Lessons in Fatherhood - Makenna Lee (HSE #2925 - Aug 2022)

Series: Home to Oak Hollow (Book 5)

More surprising than being a father
Is what it takes to be a dad
 
Nicholas Weller is stunned to discover the adorable baby abandoned in the middle of his art gallery is his son. Asking teacher Emma Blake for help is a plea of desperation -- he barely knows her, after all -- and clearly, she has her own misgivings. But under Emma's tutelage, Nicholas is soon juggling diapers, formula…and unexpected feelings for her. He's passing the lessons on fatherhood, but is he ready to graduate to family man?
 
Terrific book. Emma is a kindergarten teacher working in the shop she co-owns with a friend on summer break. She is still recovering from the devastating loss of her husband and daughter. Nicholas is a wealthy newcomer to town who is turning the shop into a combination art gallery and wine tasting room. He rubs Emma the wrong way with his expensive clothes and fancy car.
 
She is furious when she sees him leave his shop and shortly afterward hears a baby's cries coming from it. How could he go off and leave an infant unattended? But nobody is more shocked than Nicholas when he returns to find Emma and the baby. The infant wasn't there when he left and had no idea who it was until he read the enclosed letter. Stunned to discover that the baby boy is his son, Nicholas asks Emma for help. I had to laugh at his panicked reaction to his sudden fatherhood - it reminded me of the movie Three Men and a Baby.
 
Emma takes pity on Nicholas and offers to give him lessons, even offering him the apartment over her garage to live in while he learns. Emma was a bit wary of what she got herself into, believing Nicholas to be the wealthy bachelor playboy his appearance suggests. She is pleasantly surprised by his determination to be a good father.
 
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Nicholas and Emma. Each had preconceived ideas about the other, and spending time together smashed them to pieces. Nicholas was adorably determined to be a better father than his own, and his commitment was fantastic. Emma is patient and helpful with his first fumbling attempts, and it isn't long before he's handling things like a pro. Simmering underneath their rapidly growing friendship is an undeniable attraction. But as much as Emma adores baby Jax and likes Nicholas, she is wary of risking her heart again. Nicholas won my heart with his patience and caring as he learned of her past losses.
 
The more time they spend together, the deeper their connection grows, and the more Emma thinks she may be ready to risk her heart again. Nicholas also looks at his plans for the future and realizes that being a father has given him a better understanding of what he wants for his son. But when his parents unexpectedly show up in Oak Hollow, Nicholas has some decisions to make. Emma, expecting the worst, pushes him away to protect her heart, leaving Nicholas lost and wondering what happened.
 
I loved the ending and seeing Nicholas get unexpected help from his sister as he reevaluated his priorities. Though I still don't like his parents, they did redeem themselves somewhat in the end. Meanwhile, Emma also had to consider whether she wanted to take another chance on love. I loved Nicholas's big moment, which was sweet and romantic.

A Marriage of Benefits - Makenna Lee (HSE #2898 - Mar 2022)

Series: Home to Oak Hollow (Book 4)

She's buying a husband
And he's buying a…dog?
 
Veterinarian Jessica Talbot wants to build a clinic and wildlife rescue. She could access her trust fund, but there's a caveat -- to get the money, Jessica needs a husband. When she learns Officer Jake Carter needs funding to buy and train his own K-9 partner, Jessica proposes. Jake is shocked, but he agrees -- only for the money. It's the perfect plan -- if only Jessica can avoid falling for her husband…and vice-versa!
 
Good book that kept me hooked from beginning to end. Interestingly, this is the second contemporary "marriage of convenience" book I've read this month. I'm used to this trope in historical romance, but not as much in modern-day stories.
 
Jessica left her job with a high-end veterinary practice in Hollywood after a humiliating breakup with her boyfriend. When she ran into the vet from Oak Hollow, Texas, at a conference and learned he was retiring, she decided to go there. She and her dad used to vacation in Oak Hollow, so she has fond memories of the place. And when she learns the ranch they used to stay at is for sale, it seems that karma was finally on her side. The ranch purchase has left her stretched a little thin financially, but she'll dip into her trust fund when she's ready to start building her clinic.
 
On her first day there, Jessica has a flat tire on her way into town. She's just finished changing it when a truck pulling a horse trailer stops. The handsome cop who steps out to see if she's okay is surprised that she managed on her own but respects her abilities. Jessica is a bit grease-stained and disheveled by this time and wishes she'd taken the time to dress better for the trip. When she recognizes the cop as her childhood crush, Jake Carter, she's so flustered that she trips over a root, causing Jake to try to help. They both end up on the ground. Jessica's embarrassed, and Jake leaves quickly to spare her.
 
Fate isn't done with Jessica and Jake. When Jessica gets the disturbing news that she must be married to draw extra money from her trust fund, she goes job hunting instead. Her first "interview" is as a waitress at the local diner, where the owner has her try waiting on a table. She's flustered again when one of the customers is Jake and proceeds to spill three cups of coffee off her tray - right onto his lap. Trouble comes in threes, and the next time she sees him is when she scoops a turtle out of the middle of the road - as he is driving down the street and has to swerve to miss her. Poor Jessica can't catch a break.
 
