It's all fun and games—until someone falls in love!
Focused on building her toy company, Erin O'Brien didn't have time to think about romance, let alone act on it. Until she met handsome attorney Steve Kendall—and suddenly, pleasure became much more enticing than business! But she soon learned that the sexy lawyer had a second job—as a family man!
A widower, Steve was willing to do anything to reconnect with his son. And the school Career Day was a perfect opportunity…and a fateful one. A certain quirky blonde toy designer instantly won the students' affection—and Steve's interest. Soon he finds himself wanting only one special woman in his life. But is it for his son's benefit, or to heal his own heart?
Marie Rydzynski was born on March 28 in West Germany to Polish parents. She moved to America at the age of four. For an entire year, Marie and her family explored the eastern half of the country before finally settling in New York.
Marie swears she was born writing, "which must have made the delivery especially hard for my mother." From an early age, Marie's parents would find her watching television or tucked away in some private place, writing at a furious pace. "Initially, I began writing myself into my favourite shows. I was a detective on '77 Sunset Strip,' the missing Cartwright sibling they never talked about on 'Bonanza' and the 'Girl from U.N.C.L.E.' before there was a 'Girl from U.N.C.L.E.,' not to mention an active participant in the serialized stories of 'The Mickey Mouse Club.'" Marie began to write her first romance novel when she was 11 years old, although she claims that, at the time, she didn't even realize it was a romance! She scribbled off and on, while dreaming of a career as an actress.
Marie was only 14 when she first laid eyes on the man she would marry, truly her first love, Charles Ferrarella. During her days at Queens College, New York, acting started to lose its glamour as Marie spent more and more time writing. After receiving her English degree, specialising in Shakespearean comedy, Marie and her family moved to Southern California, where she still resides today.
After an interminable seven weeks apart, Charles decided he couldn't live without her and came out to California to marry his childhood sweetheart. Ever practical, Marie was married in a wash-and-wear wedding dress that she sewed herself, appliqués and all. "'Be prepared' has always been my motto,"the author jokes. This motto has been stretched considerably by her two children, Nikky and Jessi, "but basically, it still applies," she says.
In November of 1981, she sold her first novel for Harlequin. Marie, who now has written over 150 novels, has one goal: to entertain, to make people laugh and feel good. "That's what makes me happy," she confesses. "That, and a really good romantic evening with my husband." She's keeping her fingers crossed that her reader's enjoy reading her books as much as she enjoyed writing them.
Erin was in and out of the hospital when she was a child and was used to playing and being by herself. She invented a dinosaur name Tex to help her not feel alone. Tex talks and plays with her, even though it is her telling Tex what to do. She has decided to make this her career. She owns her own toy company where she makes toys that make children use their imagination. She is invited to career day at school.
Steve is a lawyer whose son is in the class that Erin is supposed to be going to Career Day.
I really enjoyed this book. It had my interest from the very beginning and it took no time at all to read. It really is that good.
Title: Dating For Two - Matchmaking Mamas 12 Author: Marie Ferrarrella Published: 6-17-14 Publisher: Harlequin Special Edition Pages: 220 Genre: Romance Sub Genre: Series; Family Life ISBN: 9780373658244 ASIN: B00166GFNQ. Reviewer: DelAnne Reviewed For: NetGalley
. Maizie, Cecilia, and Theresa, the Matchmaking Mamas are back and have decided the time has come for widowed Lawyer, Steve Kendall to fill the gap left behind following the death of his late wife Julie from uterine cancer. Only with the woman best suited for him and his seven year old son Jason. Lucky for Steve they know the perfect match for him, Erin O'Brien, owner and toy designer of the toy company, Imagine That. They call a friend to help them with their plan.
Steve has decided he needs to spend some time reconnecting with his son. Jason seems so quiet and withdrawn since the Julia's death. When asked to speak to Jason's class at Bedford Elementary School for Career day he accepts. It is there he meets Erin O'Brien and is fascinated by her.
Erin O'Brien is too busy with her toy designs and keeping her business growing to have a social life. Why in the world would she agree to speak with a group of second graders for career day? Lucky for her she has Tex, her first toy and alter ego. She meets Steve at Career day and gives in to the desire to spend some time with him as agrees to have coffee with him afterward. Maybe she doesn't need Tex and his friends to speak for her?
The Mamas are tickled that their plan is working, now with a little nudge here and there, these three will make a great family. After all, when you are dating and have a son you are Dating for Two.
Come and enjoy Dating For Two by Marie Ferrarrella. There is a undercurrent of humor that runs through the series. The characters are wonderful and believable. I absolutely love the matchmaking mamas. If you enjoy clean romances then you will quickly become addicted to Marie Ferrarrella's style.
Erin is busy building her business and have no time for relationship. Until she met Steve at one of his son’s school function. Steve have just lost his wife and he have difficulty in communicating with his son. His son spent most his time playing video game and Steve doesn’t know how to reach out to him. Until he met Erin. Erin thru her toy seems to be able to draw out and help Steve’s boy to talk and communicating. He also like Erin very much. When Erin being confronted with a lawsuit claiming plagiarism against her, she seeks Steve’s help and things begin to progress from thereon.
I like the family theme story and this is one of the good ones. Being a single parent is not easy and having communication barriers with a child make things harder. I like Erin for her easy ways in communicating with the children thru her toys. I find it a brilliant idea used in this story. Steve on the other hand is a good father and husband materials. He have his doubt and I’m glad that he managed to figure them out in the end. Overall, it is a sweet read family orientated story though I wish the ending to go on a smoother pace as it ended rather abruptly for me.
"Ferrarella’s heartrending story has a mournful hero and an ingenious heroine who warms the heart. Her narrative mixes unmatched humor, poignant situations and whimsical scenes. The entertaining love story crescendos with an explosive love scene" (RT Book Reviews). 4 1/2 stars TOP PICK!
It was an okay book, just not quite as good as I thought it would be. Great concept though and I loved the author's explanation of why she wrote it. Great to see a single dad who's focused so completely on the kid.