Single Man Meets Single Mom - Jules Bennett (HD #2325 - Sept 2014)

Series: Barrington Trilogy (Book 2)  Billionaires and Babies (Book 49)

From player to…daddy?

Hollywood agent Ian Schaffer could have his pick of gorgeous women. So he's totally thunderstruck by the intensity of his attraction to horse trainer Cassie Barrington. The single mom, with her luscious curves and unadorned beauty, is so much hotter than the bombshells he's used to. But it's her vulnerability and passion that the jaded player finds utterly irresistible -- and that sets off alarm bells, because Ian's as commitment-shy as they come. A woman with a child is absolutely off-limits! Too bad the voluptuous mom has Ian aching to break all his old rules….

Fantastic book that starts out with a sizzle and just keeps getting better. Ian has come to Stony Ridge Farms to check in on one of the actors he's the agent for, and to try to sign the actress s her who is his costar. He just happens to be in the right place to catch Cassie as she falls from a broken ladder. Both are hit with an instant attraction, but each has a different reaction to it. Ian is immediately interested in pursuing her, with the intention of indulging in a bit of a fling while he's there. Cassie has every intention of resisting, as she's a single mom whose daughter is her whole life. But fate has them trapped together in a locked attic overnight, and the chemistry is just too hard to resist.

Morning brings rescue, but also shines some light onto the issues that both Ian and Cassie have. Ian is confronted with the fact that Cassie has a child, something that he avoids at all costs. He initially thinks that Cassie is like his mother, palming her child off on others so that she can do what she wants. He quickly learns the truth, but the damage is done and he has to decide if he's willing to try to fix things. Cassie has her own baggage to deal with. Her husband walked out on her shortly after the baby was born, after cheating on her and blaming her for it. She also feels less than attractive, as she still has some "baby weight" she hasn't been able to get rid of. To top it all off, Ian is five years younger than she is. She's sure that there's no way he'd actually be interested in her.

I have to say that I loved Ian. He's good looking, successful, has a sense of humor and underneath the Hollywood reputation he's actually a pretty nice guy. One of my favorite things about him was that he liked Cassie just as she was. He preferred her curves to the stick thin Hollywood types and he had no trouble showing her so, over and over. I also loved seeing him with little Emily. Once he got over the shock and admitted to himself that there was more to what he and Cassie had than sex, he really got into the whole baby gig. It was adorable to see him really enjoying the little moments. He was falling and falling hard, when Cassie's ex showed up and started to make trouble. My heart just broke as he tried to do what he thought was right for Cassie and Emily.

One of the best things about Cassie was that she felt so real. She's a single mom dealing with the same things that moms everywhere deal with. She has the body issues from being pregnant. She deals with the exhaustion of being the only parent, even though she has the support of her family. But through it all she is giving Emily all the love and care she has to give. I loved seeing those sweet moments, like taking Emily for her first ride, and the quiet rocking of putting her to sleep, balanced out by the other side such as the screaming teething times. I loved the strength she showed in doing what she had to do. When Ian came into her life, she wasn't quite sure what to do with him. The attraction she felt was unlike anything she had felt for her ex, but she wasn't going to allow herself to fall for another charmer. That night in the attic she allowed herself to be someone she'd never been before, and while she certainly enjoyed it, it also scared her. Ian's actions the next morning hurt her, but she couldn't help but accept his apology later. When he continued to pay attention to her, and made her feel special in a way she never had, her heart started to get involved. But when it became clear that Emily was becoming just as important to him, her heart became his. Her ex's reappearance created a huge problem, but Cassie dealt with it beautifully. The ending was fantastic.

I also enjoyed seeing couples from previous books. Cassie's sister Tessa plays a pretty good part in helping Cassie and Ian along, as well as being a great example to Cassie. Max is there because of the movie and his wife makes a brief appearance, as do Bronson and Anthony and their families. All of them are examples to Ian that it is possible to have a family life and a Hollywood career.

The Cowboy's Pride and Joy - Maureen Child (HD #2335 - Nov 2014)

Series: Billionaires and Babies (Book 51)

All former Marine Jake Hunter wants is peace and quiet. But when his business-minded mother sends her assistant Cassidy Moore from Boston to see him about a long-standing family dispute, chaos ensues. Their attraction rages out of control as a snowstorm strands them on his Montana ranch.

