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Dads in Progress #3
The Daddy Verdict
By-the-book lawyer Ben Barclay didn't make mistakes--especially not one-night-stand mistakes. So when he learned that his lone reckless act with a beautiful stranger had lasting consequences, he was determined to do the right thingAnd that meant marriage.When Sierra Girard learned she was pregnant she didn't expect Ben to be part of her life. So she was stunned at his insistence that they be husband and wife--if only for the sake of the baby. But even cautious Sierra couldn't deny the smoldering embers of attraction that burned bright. It was a fire that could almost be mistaken for true love....
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 2008
About the author
Karen Rose Smith
357 books918 followersAward-winning author Karen Rose Smith was born in Pennsylvania. Although she was an only child, she remembers the bonds of an extended family. Family is a strong theme in her books and she suspects her childhood memories are the reason.
In college, Karen began writing poetry and also met her husband to be. They both began married life as teachers, but when their son was born, Karen decided to try her hand at a home-decorating business.
She returned to teaching for a while but changes in her life led her to writing relationship novels. Now she writes romances as well as mysteries full time. Her first book was published in 1992; her 110th novel will be published in 2024. A winner of New Jersey's Golden Leaf Award in Short Contemporary Romance, Colorado Romance Writers Award Of Excellence for short contemporary, as well as the Phoenix Desert Rose Chapter's Golden Quill for Traditional Romance, she has also been honored with Cataromance.com's award for Best Special Edition and Washington Romance Writers Career Achievement Award. Her romances have made both the USA TODAY list and the Amazon Romance and Contemporary Romance Bestseller lists. Her mysteries have made the USA TODAY and Barnes and Noble bestseller lists.
She has written for Meteor/Kismet, Kensington, Silhouette and Harlequin. Readers can contact Karen through her website, on Facebook (Karen Rose Smith Author) and on Twitter @ Karenrosesmith, on TIKTOK at karenrosesmithauthor and on Instagram. They can also follow her monthly e-zine IN TOUCH with KAREN ROSE SMITH which has the latest news about her books, recipes and contests.
In college, Karen began writing poetry and also met her husband to be. They both began married life as teachers, but when their son was born, Karen decided to try her hand at a home-decorating business.
She returned to teaching for a while but changes in her life led her to writing relationship novels. Now she writes romances as well as mysteries full time. Her first book was published in 1992; her 110th novel will be published in 2024. A winner of New Jersey's Golden Leaf Award in Short Contemporary Romance, Colorado Romance Writers Award Of Excellence for short contemporary, as well as the Phoenix Desert Rose Chapter's Golden Quill for Traditional Romance, she has also been honored with Cataromance.com's award for Best Special Edition and Washington Romance Writers Career Achievement Award. Her romances have made both the USA TODAY list and the Amazon Romance and Contemporary Romance Bestseller lists. Her mysteries have made the USA TODAY and Barnes and Noble bestseller lists.
She has written for Meteor/Kismet, Kensington, Silhouette and Harlequin. Readers can contact Karen through her website, on Facebook (Karen Rose Smith Author) and on Twitter @ Karenrosesmith, on TIKTOK at karenrosesmithauthor and on Instagram. They can also follow her monthly e-zine IN TOUCH with KAREN ROSE SMITH which has the latest news about her books, recipes and contests.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 22, 2015
Simultaneously too much and not enough going on in this one. The tacked on "action" never inspires suspense, but it does crowd out the romantic development. Sadly, I never got sucked in. I did finish, but it never fully reached me.
Hero was okay, though a bit selfish, cold/stuffy and misogynistic. (Not nearly as bad of a he-man woman hater as 80% of the guys in HQ Presents, though, so I could deal with it.) Heroine was quite likable - truly nice, but not a simpering door mat. (My favourite combination, really.) She made questionable choices throughout, but I still felt warmly towards her. She was a bit younger than I like, though, as I have credibility issues when a young and fluffy character does the "love of my life" talk.
Major problem, though: I have enormous trouble respecting either main characters fully due to (1) unprotected one night stand sex (gross and unforgivably stupid), and (2) the strange decision to get married entirely because of the resulting pregnancy. I cannot imagine diving into marriage with a stranger, baby or no. It seemed pretty clear that the hero was only doing it to control the heroine, and the heroine was doing it because... I actually have no idea why the heroine did that. I suppose her own dysfunctional family made her think that "daddy at all cost" was a way to go, but it seemed like a very risky decision to me. (I was totally in agreement with her dour aunt on this point, frankly.) He was constantly demonstrating his lack of trust in her (and all women), while her character trusted too much. Hard to say which was more aggravating.
