My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it
Synopsis
Marriage by Necessity
When mail-order bride Elizabeth Dumont's intended weds
another, her only option is to take a job as nanny to abandoned triplet
babies. Though she longs to provide a real home for her three precious
charges, as a single woman she can't adopt. Until her onetime
sweetheart, minister Brandon Stillwater, offers a match of
convenience...
It's only for the triplets' sake--that's what
Brandon tells himself. Insecurities once drove him and Elizabeth apart,
and now small-town rumors have made them man and wife. And though
Brandon doesn't want to risk his heart this time, he's not sure he can
resist the feelings that are once again starting to bloom for Elizabeth.
But can he convince her that this sweet surprise family is more than
just convenient?
My Review
Even though this is the third book in the series, it reads well as a stand alone. The characters from the previous books are present as members of the community and friends of Brandon and Elizabeth. I was surprised to discover that the triplets are the same ones being cared for in all three books! I liked that each one had a distinct personality developing. Elizabeth and Brandon are both from Boston and once enjoyed a wealthy lifestyle. Coincidentally they end up in the same western town, and their common purpose of taking care of the babies brings them together often. A misunderstanding drove them apart back east, and it takes a while for them to reconcile their past. I was frustrated that Elizabeth resented Brandon for much of the book and couldn't wait for her to realize the mistake and forgive him. The busybodies of the town brought much of the conflict as well as the temporary nature of Elizabeth's job as caregiver. Once they decided to wed for the sake of keeping the boys, the pace sped up and so did the romance. The conflict didn't end there though, and the climax brought a great conclusion to the series.
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
Check out the first two books in the Lone Star Cowboy League: Multiple Blessings series . . .
Synopsis
Rancher
Bo Stillwater has no plans of becoming a husband or a father…but he
can't turn away from the three babies he finds at the county fair. After
leaving the abandoned triplets in the care of the doctor's daughter,
Louisa Clark, his duty should be done. So why can't he seem to stay away
from the babies and their pretty caregiver?
Watching the town's
most eligible bachelor with the little trio reawakens Louisa's unmet
dreams. She's found satisfaction in spinsterhood and caring for others,
convinced that motherhood passed her by. Do she and Bo only work so well
together for the children's sake… or could they both find courage to
make this sweet temporary arrangement something truly lasting?
Synopsis
After fleeing to Little Horn, Texas, when she discovered
her fiance was a con man, Caroline Murray agrees to act as the temporary
nanny for her brother's handsome neighbor. Though caring for David
McKay's daughter and the orphaned infant triplets he's fostering is just
a charitable gesture, she's falling for the children and David. But if
there's one lesson Caroline won't forget, it's that her feelings can't
be trusted.
With children to care for and a ranch to run, David
definitely needs help--though he doesn't want a new wife. But his
affection for Caroline runs deeper than mere appreciation of her skills
as a nanny. She was only supposed to be a temporary solution, but will
Caroline find a permanent place in David's heart?