Flash-forward fourteen months: Cassie can't bring herself to tell Jake she's had his child. But when his mother interferes again, Cassie rushes back to Jake...just in time for another blizzard--and for the Christmas spirit to open one reclusive cowboy's heart.

Very good book. Jake came back to the family ranch after his time in the Marines. After his experiences all he wants is peace, quiet and wide open spaces. His mother isn't happy that he has no interest in the family media empire back in Boston, but after several years of trying she has accepted his decision. All that remains is to sign off on the paperwork, so she sends her assistant Cassie to Montana with the paperwork.  While she's there a blizzard strands her on the ranch and their attraction blazes hot. Fourteen months later a threat to her son sends Cassie to Jake for help. They have to find a way to deal with each other and do what's best for Luke. To top it all off, another blizzard has them trapped together again.

I really liked both Jake and Cassie. Both of them had things from their pasts that kept them from opening their hearts to the risks of love. Jake had come back from the war with memories that kept him from being able to celebrate the joys of the holidays. He also had locked away his heart from risking it on another woman. He had been married to a woman who hated his life on the ranch and had taken his love and destroyed it. He no longer trusted both his judgment about women, or that they are honest about their feelings. When Cassie shows up at the ranch the first time, he's attracted to her but wants her gone as soon as possible. From the beginning he senses that she's different, but can't bring himself to take a chance. When she comes back, this time with the son he didn't know about, he knows he's in trouble. He hadn't been able to forget her.  Now it just takes one look at Luke for him to lose his heart to the boy. He's angry that he's missed out on so much and is determined to keep Cassie and Luke in Montana. He's still refusing to admit that he has feelings for Cassie because he expects her to be like his ex-wife. But as the blizzard hits and he sees Cassie doing things his ex never would have done, he wants to believe that she's different. And as the days go on, Cassie's actions start to tear down the walls that have kept him from believing he has a chance at happiness. I understood his anger at not knowing about Luke, and loved seeing him get all gooey over the boy. He may not have been expecting to be a father, but he was determined to be a real one, even if that meant marrying Cassie. His reasons for not celebrating Christmas were heartbreaking, but I really enjoyed seeing him get eased back into it by Cassie. When he finally realized what his feelings were and what he had to do, I loved what he did to show Cassie the truth.

Cassie has also been protecting her heart. As the oldest of three in her family, she remembers when her father abandoned the family and how hard her mom had to work to support them. Her mom died when Cassie was nineteen, leaving her to raise her younger brother and sister. Even though her brother is grown, with a family of his own and her sister is studying to be a doctor, she still avoids anything she considers irresponsible. Her attraction to Jake goes against everything she believes in, but she also decides that maybe she deserves a bit of fun. By the time she leaves after the blizzard, she realizes she's in love with him, but also that he has no interest in being loved by anyone. When she discovers she's pregnant, she doesn't tell Jake, convincing herself that she's protecting Luke from being abandoned by a man who can't or won't care about him. When her sister and brother conspire with Jake's mom to send Cassie running back to Jake, Cassie is left with no choice but to ask for his help. I liked the fact that Cassie admitted that she was wrong about keeping Luke a secret. She was surprised by Jake's determination to keep them on the ranch and stunned by his insistence that they marry. She refuses because she's in love with him but can't marry a man who refuses to allow himself to love her in return. While prevented from leaving by another blizzard, Cassie starts a campaign to change his mind about Christmas. I loved seeing all the little things she did to bring the holiday back into his life. I also loved seeing her throw herself into life on the ranch. Unlike Jake's ex, Cassie seemed to love everything to so with dealing with the blizzard. She also showed a great deal of interest in hearing about what Jake does with his days, which is more than his ex had ever done. In spite of her happiness on the ranch, and seeing how great Jake is with Luke, she is still planning to leave. It takes a stern talking to from her sister for her to realize that she's expecting Jake to do what her father did, and is planning to leave him before he can leave her, and that she's giving up without fighting for what she wants. 

The epilogue was great. I loved seeing everyone a year later, after all their issues have been overcome. The Christmas setting was terrific with the focus on how important their families were to them.

The Nanny Proposition - Rachel Bailey (HD #2319 - Aug 2014)

Series: Billionaires and Babies (Book 48)
           Hawke Brothers (Book 1)

Two babies…one scandalous secret!

Discovering he's the father of an orphaned newborn rocks botanist Liam Hawke's world. But that's where nanny Jenna Peters fits in -- a single mother herself, she immediately works her magic on his newborn daughter. Soon Liam himself can't resist being spellbound by this beauty.