On a random note - the cover, which is not usually something I would mention in a review, let alone complain about - actually bugged the heck out of me. The picture is completely inaccurate; the hero has dark hair in the book, and the proposal did not go down in the book as is shown on the cover, since she is way further along, pregnancy-wise, in the illustration. I understand, though, they were trying to convey the story in an image, but this one failed a bit. However, the heroine on the cover does manage to communicate the heroine's spark and sweetness.(I have no idea why the cover flaws bugged me so much, but I didn't include it in the rating.)
There is a good cast of secondary characters here, and a proper sense of place and location. It was readable, well written/edited and reasonably entertaining. I did feel distant from the main characters and the story, but it delivered a quick read with decent dialogue and a couple genuinely compelling and consistently well-written love scenes.
2.5/5, rounded up.
Hero was okay, though a bit selfish, cold/stuffy and misogynistic. (Not nearly as bad of a he-man woman hater as 80% of the guys in HQ Presents, though, so I could deal with it.) Heroine was quite likable - truly nice, but not a simpering door mat. (My favourite combination, really.) She made questionable choices throughout, but I still felt warmly towards her. She was a bit younger than I like, though, as I have credibility issues when a young and fluffy character does the "love of my life" talk.
Major problem, though: I have enormous trouble respecting either main characters fully due to (1) unprotected one night stand sex (gross and unforgivably stupid), and (2) the strange decision to get married entirely because of the resulting pregnancy. I cannot imagine diving into marriage with a stranger, baby or no. It seemed pretty clear that the hero was only doing it to control the heroine, and the heroine was doing it because... I actually have no idea why the heroine did that. I suppose her own dysfunctional family made her think that "daddy at all cost" was a way to go, but it seemed like a very risky decision to me. (I was totally in agreement with her dour aunt on this point, frankly.) He was constantly demonstrating his lack of trust in her (and all women), while her character trusted too much. Hard to say which was more aggravating.
On a random note - the cover, which is not usually something I would mention in a review, let alone complain about - actually bugged the heck out of me. The picture is completely inaccurate; the hero has dark hair in the book, and the proposal did not go down in the book as is shown on the cover, since she is way further along, pregnancy-wise, in the illustration. I understand, though, they were trying to convey the story in an image, but this one failed a bit. However, the heroine on the cover does manage to communicate the heroine's spark and sweetness.(I have no idea why the cover flaws bugged me so much, but I didn't include it in the rating.)
There is a good cast of secondary characters here, and a proper sense of place and location. It was readable, well written/edited and reasonably entertaining. I did feel distant from the main characters and the story, but it delivered a quick read with decent dialogue and a couple genuinely compelling and consistently well-written love scenes.
2.5/5, rounded up.
April 21, 2021
I have no idea why the h would fall in love and agree to marry H when he clearly didn't trust or love her. The two of them don't really connect and neither do they truly communicate. The character arch didn't grow enough for making you as a reader believe in their HEA.
February 8, 2013
I enjoyed both the hero and the heroine. Ben and Sierra have one night of passion, she becomes pregnant. She wants to do the right, and lets Ben know. She's willing to care for the child on her own, and is surprised when Ben wants to be a part of the child's life. But can they make their marriage work.
Just want the doctor ordered! It was a short, a fast and good read. And for an added bonus it had some sizzle.
Just want the doctor ordered! It was a short, a fast and good read. And for an added bonus it had some sizzle.
August 15, 2012
This is the third book in Karen Rose Smith's Dad's In Progress series. This jaded hero was very intriguing in Karen's first and second books of the series (The Daddy Dilemma and The Daddy Plan) and I just had to read his story.
A very satisfying book and series.
Karen is a new favorite author of mine.
A very satisfying book and series.
Karen is a new favorite author of mine.
January 7, 2013
Yet again another novel I didn't connect with. Everything between the hero and heroine was rushed, not to mention it dealt very little with their relationship in my opinion. I found the interest and characters to be too many and too spread out. I wish it would of strictly followed the hero and heroine.
August 30, 2015
I'm a sucker of this kind of plots. But in the end, I'm always happy because I know the main characters would always be together and have a HEA even they experienced so many trials.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews