Bachelor's Baby Promise : That's My Baby!

Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended
Review: Jarred Montgomery knows he left the hospital too early, but he's accustomed to travel and bachelorhood, not forced confinement. Never mind the crutches, the cast on his leg, or the steep stairs to his apartment. All he wanted was to make it to his own door, turn the baby over to the nanny his sister hired, and take a few pain killers before getting some much needed sleep. He didn't prepare for the devastating effect Jenny Stratford, the new nanny, would have on his libido, both at first sight, and in the weeks to follow.

Jenny immediately knew that Jared could be dangerous to her peace of mind. An elementary school teacher, Jenny loves babies. Always had. She hoped to have house full of her own some day. So when Jared's sister mentioned the summer nanny job, it seemed the perfect opportunity to spend the summer in New Orleans allowing the gossip of her broken engagement to die down in her home town. She had thought her fiancé's love words had been real until she overheard a conversation indicating he really needed her to raise his two rapscallion boys.

Both Jenny and baby Jamie are orphans. Jenny values love, that sense of belonging and being needed, and wanted, thereby recognizing the future needs of the child. While Jared's name is on the baby's birth certificate, however, he has no intention of raising his best friend's child. Rather, he intends to see that a loving, two-parent family who can't have a child of their own adopts Jamie. While Jared recovers from the explosion that killed Jamie's father, he intends to arrange for the adoption. Jared, however, didn't count on his changing feelings for both Jenny and Jamie; and he certainly underestimated the power of a baby's smile.

The inevitable clash of values in BACHELOR'S BABY PROMISE makes for delightful reading. Barbara Mahon writes with deep respect and understanding of one man's mixed emotions regarding giving up bachelorhood and freedom in return for the universal power of love. With creative flair, Mahon presents both the strengths and weaknesses of her hero and heroine, creating both respect and sympathy in the heart of the reader. With an additional touch of humor, BACHELOR'S BABY PROMISE goes on my keeper shelf as highly recommended.