Jake is intrigued by "Mystery Woman," who looks familiar and can't keep out of his mind. He finally remembers who she is and the summers they knew each other. But as interested as he is, he's been burned in one relationship which took off quickly, and he's not about to make the same mistake. Besides, he'll be headed back to Dallas once the K-9 trainer job he wants opens up. He only came back to Oak Hollow to help his dad recover from his heart attack. He has enough on his mind helping around the house and with the expenses. Jake also dreams of getting a pup he can train as a K-9.
 
It was fun to watch Jessica and Jake reconnect as friends. Jessica is determined to redeem herself from those initial encounters, but those attempts don't go entirely as intended. Then she overhears him talking about the cost of a trained K-9, which the Oakwood PD can't afford, and the bills due from his father's medical expenses. Jessica gets the brilliant idea of proposing a marriage of convenience to Jake. She'll get the money she needs and give him what he needs for his dad and the dog. Jake is aghast at the idea but, on further reflection, sees that it might work - with specific rules in place.
 
I loved that both Jessica and Jake see the potential pitfalls but won't back out once committed because they don't want to mess things up for the other one. I enjoyed the scenes of them spending time together, getting to know each other, and putting on a show to convince others that they were falling for each other. The elopement sequence was sweet and a little steamy as they fought their growing attraction. It only gets worse once they are living together. Jessica's aunt's visit brings the simmering attraction to a full boil. Jessica realizes that she's already in too deep to protect her heart, and Jake begins to believe the same.
 
What happens when the Dallas job opens sooner than Jake expects and he's no longer sure what he wants to do? Then his helicopter mama, who is far too involved in his business as a thirty-year-old man, sticks her nose in where it doesn't belong? I hurt for Jessica, who loves Jake too much to get in the way of his dreams and "helps" him the only way she knows how. Thank goodness for friends who know when not to keep a secret. I loved the ending and seeing them so happy.
 
I loved being back in Oak Hollow and catching up with characters from the earlier books. I especially enjoyed the sweet scenes with little Hannah, Lily, and Cody. Jessica fit right in with the other women, and I liked seeing her renew her childhood friendship with Emma.

A Child's Christmas Wish - Makenna Lee (HSE #2867 - Oct 2021)

Series: Home to Oak Hollow (Book 3)

Finally, a home for the holidays…
 
Eric McKnight's only priority is his disabled daughter's happiness. Her temporary nanny, Jenny Winslet, is eager to help make Lilly's Christmas wishes come true. She'll even teach grinchy Eric how to do the season right -- surrounded by garland, glitter and Lilly's giggles! It isn't long before visions of family dance in Eric's head. But when Jenny leaves them for New York City…there's still one Christmas wish he has yet to fulfill.
 
Very good book. Jenny has spent all of her life in Oak Hollow, dreaming of going to New York and becoming a fashion designer. She put her plans for fashion design school on hold when her grandmother got sick with cancer. Now that Mimi is well again, it's time to put her plan into action. Taking a temporary nanny job for Eric McKnight and his daughter Lilly will give her the last funds she needs.
 
Eric and Lilly recently moved to Oak Grove, where Eric now bases his carpentry/restoration business. Lilly's health and happiness are his number one priority as a widower. Though he has the attention of the single women in town, Eric has no plans to marry again. His marriage wasn't happy, and many parts of it still haunt him. Eric isn't a big fan of the fuss and bother of Christmas, but he'll do what he must to make Lilly happy.
 
I loved the first meeting between Jenny and Eric, and Lilly. Eric's love and care for his daughter were immediately evident in how he treated her. Lilly's immediate dubbing of Jenny as a "fairy girl" because of her petite stature was adorable. But the biggest thing that jumped out was the sparks that flew between Eric and Jenny. Both plan to ignore the feelings. Eric refuses to open himself and Lilly up to more pain, and Jenny won't start something she can't continue.
 
One thing that quickly becomes noticeable is Eric's lack of enthusiasm for Christmas. Because Christmas is Jenny's favorite time of year, she makes it her mission to instill the Christmas spirit in Eric. As she involves Lilly in as many activities as possible, she slowly draws Eric into them. There are sweet scenes of tree decorating and cookie baking and some steamy scenes as their attraction continues to simmer and grow.
 
It isn't long before thoughts of family occur to both Jenny and Eric. But Jenny has waited so long to make her dream come true that she can't stand the idea of giving it up. Eric loves Jenny so much he'll do anything to support her vision. Unfortunately, he goes a little too far, creating conflict between them. It also makes Jenny wonder if she's clinging to her dream out of habit or genuine desire and if perhaps her dreams have changed without her realizing it. I loved the ending, seeing what Eric is willing to do to make their dreams come true, and Jenny's epiphany about her options.
 
Lilly is a joyous presence throughout the book. I loved her immediate connection with Jenny and the love that quickly grew between them. Though Lilly has cerebral palsy, she doesn't let it slow her down from what she wants to do. Her enthusiasm for all things Christmas was adorable and made it impossible for her daddy to maintain his grinchiness.
 
I also enjoyed seeing the people who have appeared in earlier books. It's always fun to catch up with those who have come before.