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Jack's Baby
Surprise father!Nina in a maternity hospital? Jack Gulliver was in shock! This was the woman who had walked out on him eight months ago. Eight months! Could she have had his baby?He still missed and wanted Nina--with a passion--and now was his chance to get her back. Sure, he'd argued against having children, but he could change.Jack knew Nina was wary. She thought one cry from baby Charlotte would have him running for the door. But just how much trouble could one small baby be?
288 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1996
About the author
Emma Darcy
643 books332 followersEmma Darcy is the pseudonym created by the married writing team of Wendy (1940-2020) and Frank Brennan (1936-1995). Their life journey has taken as many twists and turns as the characters in their stories, whose international popularity has resulted in over sixty-million book sales. With more than a hundred titles, Emma Darcy appeared regularly on the Waldenbooks bestseller lists in the U.S.A. and in the Nielson BookScan Top 100 chart in the U.K.
Wendy was born 28 November 1940 in Australia. Her sister was the novelist Maureen Mary (Miranda Lee). Her father was a country school teacher and brilliant sportsman. Her mother was a talented dressmaker. She obtained an Honours degree in Latin and initially worked as a high school English/French teacher. She married Frank Brennan, an Australian businessman born in 1936. She changed careers to computer programming before marriage and motherhood settled her into a community life. She was reputedly the first woman computer programmer in the southern hemisphere.
As voracious readers, the step to writing their own books seemed a natural progression and the challenge of creating exciting stories was soon highly addictive. They were published since 1983. In 1993, for the Emma Darcy pseudonym's 10th anniversary, they created the "Emma Darcy Award Contest" to encourage authors to finish their manuscripts. After the death of Frank Brennan in 1995, Wendy wrotes books on her own. She lived in a beachside property on the central coast of New South Wales, and liked to travel extensively to research settings and increase her experience of places and people.
Wendy Brennan passed away on December 21, 2020. She is survived by her children, grandchildren, and sister, writer Miranda Lee.
Wendy was born 28 November 1940 in Australia. Her sister was the novelist Maureen Mary (Miranda Lee). Her father was a country school teacher and brilliant sportsman. Her mother was a talented dressmaker. She obtained an Honours degree in Latin and initially worked as a high school English/French teacher. She married Frank Brennan, an Australian businessman born in 1936. She changed careers to computer programming before marriage and motherhood settled her into a community life. She was reputedly the first woman computer programmer in the southern hemisphere.
As voracious readers, the step to writing their own books seemed a natural progression and the challenge of creating exciting stories was soon highly addictive. They were published since 1983. In 1993, for the Emma Darcy pseudonym's 10th anniversary, they created the "Emma Darcy Award Contest" to encourage authors to finish their manuscripts. After the death of Frank Brennan in 1995, Wendy wrotes books on her own. She lived in a beachside property on the central coast of New South Wales, and liked to travel extensively to research settings and increase her experience of places and people.
Wendy Brennan passed away on December 21, 2020. She is survived by her children, grandchildren, and sister, writer Miranda Lee.
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November 9, 2018
Re Jack's Baby - Emma Darcy kicks off the new in HPlandia with this little foray into HP Adventures Into New Dadhood.
This one starts with Jack, our non-plot moppet liking H, taking himself to the local hospital for a duty visit to one of his clients and their newborn baby.
Jack is not a kid person, or at least he doesn't think he is. Living the life of a single man about town and having a wealthy, but very neglected, lonely childhood did not encourage much development of familial relationship skills.
Added to that is the fact that all his parenting friends continually complain about how many problems young children add to their lives and how they never get any sleep, time for each other or even a chance to enjoy alone quiet time once in a while.
Jack is a very nice man, but he is not into mini-diapered tyrants who cause mayhem and devastation just by opening their mouths and screaming, while their sleep deprived parent's try to soothe them in vain.
Even with the negative attitude towards rug rats, Jack did manage to fall in love. Tho he is currently celibate and single and has been for several months, since his One True Love dumped him.
Unfortunately eight months earlier, he and his True Love Nina were at a dinner party where a crying baby interrupted the whole evening, Jack said some unfavorable things about babies and he and Nina had a huge fight and the next day Nina was gone from his life and seemingly from the planet. Jack hasn't been able to find her anywhere and has been pining ever since.
Which is why he is stunned to see a now short-haired Nina looking a bit pale,weary and shapeless in the elevator of the maternity hospital he is visiting. His visit with his clients goes well, Jack does know how to do the social baby visiting niceties, but it suddenly occurs to him that Nina may very well be here having his baby.
Nina sees Jack and panics. She hides herself in the ladies room, hoping that the rapidly approaching end of visiting hours will remove Jack from the hospital. Nina did just have a baby girl and the baby is Jack's.
But the big fight with Jack over him thinking children are the equivalent of toxic waste explosives made Nina dump Jack without mentioning her stork arrival and completely rearrange her life. Nina grew up with two parents who fiercely resented her arrival in the world and their own forced marriage because of it.
When her parent's eventually divorced, Nina was shuffled off to an indifferent and uncaring grandmother and left on her own recognizance as soon as she was able. Nina refuses to have any partner that isn't 100% on board with loving and wanting her child.
So tho she loves Jack madly, she has no place in her and her child's life for a man who regularly calls children little monsters and would probably only be an indifferent father at best.
Nina eventually leaves the ladies room, only to find Jack has found her and is chatting quite amiably with her BFF and business partner Sally. Jack and Sally eventually get Nina to agree to give Jack a chance in the daddyhood department and the big Learning to be a Dad adventure is on.
