Somebody's Baby by Donna Alward Series: Darling VT #3
Published by St. Martin's Paperbacks
Publication Date: April 4th 2017
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 293
Source: Publisher
Format: eARC
Goodreads
Buy Online: Amazon ♥ B&N ♥ Kobo
Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.
Veterinarian Rory Gallagher chose a different path from his brothers, both of whom became first responders in the lovely little town of Darling, Vermont. Rory’s always had an affinity for animals–and the ladies. Known for his impressive track record in breaking hearts, Rory never meant to hurt anyone; he’s just never been in a hurry to settle down. It’s not as if he needs to pay a visit to the town’s famed Kissing Bridge to magically find love. He’ll know The One when he sees her. . .right?
Oaklee Ferguson is the kid sister of Rory’s best friend–and, even now that she’s all grown up, remains immune to the pet-doctor’s charms. When she shows up at Rory’s clinic late one night–devastated after hitting a stray dog with her car–Rory’s so-called -bedroom eyes- are the last thing on her mind. Still, his care and kindness toward the dog, and his concern for her feelings, catches Oaklee by surprise. . .and soon the two (and rescued dog makes three!) begin to share a deep connection that neither could have ever imagined. Could it be that love has been waiting for them by the bridge all along?
Review
If there ever were a step-by-step guide for how to start a successful and lasting relationship, I imagine it would look like this: boy meets girl, they fall in love and live happily ever after, but without the baggage and hurt. Alas, there is no such thing as both Rory Gallagher and Oaklee Ferguson have learned the really hard way.
Both casualties of love gone wrong, Rory and Oaklee have reason to be wary of the emotion and have devised various methods of dealing it. For Rory, serial dating is the best way to avoid emotional entanglements and for Oaklee, keeping busy and avoiding dating is her preferred method. Until an injured dog brings them into closer contact and changes everything for them.
Rory and Oaklee have always had feelings for each other but Rory’s friendship with her older brother effectively put the kibosh on anything developing between them back in the day, but now it’s their fear of getting hurt again that stands between them and possible happiness.
Rory and Oaklee were a really adorable couple and I enjoyed every bit of their effort to get past their heartbreak and find happiness with each other. It’s obvious that their attempts to avoid being hurt again have pretty much starved them of meaningful connections with other people and they are very lonely, no matter how exciting their lives look from the outside.
It’s like watching a baby learn to walk; you wince when they fall and cheer when they succeed and I think the author did an amazing job, getting readers invested in and rooting for Rory and Oaklee to find happiness with each other. SOMEBODY’S BABY was a real joy to read and I hope we get more stories soon, especially Hannah’s.
About Donna Alward
While bestselling author Donna Alward was busy studying Austen, Eliot and Shakespeare, she was also losing herself in the breathtaking stories created by romance novelists like LaVyrle Spencer, Judith McNaught, and Nora Roberts. Several years after completing her degree she decided to write a romance of her own and it was true love!
Five years and ten manuscripts later she sold her first book and launched a new career. While her heartwarming stories of love, hope, and homecoming have been translated into several languages, hit bestseller lists and won awards, her very favorite thing is when she hears from happy readers!
Donna lives on Canada’s east coast with her family which includes a husband, a couple of kids, a senior dog and two crazy cats. When she’s not writing she enjoys reading (of course!), knitting, gardening, cooking…and is a Masterpiece Theater addict.
Leave a Reply