LoveSwept 2 - Surrender

Derry Lanthrop, guardian to three kids orphaned by the death of her brother and sister-in-law, is kidnapped from her wedding to a dud by her ex-husband Aaron, who whisks her and newly-adopted family to tropical Bermuda for a second chance. The couple, divided after a 9-year marriage by sniping in-laws/family, have to learn to adjust to being new parents while trying to forgive each other past differences. While Aaron displays the occasional shades of alpha-man so ubiquitous in eighties romance, the meanness and insensitivity that so often accompanies the phenomenon was virtually absent. Derry also avoids the pitfalls of the genre--idiocy and a lack of backbone--and instead seems aware of the source of the conflict in the marriage and stands up for herself and family quite admirably. Aaron was sweet, Derry was spunky, the kids were adorable and the story was entertaining; I recommend the book.