What do you think?
Rate this book
Each Precious Hour (The McCord Family Countdown, Book 3)
THE McCORD FAMILY COUNTDOWN
A daughter, a son, a secret… With time as the enemy, only love can save them.
It had been three months, three weeks and four days since they'd made love…
and made the baby that Robin McCord now carried. Back in New York, she could no longer avoid Jared Donovan…not when he was the only man who could keep her baby—their baby—safe.
A fearless bomb squad cop, Jared had stared down death, but when it threatened the woman he loved, he turned desperate. No one would threaten his woman and his unborn child. But he had only seven days to find the crazed killer who stalked her, seven nights to New Year's Eve when she might walk out of his life for good…if he kept her alive. And the clock was ticking….
A daughter, a son, a secret… With time as the enemy, only love can save them.
It had been three months, three weeks and four days since they'd made love…
and made the baby that Robin McCord now carried. Back in New York, she could no longer avoid Jared Donovan…not when he was the only man who could keep her baby—their baby—safe.
A fearless bomb squad cop, Jared had stared down death, but when it threatened the woman he loved, he turned desperate. No one would threaten his woman and his unborn child. But he had only seven days to find the crazed killer who stalked her, seven nights to New Year's Eve when she might walk out of his life for good…if he kept her alive. And the clock was ticking….
- GenresRomance
250 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1999
About the author
Gayle Wilson
147 books87 followersGayle Wilson is a two-time RITA® Award winner, taking home the RITA® Award for Best Romantic Suspense Novel in 2000 and for Best Romantic Novella in 2004. In addition to twice winning the prestigious RITA® Award, Gayle’s books have garnered more than 50 other awards and nominations, including most recently the Daphne du Maurier Award for the Best Single Title Romantic Suspense of 2008, awarded to Victim, her latest novel from MIRA.
Gayle holds a master’s degree in secondary education, with additional certification in the education of the gifted. Although her specialty was teaching honors and gifted students, as a former high school history and English teacher, she taught everything from remedial reading to Shakespeare—and loved every minute she spent in the classroom.
Gayle was on the board of directors of Romance Writers of America for four years. In 2006 she served as the president of RWA, the largest genre-writers’ organization in the world.
Gayle has written 41 novels and four novellas for Harlequin Enterprises, including works for Harlequin Historicals, Harlequin Intrigue, Special Releases, HQN Books, MIRA, and Mills & Boon.
Gayle holds a master’s degree in secondary education, with additional certification in the education of the gifted. Although her specialty was teaching honors and gifted students, as a former high school history and English teacher, she taught everything from remedial reading to Shakespeare—and loved every minute she spent in the classroom.
Gayle was on the board of directors of Romance Writers of America for four years. In 2006 she served as the president of RWA, the largest genre-writers’ organization in the world.
Gayle has written 41 novels and four novellas for Harlequin Enterprises, including works for Harlequin Historicals, Harlequin Intrigue, Special Releases, HQN Books, MIRA, and Mills & Boon.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 16, 2018
Slow start, Great Finish
December 6, 1999
Gayle Wilson wraps up the "McCord Family Countdown" trilogy (#533 "Stolen Moments and #537 "Memories at Midnight") with "Each Precious Hour," a solidly told tale that has an unfortunate tendency to drag before finally picking up momentum. Anyone expecting another thrilling, fast-paced tale like those from her "Men of Mystery" trilogy earlier this year should probably put those expectations on hold.
Senator James McCord is preparing to announce his candidacy for president on January 1, 2000, and his niece Robin is fully involved in the preparations. But Robin has other things on her mind: she's three months pregnant, and the campaign has brought her back to New York, where the baby's father lives. Differences kept them apart in the past, and he doesn't know about the child. But when a deadly political plot begins to emerge, with Robin right in the crosshairs, Jared forces himself back in her life, and Robin has no choice but to accept his help.
I could probably overlook the fact that the villain is clear by the midway point or that it's yet another secret baby book. But although there's a high level of sexual tension, the romance is pretty static. Jared and Robin's positions on the difference that kept them apart have been established before the book began, and they don't change until one character finally caves in the end to ensure the happy ending. For the most part, the love story amounts to little more than them coming together, saying nothing's changed and they have nothing to talk about, then parting repeatedly.
