He Didn't Plan On That: "Something Unexpected" by Tressie Lockwood

A one-night stand in a limo with her boss's son had consequences Zacari didn't count on. But when she had been trying to get over finding her cheating ex-boyfriend in bed with her best friend, keary seemed to be just what she needed to exorcise her demons and satisfy a sexual void she never knew she had.

Keary O'Connor didn't care what Zacari's motives were the night she wouldn't take no for an answer. What red-blooded man could turn down a seductress with smooth tawny-colored skin and a body he couldn't get out of his head? He had to have her and he wanted her again. His only problem now was in convincing her that he would not be like her ex, and what he wanted went beyond the physical and would last a lifetime.

A one-night stand, the boss's son, a silent phone in the days that came afterward, and a pregnancy test that read "positive." All of a sudden, Zacari's life took an unexpected turn and she had a whole new set of problems. But one thing that marked Zacari's personality and her approach to living was her determination to make her own way and not to allow the other people in her life to make her decisions for her. She still bore the scars of betrayal by a boyfriend to whom she was engaged, and who betrayed her with her best friend. So she was more determined than ever to do what was right--she would notify Keary of her pregnancy--but she would raise her child and be a responsible mother.

Keary was a man that all of us dream about meeting. He was open-minded--he didn't care that Zacari was African-American--and he was a man who took his relationships and his responsibilities seriously. He worked hard in his father's company and he had a maturity that made it possible for him to work well with lots of different kinds of people. His attraction to Zacari certainly flamed out that first night when he was giving her a ride home from the bar. But his one time with her backfired--he couldn't walk away as if it hadn't happened. Even before he found out about the pregnancy he was determined to get her into his life on a more permanent basis. Just that quickly she snagged his heart.

Zacari's independent streak, however, didn't make things easy. He had to leave the country for nearly a month almost immediately after that first night together, so he never found out about the baby nor was he able to contact Zacari while overseas. As is often the case, she interpreted his silence with disregard or disinterest. She didn't realize that he never received her message telling him about the baby. Thus, their long-term involvement as parents even didn't begin well. But here is where Keary's true nature begins to emerge: he didn't allow Zacari's pique over these circumstances to reduce his determination to be a part of her pregnancy and to ultimately win her heart. She was sassy and irreverent, with a temper that flashed easily sometimes, and a history of being hurt and disappointed in love. Nevertheless, he kept on and never faltered in his pursuit of her. What a guy!!

I liked this story a lot. I loved the way that Keary manned up and not only that, was open about his feelings for Zacari that didn't have anything to do with the baby. I liked that he knew how to set boundaries for himself and even for some of the other women who had been a part of his life in the past and hoped to be his significant other in the future. And I liked that no matter how difficult Zacari became because of pregnancy woes, he was patient and kind, loving and long-suffering. Would that all fathers-to-be would have that kind of patience.

This is a story with lots of emotional ups and downs, that is written from both Zacari and Keary's point of view. It is full of family and friends, hurt and disappointment, and the wonderful anticipation of a new life that is coming into the world. It was a very emotional read and one that I found to be very satisfying. I think we all read romance fiction because we want to believe in the "happily ever after" and hope that it happens a majority of the time. I also like stories like this one that tell of the triumph of genuine caring over the hurts of betrayal and disappointment. And I like stories where the characters are people of principle and integrity, who care about themselves and the ones they love. There's hot loving here as well as a cast of characters that keeps this story interesting from start to finish. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.