Jenna tries to keep her irresistible boss at arm's length but it's a losing battle. Once Liam finds out who she really is, she'll have to say goodbye to the man she loves and their unconventional family…unless the seductive single dad makes her a proposition this undercover princess can't refuse!

Emotional story. Liam discovers that he's a father when a hospital calls to tell him that a former girlfriend has given birth, but is suffering complications. By the time he arrives, the woman has died, leaving Liam with a newborn daughter. He has no idea how to care for her, but has fallen under Bonnie's spell immediately and is determined to do the best he can for her. With her maternal grandparents determined to wrest custody from him, Liam knows he needs help.

Jenna is a single mother of an eight month old girl who is working as a housekeeper for Liam's brother. Liam wastes no time in hiring Jenna away from Dylan. Jenna can't resist taking the job because it means she can keep her baby with her while she works. She doesn't know how long she'll be staying, as she knows she needs to go home sooner or later.

I loved seeing Jenna tutor Liam in how to be a parent. He is so sweet in his determination to be everything she needs. It was heartwarming to see how quickly he took to being a dad. Jenna and Liam do some bonding themselves over late night baby bottles. Jenna gives Liam some great ideas for the launch of his new flower. She also encourages him to reach out to Bonnie's other grandparents and see if a compromise can be reached in their custody battle.

There's a deepening attraction and growing feelings between Liam and Jenna. They start to feel like they're building a family. But Jenna's conscience starts to bother her and she decides it's time for her to go home and face her parents. Before she can go, she feels she has to tell Liam the truth about who she is. Liam is intimidated by what she tells him, for it brings back some bad memories from when he was younger. It takes an eye opening conversation with his brothers to straighten him out. Then all he has to do is face Jenna's parents. That scene was fantastic and brought the fairy tale to the perfect conclusion.

The Sheikh's Son - Kristi Gold (HD #2313 - July 2014)

Series: Bajul (Book 3)
          Billionaires and Babies (Book 47)

Her sheikh, her prince...her pretend husband?

Prince Adan Mehdi isn't normally one to back off from a beautiful woman, but there's something so pure about American heiress Piper McAdams that it seems like the honorable thing to do. Piper believes in his good intentions until his supermodel ex shows up with their baby Still, Piper agrees to show Adan the parenting ropes and pretend to be his wife until custody with his ex is settled. But playing royal house tests the prince's resolve, and soon things get steamier than either of them imagined. Could a real white wedding be in their future?

I have been looking forward to Adan's story since reading his brothers' and this did not disappoint.  He has been very good at playing the playboy jet jockey, but in this book he is trying to repair his reputation and show his brothers a more responsible side. When he meets Piper he is immediately attracted to her, but he's trying to behave himself. After finding out that she is on her way to his country he invites her to spend time with him. Adan is used to people knowing who he is, so when Piper doesn't he decides not to tell her right away. He really enjoys be treated as a normal person and waits as long as he can before telling her.

Piper noticed Adan as soon as she saw him, but didn't expect a man like him to be interested in her. She was surprised by his advances and very attracted to him. She's ready to pursue that attraction, but Adan seems a bit reluctant. When she finds out who he is she wonders if she can trust him, but the attraction is still pulling at her.

Just as they get to Bajul and arrive at Adan's home, he gets quite a surprise. His ex girlfriend shows up with a baby she says is his and turns it over to him. Adan quickly accepts the baby as his, but is a bit out of his depth in caring for him, so Piper offers to help. When they are spotted by reporters, they claim the baby is Piper's and that they are married in order to keep the truth quiet until Adan works out custody. 

Adan comes to care for Piper very quickly, but believes that he is unable to sustain a long term relationship with anyone. He has spent most of his life believing that he is the product of an affair his mother had, and that his father didn't want him around because of that. It has affected the way that he looks at relationships and love. He dreams about a future with her, but his fears cause him to push her away. And when she gets involved in the revelation of a long term secret he doesn't take it well. It takes some straight talk from his former nanny for him to see the truth.

Piper falls for Adan even though he has made it clear that he doesn't do long term relationships. As he talks about his past, she sees the hurt he still carries from his childhood. When she discovers a long held secret she knows that he has to be told, even though it may cause her some problems. She is motivated by some issues with her mother. Those same issues also affect the way she looks at baby Sam and his situation. She feels that she and Adan could have a great life together if only he would believe it too. I loved  the way that she took the risk and told him how she felt. 

