KATE HARDY lives in Norwich, in the east of England, with her husband, two young children, one bouncy spaniel and too many books to count! When she’s not busy writing romance or researching local history she helps out at her children’s schools. She also loves cooking—spot the recipes sneaked into her books! (They’re also on her website, along with extracts and stories behind the books.) Writing for Mills & Boon® has been a dream come true for Kate—something she wanted to do ever since she was twelve. She’s been writing Medical Romances™ for over ten years now. She says it’s the best of both worlds, because she gets to learn lots of new things when she’s researching the background to a book: add a touch of passion, drama and danger, a new gorgeous hero every time, and it’s the perfect job!
Kate’s always delighted to hear from readers, so do drop in to her website at www.katehardy.com
BOUND BY A BABY by Kate Hardy won the 2014 RoNA (Romantic Novelists’ Association) Rose award!
It Started with
No Strings…
Kate Hardy
This book actually started life about five years ago, when the late author Maggie Kingsley and I were chatting about how interesting it would be to have a shaman as a hero.
I haven’t gone quite that far in this book—my heroine is the daughter of an American Indian healer—but I did enjoy the research. And, given that my heroine has been wrapped in cotton wool for her entire life, it makes sense for her to want to work in an area where she gets to do exciting things vicariously, through her patients—hence she works in the department of tropical medicine and infectious diseases.
Then there’s my poor hero, from a family who doesn’t just have a stiff upper lip—they’re practically encased in permafrost. When he ends up falling for my heroine, who has a close family which adores her, he’s like a fish out of water. How is he going to learn to cope with it and get a happy ending?
You’ll have to read on to find out :) And I hope you enjoy their journey.
I’m always delighted to hear from readers, so do come and visit me at www.katehardy.com
With love
Kate Hardy
IT STARTED WITH NO STRINGS … is Kate Hardy’s 60th Mills & Boon® romance
To Penni Askew and Scarlet Wilson, with love—
and thanks for the encouragement!
‘BOUND BY A BABY moved me to tears many times. It is a full-on emotional drama. Author Kate Hardy brought this tale shimmering with emotions. Highly recommended for all lovers of romance.’
—Contemporary Romance Reviews
Table of Contents
‘WELCOME TO LONDON.’ Aaron lifted his pint in a wry toast to himself.
It was his own fault that he was sitting here on his own at the bar in a salsa club. When Tim had suggested going out to celebrate Aaron’s first weekend in London and catch up, of course he hadn’t meant just going out for a quiet pint. Aaron should’ve remembered their student days: Tim had always been the life and soul of the party, and always ended up surrounded by a crowd of pretty girls. He was still the same in his thirties as he’d been in his late teens; right now, Aaron couldn’t even see him in the crowded club.
So when he’d finished his pint, Aaron decided, he’d try and find Tim, say a quiet goodbye, and go back to the impersonal flat he’d rented near the hospital.
Or maybe he wouldn’t even bother with the rest of the pint. He set the still half-full glass back on the bar and turned away, looking for Tim.
And that was when he saw her.
The woman with the most amazing hair: dark as midnight, flowing down almost to her waist, perfectly straight and shiny. She was wearing a short scarlet dress that set her hair off to perfection and showcased long, beautifully shaped legs. And somehow she was managing to salsa in a pair of seriously high heels.