies man. No way would Jill settle for being just another notch on Aidan's bedpost, yet the man is talented at charming woman, and soon she can't resist him. But they had huge obstacles to any chance of a future together, namely the fact that he's based on the east coast, while Jill was attending college, first in Wyoming, then Louisiana. As it invariably happens, distance caused mistrust and a final breakup.

Aidan certainly hasn't given up on winning Jill back, even if it has been a year since they broke up. He just needs some time alone with her, and he feels he can convince her that they belong together. Aidan has fallen in love with Jill and will do whatever it takes to reunite them. He enlists the help of her girlfriend to get Jill on a cruise—where he plans to meet her and start the wooing. Will Aidan finally persuade Jill that they belong together?

THE SECRET AFFAIR between Jill and Aidan was clandestine because she wasn't sure how her sister would feel about a romance between them. But as time went on, she began to get depressed knowing that their relationship was like a dirty little secret.  But whenever Jill is around Aidan, the chemistry sizzles between them, making her fall deeper for him. What she feels for him scares her, as she fears losing her heart to a man who is only toying with her affections. Can Aidan convince Jill that he does indeed love her and wants them to be together…forever?

As part of the long, ongoing Westmoreland series by Brenda Jackson, THE SECRET AFFAIR can easily be read without having read any of the prior books. The Westmorelands are a large family with many branches spreading all over the United States. Even as THE SECRET AFFAIR ends, we get hints of future tales for Aidan's family members.

Aidan is a doctor who has to serve his time to others before he can make his choice where he wants to live. As such, he is unable to move closer to Jill, while she is tied to the college she's at while she studies medicine also. They have a lot in common, but their attraction to each other is so instantaneous that they skipped the part of getting to know one another better first before they're madly kissing each other. A misunderstanding ends their affair, but if there is one mistake Aidan made it's that he didn't try to make things right with Jill as soon as possible. A year is a long time.

Fiery passion and mistaken communication highlight THE SECRET AFFAIR. Will Aidan win back Jill? Find out for yourself in this sizzling tale.

Patti Fischer