Valentine Babies: Harlequin 3-Romance Novels: Goddess in Waiting; Gabe’s Special Delivery; My Man Valentine
Product Description
On February 14th, Gabe Stone finds a living, breathing valentine on his doorstep. The tiny pink bundle of fleece appears to be his daughter, and her mother has given Gabe four hours to get to know his new baby. Four hours to adjust to fatherhood, resolve custody and win back his ex-wife?… More >>
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Valentine Babies: Harlequin 3-Romance Novels: Goddess in Waiting; Gabe’s Special Delivery; My Man Valentine
A read that is centered around Valentine’s Day and babies, this was a mostly pleasing anthology for me. I’m not a fan of anthologies–stories too incomplete, rushed. Ms. Stuart manages somehow, to convey a complete romance in her story. There’s a prologue that makes you wonder….an epilogue that is really cute. In between you have, as the girls call him, a “hottie” for a hero, and a very different heroine. Sexy, fun, and romantic…and the story makes sense. Ms. Quinn’s story was my disappointment. H/h spend most of a short story, apart. And, Gabe’s gift from his “ex-wife” made no real sense,to me. Finally, Jule McBride does a story with one of my favorite romances–friends becoming lovers. I didn’t like the use of the baby, in this one. But, the story is romantic and is a good, sexy read.
Rating: 4 / 5
From the back cover:
GODDESS IN WAITING by Anne Stuart
Marika, the astonishingly tall, vibrant, bigger-than-life personality that Edward-of-the-designer-suits has spent his life avoiding, is the proprietor of a funky maternity shop. Edward’s expectant sister needs a few things, but his order for her has gone missing. And so, apparently, have his senses, since he finds himself assiting in the delivery of a baby and falling for the outrageous Markia…
GABE’S SPECIAL DELIVERY by Tara Taylor Quinn
On February 14th, Gabe Stone finds a living, breathing valentine on his doorstep. The tiny pink bundle of fleece appears to be his daughter, and her mother has given Gabe four hours to get to know his new baby. Four hours to adjust to fatherhood, resolve custody, and win back his ex-wife?
MY MAN VALENTINE by Jule McBride
Everyone knows Eloise Hunter and C.D. Valentine are in love. Except Eloise and C.D. They think they’re just neighbours. Until some good-looking hunk redeems one of Eloise’s babysitting coupons by delivering an infant for her to mind. When the hunk takes off, C.D. is outraged and swings into protector mode. But protection is not at all what Eloise wants from Mr. C.D. Valentine…
And my review:
Well, first off, I have to say that this book needed better editing. I’m not going to blame the authors for that–that’s the publisher’s responsibility. For instance, Anne Stuart’s stories lists the heroine’s name as Marika on the back cover when it’s really Marike, and names the hero Edward when his name is William! How they could be that far off on the hero’s name is beyond me!
All of these novellas suffered from the normal problems a “crank-it-out-now” book suffers. The stories are all rushed, the character development is extremely limited, and the plots are often contrived. Instead of finding Anne Stuart’s heroine refreshingly off-beat, she came across as weird. Tara Taylor Quinn’s characters suffered through one stupid BIG MISUNDERSTANDING after another, a theme I loathe. The Jule McBride’s story never really seems to pick up or go anywhere. It just sort of meanders around in circles.
Not recommended by this reader. Try Valentine Delights (Harlequin) collection for some Valentine’s Day stories that are truly worth a read, but give VALENTINE BABIES a miss.
Rating: 2 / 5
“Valentine Babies” is an entertaining anthology containing 3 stories centred on Valentine’s Day and babies. All 3 stories were fun and original. I wasn’t really expecting to like this book, so it was a pleasant surprise to have really enjoyed it!The first story, “Goddess in Waiting” by Anne Stuart is the best. Marike is a larger than life woman who runs a maternity shop/shelter for pregnant teenagers. When William arrives one day in his Gucci suit looking to have a maternity wardrobe made for his sister, it’s clear that these two couldn’t be more complete opposites. But William finds the funky and compassionate Marike irresistible, though she’s far from his usual type. Now he just has to convince Marike that they’re right for each other! This story was fresh and original, and I thought it was great!Next is Tara Taylor Quinn’s “Gabe’s Special Delivery”. This is the story of two very different people who fall in love and rush into marriage, only to have it fall apart because of a misunderstanding. However, a beautiful baby girl helps them find their way back to each other. Bailey and Gabe are both very likeable characters. This was an enjoyable read.Finally, Julie McBride’s “My Man Valentine” is a sweet story about friends becoming lovers. Eloise has lived next door to C.D. Valentine for two years, and has been fantasizing about him since the day they met. Her plans to profess her feelings for him on Valentine’s Day are interrupted when she suddenly finds herself babysitting for a very unhappy little girl. C.D., however, comes to help out, and he and Eloise finally admit that their feelings run deeper than friendship. This is a lovely romance and is sure to please readers.Overall, this anthology is great for light reading and a few hours of relaxation. Each story is fun and romantic, so pick this book up and enjoy!
Rating: 4 / 5
GODDESS IN WAITING, written by Anne Stuart and the first of this collection, gives us Marike, a long-legged completely exasperating female whom William Lambert wants the minute he sees, despite the fact that she’s not his type. His type is geared to match his life: sophisticated, elegant, and worldly, everything that the smart-mouthed, quirky Marike is not. And while he annoys her completely upon their first meeting, she is immediately drawn to this tall, sexy man. You’ll race through this romance, enjoying the dialogue, the characters, and the wacky world that Marike inhabits. The duct-tape dummy scene is hilarious and easy to envision thanks to one of the best wordsmiths this genre has to offer.There are few writers who can construct this short form so very well, so make this your introduction to Anne Stuart if you’ve never read her before. A collection like this is a perfect sampler. I confess that I got this book for her story alone, and I haven’t even bothered to read the other two yet. But one Anne Stuart gives you more than your money’s worth.
Rating: 5 / 5