One of my favorite things about this book was seeing Adan with baby Sam. Even though he is nervous, he jumps right in to take care of Sam himself. I especially loved the image of the two of them asleep. Adan's determination to be a better father than his had been just leaps off the page and makes him that much more lovable to me.

The Sarantos Baby Bargain - Olivia Gates (HD #2301 - May 2014)

Series: Billionaires and Babies (Book 45)

He'd come for the baby…and his ex-wife.

Naomi Sinclair had once fallen hard for Andreas Sarantos. Marrying the irresistible Greek venture capitalist had seared her soul with pleasure -- and despair. For she soon discovered he was incapable of love. Now her ex-husband is back…to claim her orphaned ten-month-old niece.

Andreas let Naomi get away once. But adopting his best friend's baby girl gives him the leverage he needs to bring his unwilling ex-wife back to his bed. Will having the only woman he's ever wanted erase the scars of his dark past? Or will he lose Naomi, this time forever?

Good book, full of incredibly intense emotions. Naomi had relentlessly pursued Andreas years before, hoping that the intense passion they felt for each other would grow into love. Instead she found that the only time they connected was in bed. When she finally admitted to herself that staying with him would destroy her, she left, begging him for a divorce. Four years later she is stunned and furious when he shows up claiming guardianship of her orphaned niece and demanding she remarry him if she wants to remain in Dora's life.

I would have liked this better if I hadn't spent the first half of the book completely detesting Andreas. His actions had all the appearance of emotional abuse. He was obsessive in his desire for her, but when they weren't in bed he completely ignored her. The first time she left him, he came back with an offer of marriage, but his behavior never changed. He ignored all her efforts to tell him why she was so unhappy. When he showed up again, this time to claim Dora, he used her to try to get Naomi back. His actions were just as manipulative as they had been before. When she goes to his older brother for help in stopping him, there is finally a hint that he's not as bad as he appears. He is stunned to discover that she really had been unhappy married to him, that all her complaints hadn't just been temper. He realizes he has to convince her that things can be different, but he's honestly not sure that he can do it. It's at this point that a different side of Andreas starts to appear. He spends more time with Dora, getting more comfortable with her, though I was irritated by his unemotional actions with her. I found his reasoning with her when she misbehaved unbelievable, as ten month olds are not reasonable beings. He also spends time with Naomi, refraining from any kind of physical pressure, trying to show her the changes he is trying to make. Unfortunately, he still hasn't learned that he actually has to talk to her about his plans and reasons for doing things. I loved seeing him open up enough to tell her about his past and the reasons he had acted as he did. He was finally allowing himself to feel the emotions that had been locked up for so long, but he was still afraid to actually say the words. It wasn't until a heartbreaking twist at the end drove her away that Andreas found the courage to take those last steps.

Naomi turned out to be a much stronger person than I expected at first. She was determined to get involved with Andreas even though he told her it wouldn't work. She gave up everything that she was in order to be the person she thought he wanted, just because she loved him so much. I wanted to shake her when she married him the first time thinking that things would be different. When she finally realized that he would never give her what she needed most from him she left for good and tried to put her life back together. When he showed up at her home I couldn't believe that she let her passion for him take over the way she did. Her fears of losing Dora were overwhelming. I loved seeing her blast Andreas over his uncaring actions. It was also interesting to see her conflicts. She was afraid of the way he still made her feel, but she was also willing to do almost anything not to lose Dora. She had to deal with having Andreas back in her life, but she was having a great deal of trouble believing the changes she saw in him. Once she learned of his past she saw his actions in a different light. She came to realize that she had never stopped loving him, but didn't believe he had any feelings for her. The more she saw of him the more she believed that she was only included because he needed her help with Dora. She loved the way that he and Dora bonded but she began to believe that she wasn't of the least bit of interest to him at all. When she learned of a secret he had been keeping from her it only reinforced her beliefs, destroying what happiness she had managed to attain. I loved seeing the way that Andreas came to her and how his actions finally convinced her of his love. There was also a nice little surprise for them both at the end.

I loved catching up with Andreas's brother and sister and seeing the family start to come together after being torn apart for so long. I loved seeing Ari again and watch the effect that his happiness had on Naomi and on Andreas. I also liked the way that Ari tried to help Naomi. It was really interesting seeing Andreas discover that his family had continued to care for him even though he had been so awful to them all. It was fun seeing them all at the family get together and the effect they had on both Naomi and Andreas. It was sweet to see how Cali and Ari showed Andreas where he had gone wrong with Naomi and his surprise at what they told him.

