365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #119

His Hired Baby - Jacqueline Diamond
Harlequin American Romance
Harlequin, 2010
ISBN: 9780373753246





My rating






From the back cover:

"Surrogate mom Kate Evans, a widow with a five-year-old son, isn't looking forward to her upcoming delivery - not because of the pain, but because when it's over the doctor will place her baby in the arms of the couple who hired her. When Kate gets the startling news that Tony Franco's wife has abandoned him, it only makes her feel more conflicted.
Second thoughts or not, Kate signed a contract, and she won't go back on her word. Instead, she offers to help prepare Tony for single parenthood, never expecting to fall for him in the process. But once their baby is born, she'll lose both of them forever...unless she can convince Tony to give love another chance."


This is another book I found in the second hand book shop in NYC. I really liked the last few books I read from the American Romance line, this one was OK.

The heroine Kate is a surrogate and seven months pregnant with the child of Tony, the hero. Kate is a widow with a young son, with dreams of going back to college to become a nurse. She is being paid for the surrogacy but is also pleased to give an infertile couple the chance to have a baby. Then she discovers that Tony's wife Esther has left him for a high power legal career in Washington DC, leaving Tony behind and insisting on a divorce. Tony feels betrayed by Esther's actions, but still wants to raise his daughter. But as a busy hospital lawyer, Kate makes him realise that he needs to make changes in his life and asks for her help. Kate is beginning to have reservations over the surrogacy, but agrees to help Tony and they forge a very strong friendship. Their feelings begin to get deeper causing Tony to be harsh to Kate about the surrogacy contract and Kate's reservations turn to serious doubts.

This is quite an interesting read, and I particularly liked the issues raised about surrogacy, I think these are handled well and written with sensitivity. Kate is a really caring heroine with a strong personality that made her very believable. Tony is a little harder to like, I think he is too stiff and the issues relating to his priorities that are raised are never fully resolved. I also had doubts over the timing, Tony's wife only left him 2 months before he and Kate fall in love, so it makes me question it a little.
There is also a sub plot running though relating to a scheme at the hospital it's mainly set in about young mothers bringing unwanted children there, frankly I just didn't 'get' this and I don't think it was explained enough.

Overall though, this is a nice, quick and warm romance.

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