A BRIDE FOR THE BLACK SHEEP BROTHER – Emily McKay
At Cain's Command , Book 3
Harlequin Desire #2309
ISBN: 978-0-373-73322-4
June 2014
Contemporary Series Romance

Texas, Colorado, and Utah – Present Day

While attending a party in Houston, socialite Portia Callahan comes face to face with a woman she thinks is the mysterious and missing Cain heiress, the subject of a hunt by the Cain brothers. But the woman runs away from Portia. Whoever of the Cain brothers locates their mysterious half-sister wins the top spot in their father's company. Portia is aware that Dalton and Griffin have bowed out, so she seeks out their half-brother Cooper Larson in Colorado. He scoffs at her news, but agrees to check it out if she goes with him to Utah, where he is about to start work on a hotel he wants his board of directors to approve for a big resort project. Portia agrees, and being alone with Cooper brings to the surface feelings between them that couldn't have been possible until now, because Portia used to be Cooper's sister-in-law.

Cooper fell for Portia the day she married his half-brother Dalton, but now that she's divorced, the field is wide open for him. Slowly and surely they grow closer, both because of the project they're working on together, but also due to the feelings that now can be laid bare. Neither is looking for a long term relationship, so they agree to an affair while working together. Yet the passion grows hotter and deeper until he can't even stand to see her get along with his buddies. Is getting involved with a woman who once was married to his half-brother wrong? Can she think of him as nothing more than a temporary fling?

In A BRIDE FOR THE BLACK SHEEP BROTHER, Portia has to convince Cooper that she did indeed spot a woman who may be his long lost half-sister. He actually doesn't care, because as the mostly ignored illegitimate son of Hollister Cain, he doesn't feel like he's part of the Cain family. Portia, on the other hand, is still close to Hollister's now ex-wife (and Dalton's mother) and runs in the same circles as the Cain family. Cooper was an Olympic snowboarder and now has forged a new career as a business owner, but he comes up against his board of directors when he wants to expand into a new resort. With Portia's help, he might be able to realize his goals.

Portia gave up on her marriage and the idea of having children after her marriage to Dalton failed due to her inability to conceive. She now hopes to adopt and continue her philanthropic work, but she still is a Cain at heart when she spots a woman who looks a lot like the Cain brothers. Diving into helping Cooper, she soon realizes how much they're alike, even as she sees a new side to him. Soon they're making mad, passionate love at night, as they work furiously together during the day. Once the project is over, will Portia and Cooper end their affair, or think about a possible future together?

Part of the At Cain's Command series, A BRIDE FOR THE BLACK SHEEP BROTHER could be read as a standalone, though it's best to read the other two books in the series to get an idea of the Cain family dynamics. As for the missing heiress…there really isn't much new on this, as Portia and Cooper soon get distracted with other things.

A powerful and passionate tale, be sure to pick up A BRIDE FOR THE BLACK SHEEP BROTHER and fall in love with Portia and Cooper.

Patti Fischer