Navy Baby by Debbie Macomber

Synopsis: It was a night she'd never forget. . .two strangers coming together in one breathless moment of intense need and heart-stopping desire. But now sheltered Hannah Raymond is expecting the child of rugged naval seaman Riley Murdock--a man she never thought she'd see again. . .

Riley has been searching for the elusive Hannah for months--ever since that night of searing passion left him shaken to the very depths of his soul. Now fate has finally reunited them. Determined to give his child the chance he'd never had, Riley marries Hannah.

They had created he miracle of life together, but would that be enough to spark the miracle of love?

My Thoughts: I think this book overall was a decent one but it did have some flaws that are more book irritants to me than actual flaws.

The heroine is much too naive, virginal and immature to me at the beginning. She didn't take ownership of her own life and she allowed her minister father to tell her that she was getting married because she ended up pregnant even though, by lack of school activity, it appeared she had to be an adult. Her age was a complete mystery too. Despite the book setting up that she was a naive virgin because she was raised by her preaching father I still couldn't buy it. In 1991 when this book was written (and I graduated high school) her lack of maturity just felt false. She wasn't living a sheltered life in the middle of the country in corn and cow land for Pete's sake. She lived near Seattle Washington. And a shotgun wedding? In 1991? In America? Really?

Another 'deal breaker' for me is the additional God talk peppered into the book. No, I was never quoted scriptures but did tire of hearing that a certain incident happened because it was God's will.

I did like the volatile relationship that Riley and Hannah had. They were virtual strangers who ended up man and wife. I liked how hard each of them tried at one point or another to get along with their spouse. I also found myself getting irritated when one of them would provoke another misunderstanding. Glad the book wasn't any longer though because the lack of communication resulting in misunderstandings would have gotten on my nerves too.

Another plus to this particular book is that even though they met and had sex within hours of bumping into each other the love story developed over the period of 8 months or so. There was no instantaneous I love Yous. Thumbs up for that!

So, not a bad book for a Harlequin. Glad I read it. I will not read it again though and am not rushing to read the rest of D-Mac's Navy series.

(originally published in 1991 as a Silhouette Special Edition #697)

Hannah's List by Debbie Macomber coming soon

I finally checked my email (I only do it once a week or so) and started reading some of the many author updates I get sent to me all the time. I don't mind these mass email posts. It lets me know (or in some cases...reminds me) what is coming soon.

Tonight's author newsletter that excited me was Debbie Macomber (or Debbie Mac as I like to call her....it's not like we are friends or anything....I am just lazy and Debbie Mac does have a nice ring to it. Just don't tell her that I call Katie MacAlister virtually the same thing. No I don't calle Katie, Debbie Mac, she is fondly called Katie Mac of course. Nope...not friends with her either but I digress.) Anyway, Debbie Mac's newletter focused on her upcoming book Hannah's List and boy howdy am I looking forward to reading it. This is what D-Mac (yeah....I went there) had to say about this book....

Dear Christina,


I believe everyone needs second chances; I know I've used my fair share over the years. Hannah's List is about a second chance at love that Hannah Everett offers her husband following her death. Yes, you read that right. Following her death. A year after she's gone, her husband, Michael, receives a letter Hannah had written him. In it, she urges him to let go of his grief and love again. And then, because she feels he might need more than a few words of encouragement, she gives him the names of three women she wants him to consider… I think you're going to enjoy this story of second chances. It's very special to me and I hope it will be to you!

Ok, so it kind of sounds like a cross between PS I Love You by Cecelia Ahren and Not Another Bad Date by Rachel Gibson. Although I have not read PS I Love You (I did see the movie and made a conscience discision to not read the book for personal reasons but trust me not because it was bad....trust me) I did read the latter by the way and really liked it. Anyway, after checking out the eharlequin.com site this is part of her Blossom Street books. Which I have not read any of.
So, now you're saying...
What???? How can you be a fan of Debbie's but not have read her Blossom Street books? Are you mental?
My response....
Well, I only had to read a few of her books to know that her books are something special. I read several in her Cedar Cove series and love the town and the people she created.I have dozens of her other books in my TBR Mountain which I will get to one of these days. Now stop picking on me. (Please?)

So, it looks like my library ordered several copies of the book but then there are more then several people waiting first in the hold line to get a copy to read. So, I figured when it comes out I will happily run (won't really run....I was thinking more along the lines of skipping merrily) to my Wal-mart to get a copy. Until I realized that it was coming out in hardcover. It's just not in my budget to purchase hardcover books that I probably can't keep. So where does this leave me? On the long hold list (towards the bottom) at my public library with fingers crossed hoping that the library won't spend weeks adding it into the inventory once they actually get it.

I bet I looked pretty funny sitting here for those 10 minutes by the way.
--Christina opening up Debbie's newsletter (looking curious if slightly bored)
--Christina after reading the newsletter (eyebrows up looking very intrigued)
--Christina checking out the specifics (smiling a bit over the top and even doing the happy clap)
--Christina after realizing it's coming in hardcover (smile sliding south...now the frown...hello sad panda face)

It still looks super good!!!

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