Little Darlin'

Boy, I liked this story! When life "in general" is shoved to the bottom of my priority list, I know I am in reading heaven! And Cheryl Reavis' LITTLE DARLIN' solidly glued me to those celestial clouds! Dear author . . . nice job! Mini Synopsis: A baby just didn't fit into Staff Sergeant Mateo Beltran's life and he certainly didn't want any emotional ties. As it was, he didn't remember much about his one-night stand with the exotic dancer from one of the nearby clubs, but there was no denying the end results -- baby Shorty. The kid was as cute as a button, complete with big sad eyes and a little unsmiling face. All Matt wanted was to be able to walk away and yet this little sweetheart could get him to do things that he never thought he would do! Like tangled fatherhood and committed vows to Shorty's caregiver -- the beautiful widow Corey Madsen. Matt was shipping out and Corey Madsen knew a whirlwind wedding and a four-hour honeymoon was better than nothing! Their marriage might have been for his baby girl but it seemed Corey had meant every single word of the wedding ceremony. Now, all she wanted was to give Shorty's dad everything he had given her. Instead, she made a promise. She and his baby girl would be here when he got home. Reviewer's Comments: When an author and I share the same fantasy cloud, life is so...oo good. In LITTLE DARLIN' Cheryl Reavis' writing style is well-paced; her character development is second to none; and her storyline, although familiar, offers some unique freshness. Unmistakably, I want to read the sequel and when an author can make me want that -- well life is so...oo darn good! Grade: A (lovely story) Sensuality: lukewarm MaryGrace Meloche.

Back Cover description: The sergeant and baby Short Stuff. Hard as nails inside and out, Sergeant Matt Beltran obeyed only one rule: Need no one, and let no one need him. So what was the steely loner to do when someone left a precious baby girl--allegedly his--in his red sports car? Regroup? Stand tall? Run! But Corey Madsen, the tyke's temporary foster mom, clearly had other ideas. The soft, pretty preacher's widow melted Matt's armor--and "Short Stuff" herself got a toehold in his heart. Why , the terrifying twosome actually made Matt feel like a husband and father! Whoa! Was Matt's worst nightmare becoming an impossible dream?What a great story! I read OLDER WOMAN first--that's another great book. These characters are believeable and likable. The caring, concern and the fact that these people could be someone we know is another way the author gets us to care. About the only thing I didn't like was the baby's mother, Rita. Her character wasn't consistent. First she abandons the baby, then she comes back, then she cares, then she...you get the picture. There is another book about her, I haven't made up my mind if I'm going to read it or not. But get this one, it's a keeper.

I loved this story. Very well written. One of those where you fall in love with all the characters and are sad when it ends! Thanks Cheryl for another wonderful book!