His Lover's Little Secret - Andrea Laurence (HD #2295 - Apr 2014)

Series: Billionaires and Babies (Book 44)

She's kept her baby secret for two years…

But even after a chance run-in forces her to confront the father of her son, Sabine Hayes refuses to give in to all of Gavin Brooks's demands. His power and his wealth won't turn her head this time. She'll let him get to know Jared, but she won't go back to Gavin's privileged world…or his bed.

Yet Gavin never stopped wanting the woman who challenged him at every turn. He has a right to claim what's his…and he'll do just about anything to prevent her from getting away from him again.

Very good second chance story.  Gavin and Sabine had had a brief relationship almost three years earlier.  But Gavin was rich and Sabine was not, and she had never felt comfortable in his world.  She broke off their relationship before she knew she was pregnant and had never told him about it.  When Gavin finds out about his son she's okay with letting him get to know Jared, but she won't let herself get sucked back into his life.

Sabine has settled in to being a single mother.  Jared is her life and she does everything she can to make it a good one.  She has never forgotten the love she felt for Gavin, but her insecurities about fitting into his life had sent her running.  She had never told him about Jared, fearing that he would take Jared away and raise him the same way he had been raised.  Gavin was stunned to find out about Jared and determined to be part of his son's life.  He had never forgotten Sabine and the way she had never been impressed by his wealth.  Gavin had gone through his life never expecting a relationship to last because he had been raised by a succession of nannies and boarding schools, therefore he hadn't been surprised when Sabine left him a few weeks into their relationship.  He understands her fears about his parenting abilities and works very hard to overcome them.  I loved seeing their trip to the zoo.  I also loved his reaction to taking Jared to the circus on his own.  

Sabine has dealt with the problem of not fitting in her entire life.  She was disowned by her parents when she left home to pursue her dreams.  While she had never been overly impressed by Gavin's wealth, she never really felt like she fit into his world.  Now that he's back in her life she has to overcome those fears if she has any hope of a future with him.  I liked the way that she has more confidence in herself now, but those insecurities are still lurking.  I really liked seeing Gavin and Sabine work on compromising in order to give Jared what he needs.  Their attraction to each other is still as strong as ever and their love had never died.  Each of them had to learn to trust those feelings and actually express them.  Just as things start looking up for them, their feelings are put to the test.  Things get pretty intense but it also helps bring their issues to the surface where they can deal with them.  The epilogue was really sweet.

Double the Trouble - Maureen Child (HD #2289 - Mar 2014)

Series: Kings of California (Book 15)
          Billionaires and Babies (Book 43)

When Colton King ended his impetuous marriage to Penny Oaks after just twenty-four hours, it was out of sight, out of mind. But now, more than a year later, Colton discovers Penny's huge secret -- actually two little secrets: a baby boy and a baby girl.

Colton's only option is to lay claim to his twins. But soon he finds himself laying claim to Penny all over again. Now they have to ask themselves: Was their whirlwind marriage meant to last a lifetime?

Another fantastic book from Maureen Child.  I loved the beginning as Colton King is punched by Penny's brother, just before he finds out that Penny has two children that are also his.  Colt is stunned and furious that she didn't tell him.  To a King there is nothing more important than family so he heads off to confront her about it.  Penny has plenty to say about her reasons and she isn't going to apologize for it either.  He wants to be involved but he has reasons he won't stay.  Penny wants him to stay but has her own reasons for not depending on him.  

Colton and Penny had met in Las Vegas and had a passionate week together.  They got married the last night they were there, but the next morning Volt left, telling her it was a mistake "I don't want a wife. I don't want kids. My lawyer will take care of the divorce." Then he walked away and didn't look back.  So Penny took him at his word and never contacted him.  She's furious when he shows up and starts taking over.  Even though she struggles to make ends meet, she knows she will do anything to make sure her children are safe and happy.  

Penny doesn't want to depend on him.  She is fiercely independent because she knows what it's like to depend on someone and then have them disappear.  Colt has made no secret of the fact that he won't stay and she doesn't want to put herself and the twins through that emotional pain.  But she also can't deny him the chance to get to know his kids so she lets him stay.  I loved seeing him taking over everything as Penny recovers from her surgery.  There's a great quote where he's talking to his brother about what he's been doing. "Never again will I say the phrase 'just a housewife.' How the hell do women do it?  I've been here for two days and I'm beat.  Cooking, cleaning, taking care of two babies... Women are made of way tougher stuff than us, Con.  Trust me."  

