Series: Prescription: Marriage (Book 5)Close to Home (Book 20)
MOMMY, M.D....?
After a devastating heartbreak, Dr. Kelly Hall had given up all hope of family and happiness. Then single father Tanner Malone breached her lonely existence with a magnetic virility that was hard to resist. His charming smiles and come-hither glances drew her like a moth to a flame, and watching Tanner cradle his infant daughter had her yearning for what she'd been missing from her life. But Kelly could never let down her defenses, especially since she harbored a secret that she'd risk all to hide. Nonetheless, she wished that Tanner's little princess was THEIR little princess, and that she could call father and daughter her own....
Very good story of love, forgiveness, and letting go. Tanner is a confirmed bachelor, happy with fleeting relationships, until one of those women ended up pregnant. Though he initially agreed to give the baby up for adoption, by the time the baby was born he had changed his mind. Even though he knows nothing about babies, he's determined to keep his daughter.
I loved the encounter between Tanner and Kelly. As the doctor who delivered the baby, she knows about the adoption, so she is surprised when Tanner shows up at the hospital. Her low opinion of him undergoes a quick transformation as she sees his sincerity about raising his daughter. I loved watching him fumble around, trying to find the words to explain how he felt. His panic was pretty amusing as Kelly started to tell him what he needed to do, and his relief was clear when she offered to help.
I loved the development of the relationship between Tanner and Kelly. They quickly became friends, bonding over the care of little Lia. I liked the way that each of them grew comfortable enough to share the shadows in their lives. I ached for Tanner and his fears that he isn't capable of the commitment needed to be a good father. I liked the way that Kelly's support and confidence in him lessened those fears. Tanner's concern for Lia and what to tell her about her mother hits Kelly hard. She is still dealing with the guilty feelings of giving up her own daughter when she was a teenager. I loved how Tanner tried to show Kelly that she wasn't the selfish monster that she thinks she is. While all of this is going on, there is a growing attraction between Tanner and Kelly. Neither expects it, and they aren't quite sure what to do about it until it becomes impossible to resist. Their feelings for each other grew, but both of them had issues holding them back. In spite of his success, Tanner has some deep-seated esteem issues, causing him to believe that as a builder he isn't good enough for Kelly the doctor. Kelly believes that she doesn't really deserve to be happy and has been hiding from living life fully. It takes some heart-to-heart advice from those they love to open their eyes. I loved the advice that Tanner got from his brother, but what really got to me was the talk that Kelly had with her dad. I loved seeing Kelly go after what she wanted and Tanner's surprise when it was him. I loved the epilogue and seeing the family a few years down the line. There was a nice little surprise along with it.
There were quite a few emotional and heartwarming scenes throughout the book, as well as some that were laugh out loud funny. Tanner's introduction to his daughter was one that reminded me of when my daughter was born and her daddy held her for the first time. Kelly's devotion to her patients was incredible. She brought me to tears with the one emergency situation with the teenager and the talk they had afterward. I also laughed at the scenes where Tanner first dealt with the diaper and the baby shower was a riot. He was especially sweet and funny when he talked about buying Christmas presents for Lia.
Published as Baby, It's Christmas in November 2017
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