The Arabian Love-Child

Really enjoyed this. This is a secret baby story. Generally I don't have a problem with how an author sets up the whole secret baby thing as I think that people don't always make the wisest decisions. I particularly think that young girls who end up pregnant don't make the wisest decisions. That is not the case however here. I don't think that anyone would have a problem with this set up. The author did a good job with the scenario. The heroine, Melanie, tried several times to inform the hero, Rafiq, of her pregnancy but he was being such as ass about her perceived betrayal of him that he refused to even listen to her.

The book starts when the boy is 7 years old and Melanie has decided that Rafiq has to know about his son since she has show more no other family and the boy Robbie has begun to worry that she will die and leave him alone. Rafiq continues to be an absolute ass to the her but she follows through anyway. He acknowledges to himself that he is still upset over her and refuses to believe that she was innocent in the scene he witnessed years ago. Melanie is a pretty strong character even though she acknowledges to herself that he can still get to her. She tells him she was innocent and then refuses to discuss it further. She just tells him Robbie needs him. The scenes with Robbie and Rafiq meeting and getting to know each other are well done and emotional. Robbie is a very well written character and I quite enjoyed him.

They do have a physical relationship but since the story is told from both her and his POV, you know that it is painful and meaningful to each of them. There is a clear progression of feeling from both of them as they fall back in love, or at least admit to themselves and each other that they still love each other. Rafiq knows as he's doing it that he is treating her poorly and is usually immediately ashamed of himself. At the end when all is explained, he did a pretty good job of admitting that it was all his fault and that he was a prideful fool who had caused them to waste 8 years. There is a lot of pathos and angst before the whole situation is worked out.

Highly recommended to angst lovers. show less