A high interest in politics is probably required, too, since the first hundred pages has more political strategizing than actual plot. I don't care about politics that much, so when Wilson actually takes the time to let us know McCord's positions on Russia and Israel, I was thinking this was a little more info than I needed. Plus, certain plot points make little sense. In the beginning, we're told that McCord plans to announce his candidacy from a hotel in Times Square just after the ball drops on New Year's Eve. In the real world, haven't all the candidates declared long before the first of the year? Don't they have to? And the idea that McCord thinks anyone would be paying attention to him in Times Square on the beginning of the year 2000 is either supreme arrogance or sheer stupidity.
As usual, Wilson's use of language in her prose is superb. More than a few scenes will linger in the memory: Jared's discovery of Robin's pregnancy is very well done, and one erotic moment involving taste is enough to make you need to open a window. Too bad the first 100 pages are a bit tedious, buried in political planning and little forward movement, with few threats to make you think there's going to be any suspense (I think there's a grand total of...one). The second hundred slowly but surely begin to pick up steam (threats actually arrive!) and the final fifty is a complete adrenaline rush, with a climax that is nothing short of amazing. Wow--just try to hold back the tears. The book is probably worth it for the final ten pages alone. But whether a great payoff is worth it without much of a buildup is to the reader's discretion.
December 6, 1999
Gayle Wilson wraps up the "McCord Family Countdown" trilogy (#533 "Stolen Moments and #537 "Memories at Midnight") with "Each Precious Hour," a solidly told tale that has an unfortunate tendency to drag before finally picking up momentum. Anyone expecting another thrilling, fast-paced tale like those from her "Men of Mystery" trilogy earlier this year should probably put those expectations on hold.
Senator James McCord is preparing to announce his candidacy for president on January 1, 2000, and his niece Robin is fully involved in the preparations. But Robin has other things on her mind: she's three months pregnant, and the campaign has brought her back to New York, where the baby's father lives. Differences kept them apart in the past, and he doesn't know about the child. But when a deadly political plot begins to emerge, with Robin right in the crosshairs, Jared forces himself back in her life, and Robin has no choice but to accept his help.
I could probably overlook the fact that the villain is clear by the midway point or that it's yet another secret baby book. But although there's a high level of sexual tension, the romance is pretty static. Jared and Robin's positions on the difference that kept them apart have been established before the book began, and they don't change until one character finally caves in the end to ensure the happy ending. For the most part, the love story amounts to little more than them coming together, saying nothing's changed and they have nothing to talk about, then parting repeatedly.
A high interest in politics is probably required, too, since the first hundred pages has more political strategizing than actual plot. I don't care about politics that much, so when Wilson actually takes the time to let us know McCord's positions on Russia and Israel, I was thinking this was a little more info than I needed. Plus, certain plot points make little sense. In the beginning, we're told that McCord plans to announce his candidacy from a hotel in Times Square just after the ball drops on New Year's Eve. In the real world, haven't all the candidates declared long before the first of the year? Don't they have to? And the idea that McCord thinks anyone would be paying attention to him in Times Square on the beginning of the year 2000 is either supreme arrogance or sheer stupidity.
As usual, Wilson's use of language in her prose is superb. More than a few scenes will linger in the memory: Jared's discovery of Robin's pregnancy is very well done, and one erotic moment involving taste is enough to make you need to open a window. Too bad the first 100 pages are a bit tedious, buried in political planning and little forward movement, with few threats to make you think there's going to be any suspense (I think there's a grand total of...one). The second hundred slowly but surely begin to pick up steam (threats actually arrive!) and the final fifty is a complete adrenaline rush, with a climax that is nothing short of amazing. Wow--just try to hold back the tears. The book is probably worth it for the final ten pages alone. But whether a great payoff is worth it without much of a buildup is to the reader's discretion.
January 23, 2024
Although I wasn't sold on the possibility of the ending, having been one of the Y2K programmers dealing with the changeover to the year 2000, I did enjoy both the characters and the plot as Jared tried to convince Robin that it was okay to marry a bomb disposal cop. Like any rational woman, Robin has doubts about the longevity of his life if he continues in his current career. Their relationship is complicated by her Uncle Jim who is running for his party's nomination for President of the United States while Robin is working on his campaign. Someone doesn't want him to run.
September 19, 2017
Robin has loss too many close to her and cannot deal with Jared's job as a policeman and who disarmed bombs. He loves his job and knows it is necessary but maybe he can do it in a less dangerous way. He's willing to try anything to keep her safe.
May 3, 2015
Explosive book and I like it. I like the way this book is written there is enough tension in it. Of course the ending between Robin and Jared is predictable, but around it there is enough which isn’t.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews