Baby by the Book

Rand Barclay believes himself to be headed for a doomed life as a cantankerous bachelor until he develops case for his carpenter. He didn't expect a lady carpenter, and he certainly didn't want a pregnant one. Not that he has anything against pregnancy. He's well rehearsed having practically raised several younger sisters and their offspring, but a pregnant woman shouldn't be doing all that physical labor. But then, physical labor while he's working in the same office is good when she has such a shapely behind. Too bad pregnancy usually means there's a man in the picture. When Susan goes into labor in his office, however, she confesses her single hood. Susan arrives at Rand's prepared to work. She needs this job. The death of her father the year before through her world into a tailspin, and meeting Gary at the hospital provided even more long-term grief. When Gary disappeared leaving only a note alluding to a clinging vine and a parasite, Susan used the money he left to pay the bills and grieve. Worse, he left before she could tell him that she's pregnant. Now her money's running out, the baby's due in a few weeks, and she needs to move. If Rand will give her the job, maybe she'll manage the challenges ahead. Then her baby comes early, she has no health insurance, and the apartment she's rented is unlivable. Rand wants to be her knight in shining armor. She wants to be independent. They both want to be a family, but neither has the courage to risk admitting it.As author Kara Lennox shows in BABY BY THE BOOK, babies write their own terms when they enter this world. While I was much younger than our thirty-old heroine when I had my first child, I still could swear Lennox stole a page from my diary. Alone, afraid, and overwhelmed with love with this small, perfect life, Susan's a believable mother with an imperfect past. Susan proves that the first diaper and the first bottle can be quite intimidating if you've never handled either until having your own child. Rand's an imperfect hero, as well. Sexy, well-meaning without a clue about women expect how to happily live around them, Rand lacks the easy social graces that characterize most heroes. Still, he's wonderful. Indeed, this is a heart warming romance that deserves to go on the keeper shelf. Very highly recommended.

It's easy to see why Kara Lennox has quickly become one of the hottest authors in the Harlequin American stable. BABY BY THE BOOK can't help making you smile and feel good.Abandoned by her boyfriend, pregnant Susan Kilgore needs to get back on her feet and rebuild her carpentry business. She's not going to let a little thing like an almost due baby stop her from taking the job Dr. Rand Barclay offers her remodeling his office--even if Rand does have a way of getting her all excited.Rand needs to finish his book and he's way late. What he doesn't need is the distraction of a pregnant woman. Yet his protective instincts don't let him just walk away from a woman in trouble. Yet, can Susan ever really be his, or is her heart still owned by the ex-boyfriend who walked away--before he even knew he'd be a father.Author Lennox has definitely turned up the emotional intensity with this one. It's sexy, funny, and definitely a heartwarming feel-good read.I loved it.