Genre: Sweet
Romance/Western/Historical
Description:
“No bachelor could be prepared for what happens to the Givens brothers
one stormy night in 1876. Finding a pregnant woman on their road, they take her
in. Before they can learn anything about her, she gives birth to triplets and
disappears. Luckily, the doctor supplies a much-needed wet-nurse— Cynara, a
recent widow who lost her baby. Her sad eyes and gentle acceptance awaken
something in Barclay's staid soul. But she's not ready for a new man in her
life. She'll stay at the ranch and tend the babies, but that's all.
Meanwhile, where is the babies' real mother? Who and where is the
father? And what will become of these helpless infants?”
Author:
“Charlene Raddon fell in love with the wild west as a child, listening
to western music with her dad and sitting in his lap while he read Zane Gray’s
books. She never intended to become a writer. Charlene was an artist. She
majored in fine arts in college.
In 1971, she moved to Utah, excited for the opportunity to paint
landscapes. Then her sister introduced her to romance novels. She never picked
up a paintbrush again… Instead of painting pictures with a brush, Charlene uses
words.”
For more information about Ms. Raddon feel free to visit her website.
Appraisal:
Bachelors & Babies is a multi-author endeavor. Barclay is the oldest of three Givens brothers
running the family ranch, and the first of Ms. Raddon’s contributions to the
series. Each brother gets his own book, and I think Barclay sets a nice foundation for the other two brother’s stories.
However, the last thing this ranch needs are more babies.
The prolog to this story is tragic and heartbreaking. Cynara Stratton
is a young widow who has lost everything and most recently her own baby.
The story proper starts one stormy night when the Givens brothers take
in a pregnant woman coming up their road to the ranch house. Cold, wet,
obviously abused, and in the early stages of labor she is seeking sanctuary for
the night. She warily accepts their help, but refuses to even give them her
name or where she is from. The brothers are flying blind having only birthed
calves. After the baby is born they think they are home free, however the
mother doesn’t even want to look at him or hold him. Then the labor pains start
again. Doc has been sent for, but is delayed because of the storm and the
flooded creek. By the time he arrives a third baby has been born. Since the
baby momma won’t give the men even her name they call her Minnie (no relation
to the mouse). Doc gives the babies a clean bill of health, despite their small
size, and tells Minnie to rest and stay in bed for a few days. However, by the
next morning she has run off leaving the babies behind.
Doc brings Cynara to the Givens ranch to be a wet nurse for the
premature triplets hoping it will help heal the hole in her soul. She blends in
well with the men knowing this is just a temporary situation, but can’t help
loving each of the babies. I thought it was endearing how each brother claimed
and named a baby. The plot twists and turns as other secondary characters are
brought into the story. It’s a rollercoaster ride running the ranch and dealing
with more personal attacks. Barclay’s life is turned upside down and inside out
as tension builds in the last few chapters for an explosive turn of events.
I found Barclay and Cynara’s journey quite satisfying, and I was glad
when Barclay finally found the right words he meant to convey to Cynara. This
was a fun adventure into the wild west of Montana.
Buy now
from: Amazon US Amazon UK
FYI:
Barclay is book
4 in the Bachelors and Babies Books.
Format/Typo
Issues:
A small number of proofing issues.
Rating:
**** Four Stars
Reviewed
by: ?wazithinkin
Approximate
word count: 65-70,000 words