Colt finds himself getting more and more attached and it scares him to death.  He feels guilty for something that happened ten years earlier, when he believes he let down someone who was depending on him.  That ended tragically and he's been running from commitment ever since.  Besides his love for the twins, he realizes that he has never stopped loving Penny.  She has also never stopped loving him and though she knows he will leave, decides to take things day by day and enjoy what time they have together.  The heat between them is intense and while both want to continue neither can easily let go of their fears.

When Penny confronts him about his upcoming departure, he finally tells her about his past.  He is stunned by her reaction and the things she tells him.  I loved the way she tried to get through to him and her actions when she couldn't.  As seems typical of the King men it seems to take awhile for things to penetrate their hard heads, but when they do the results are magnificent.

Snowbound With a Billionaire - Jules Bennett (HD #2283 - Feb 2014)

Series: Billionaires and Babies (Book 42)

One blizzard plus two ex-lovers equals one passionate reunion

For years, billionaire producer Max Ford believed Raine Monroe had betrayed him. Now that he's back in his hometown, he wants answers. But his ex plans to keep her mouth shut and her heart far away from temptation...until a snowstorm strands them--with her baby--in her cozy farmhouse. Soon Raine is falling faster than the snow outside....

But she has to put a stop to it before a fling with Hollywood's hottest bachelor jeopardizes her chances of officially adopting her daughter--before saying goodbye again becomes impossible...before dark secrets from their past finally come to light....

Wonderful, emotional reunion story.  Max has returned to his hometown to care for his mother after her breast cancer surgery.  He knows he'll eventually run into Raine, the ex-girlfriend he believed had betrayed him.  He didn't expect that to be on the first day in the middle of a snowstorm.  Now that he has seen her again he wants answers about what had happened all those years ago.  Meanwhile, Raine is stunned to discover that the feelings she once had for Max are just as strong now.  She doesn't know why he never sent for her the way he promised all those years ago, but she can't risk getting involved with him now.  

I loved Max.  He may be a big name in Hollywood but he's not too important to come back home to care for his mother.  He's also going to use this time to see Raine again and get to the bottom of what happened fifteen years ago.  He had been deeply in love with her and they had made big plans to be together.  When she ignored his calls and letters he had been devastated, but he's never forgotten her.  I loved the way that he showed up at her house during the storm to make sure that she and her baby were okay.  He didn't expect to get snowed in with her, but he had no trouble taking advantage of it.  It was really fun to see the way he was rather out of his comfort zone at first.  Baby Abby really scared him because he had no clue what to do with a baby, but he sucked it up and did whatever he could to help Raine.  It was fun to see him cope with the dirty diapers and the crying, and see how quickly he fell for her.  I also loved the scenes with the chickens and goats - he was such a good sport about it.  What I loved the most was Max's persistence in getting Raine to tell him what had happened.  I wasn't at all surprised by the revelation.  Once they had that straightened out, things really heated up between them.  Max realized he was falling for Raine all over again, but couldn't figure out how to fit their lives together.  It really looked like he was going to walk away again before he figured out what was really important.

Raine has made a good life for herself since Max left.  She never understood why he didn't follow through on his promises to send for her, but she has moved on.  When he shows up back in town she is determined not to reopen the pain of the past, especially since she has a secret that she doesn't want to tell him.  I really liked the way that she took control of her life, even though her parents are still trying to run things their way.  She is completely confident in her choice of what makes her happy.  I also loved the way that she is adopting her cousin's baby girl.  She really wants to be a mother and baby Abby has brought a whole new dimension to her life.  I enjoyed the realism of her life with the baby, from the lack of sleep to trying to work her life around the baby's schedule.  She's not really happy when Max ends up getting snowed in with her, because she's not sure that she can resist him.  When he starts to fit in to her life so easily she knows she's in trouble.  She was devastated when she found out just what had kept them apart all those years ago, but it did open her up to letting Max back into her life.  She was really worried about protecting her heart because she knew that he would have to go back to California and her life is in Lenox.  She can't see any way of things working out for them.

One of the other things I really enjoyed about the book was seeing how Max's love gave Raine the courage to confront her parents about what they had done all those years ago.  They were a real piece of work.  I also loved seeing Max get in his own licks against them at the end - it was so satisfying!