Series:
Men of Thunder Ridge (Book 3)
Marriage is in this playbook!
Football champion Ethan Ladd planned to spend the
off-season dating beautiful women and living the good life. Until his ailing
infant nephew is thrust into his care. Despite his best efforts, social
services doesn't believe Ethan is up to the task. It's fourth and long…and the
offense has a loaded diaper. Time to pull out a trick play.
Marry Ethan Ladd? They dated once. It was so bad, people
are still talking about it. But after Gemma Gould's failed engagement, a
temporary husband and baby may be the closest she ever comes to having her
dream family. Gemma agrees to play until Ethan wins custody. But when he makes
a play for her heart…will they score a touchdown for love?
Good book. The story opens as Gemma is helping at her
sister's bridal shower. Gemma is the type of person who helps others, often to
her detriment. She feels she ruined Elyse's wedding gown shopping experience
and will do anything to compensate for it. During the shower, she ran into
Ethan, a local football hero and her worst high school memory. She always feels
awkward around him, while Ethan enjoys teasing her. Then he gets a phone call
and abruptly leaves.
Ethan has the reputation of being a carefree bachelor and
player. Then social services calls, and he finds himself caring for his baby
nephew. Ethan is overwhelmed by Cody's unique needs and faces the possibility that
Cody will be taken from him. His only hope is enlisting Gemma's help.
I liked Gemma and Ethan. Gemma has a big heart and takes
care of the people she loves. She also has a self-esteem problem, especially
after her broken engagement. When Ethan
proposes a temporary marriage until he has custody of Cody, she thinks it is
her best chance to have a family of her own. Ethan is a good man who is caught
in a tough situation. Complicating the need to care for Cody, Ethan is hiding a
secret that could change everything.
I liked seeing the relationship develop between Ethan and
Gemma. Their high school history wasn't the best. Gemma had a crush on him, and
Ethan was a teenage jerk, embarrassing them both. I liked how they owned up to
their mistakes and moved on from them. Once Gemma heard how Ethan ended up with
Cody, she was compelled to help him. His appreciation was honest, and I could
see his relief and the hope she gave him. But the real kicker came when he
begged her to marry him, giving him the backup he needed to retain custody.
Living together and caring for Cody was like a dream come
true for Gemma. It was easy to forget that it was supposed to be temporary
until he could find his sister and reunite her with Cody. Ethan also gets into
the family feeling but won't believe it can last. He feels that Gemma is way
out of his league and that she would not stay with him. Despite their fears, their
feelings for each other continue to grow. I loved that Ethan saw Gemma for the
terrific person she was and saw no need for her to change. Gemma won my heart
with her matter-of-fact acceptance of his secret and her desire to help him conquer
it. But Ethan has a blind spot regarding his sister and doesn't listen to Gemma
when she tries to get through to him. I ached for them both after the argument
that drove them apart. It takes an eye-opening discussion with his sister for
Ethan to accept the truth. I loved his return to Thunder Ridge and Gemma. He
did an excellent job of groveling to get back in her good graces and for them
both to admit their feelings for each other.
The epilogue was terrific, and I loved seeing their
family a few years down the road.
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