Jack and his giant wonder mutt Spike, who I decided to make an Honorary Cat because he is so awesome, immediately start petitioning friends and acquaintances for the full induction into fatherhood and pup rearing activities.
Now armed with seekrit new parenting skills, by the time Jack goes to pick Nina and Baby Charlotte up from hospital, Jack is fully prepared to do nappy changing, burping and cleaning up sick-ups.
Nina is majorly impressed by Jack's initial enthusiasm and nonchalant demonstration of his new expertise, but still worried about the long term forecast for happy familyhood.
Nina is desperately afraid that Jack will just wind up tolerating Charlotte because he wants a relationship with her and Nina doesn't realize that her own fears are blinding her to Jack's very real bonding with Charlotte.
Jack is certainly not a conventional dad. He talks to Charlotte just like he talks to Spike and his apprentices and he always assumes that both of them are totally understanding him and that he is interpreting their 'instinctive language' back.
It is absolutely hilarious to read, but it does seem to work and Spike has some interesting conclusions to draw regarding the care and feeding of young, funny shaped pups.
After Nina and Jack finally have a Purple Passion Re-consummation of their relationship, Nina develops mastitis and has to go to hospital.
Jack's newly acquired fatherhood skills are put to the ultimate test as he, Spike and his French polishing furniture apprentices are soon engaged in the most technically scientific formula bottle baby feeding test run ever. Along with trying to calm and settle a very fussy and unhappy Charlotte, and they come out of it with full high marks for excellence.
Charlotte isn't too happy at first with the bottle instead of mum's milk, but Jack's excellent dad bargaining and life lesson sharing pep talks save the day and everyone is soon settled up with the new routine.
Nina realizes while she is recovering in hospital that she has been very guilty of shutting Jack out emotionally, which is really the roadblock to them becoming a closely bonded family.
As soon as Nina recognizes that she is using the baggage of the past to deny herself and Jack and Charlotte and Spike a future, Nina does a great apology and then really gets herself whipped into shape.
Jack continues to go from strength to strength in the dad department and there is a lot of very funny moments when Jack becomes just as adoring and besotted about his kid as his friends are about their own.
Nina finally gets that Jack is as enthralled with parenthood as she is and she makes her grand declaration of True Love Forever and her and Jack book Sally to do the wedding right away.
Charlotte and Spike become the youngest BFF's of the household and form their own unique bond. There is a lovely and very funny little epilogue where Charlotte and Spike get a new little brother and the two of them have to go and pass on Jack's 'Dads Words of Wisdom' to the new family addition.
We leave the entire family, but especially Jack, happy and in love and plotting for another family addition, cause the more love the stronger the family for a truly sparkly, pink fluffy HPlandia HEA.
This one is utterly adorable and Jack is easily the best Dad Alpha H in HPlandia ever. He isn't lacking in the heartfelt romantic declaration department either.
Spike is pretty awesome too and you can't do any better for a fast, happy HP outing than to grab a copy of this story and have yourself a really delightful romantic time with extra funny little lessons in Jack's Dad Negotiation Skills for All Occasions.
This one starts with Jack, our non-plot moppet liking H, taking himself to the local hospital for a duty visit to one of his clients and their newborn baby.
Jack is not a kid person, or at least he doesn't think he is. Living the life of a single man about town and having a wealthy, but very neglected, lonely childhood did not encourage much development of familial relationship skills.
Added to that is the fact that all his parenting friends continually complain about how many problems young children add to their lives and how they never get any sleep, time for each other or even a chance to enjoy alone quiet time once in a while.
Jack is a very nice man, but he is not into mini-diapered tyrants who cause mayhem and devastation just by opening their mouths and screaming, while their sleep deprived parent's try to soothe them in vain.
Even with the negative attitude towards rug rats, Jack did manage to fall in love. Tho he is currently celibate and single and has been for several months, since his One True Love dumped him.
Unfortunately eight months earlier, he and his True Love Nina were at a dinner party where a crying baby interrupted the whole evening, Jack said some unfavorable things about babies and he and Nina had a huge fight and the next day Nina was gone from his life and seemingly from the planet. Jack hasn't been able to find her anywhere and has been pining ever since.
Which is why he is stunned to see a now short-haired Nina looking a bit pale,weary and shapeless in the elevator of the maternity hospital he is visiting. His visit with his clients goes well, Jack does know how to do the social baby visiting niceties, but it suddenly occurs to him that Nina may very well be here having his baby.
Nina sees Jack and panics. She hides herself in the ladies room, hoping that the rapidly approaching end of visiting hours will remove Jack from the hospital. Nina did just have a baby girl and the baby is Jack's.
But the big fight with Jack over him thinking children are the equivalent of toxic waste explosives made Nina dump Jack without mentioning her stork arrival and completely rearrange her life. Nina grew up with two parents who fiercely resented her arrival in the world and their own forced marriage because of it.
When her parent's eventually divorced, Nina was shuffled off to an indifferent and uncaring grandmother and left on her own recognizance as soon as she was able. Nina refuses to have any partner that isn't 100% on board with loving and wanting her child.
So tho she loves Jack madly, she has no place in her and her child's life for a man who regularly calls children little monsters and would probably only be an indifferent father at best.
Nina eventually leaves the ladies room, only to find Jack has found her and is chatting quite amiably with her BFF and business partner Sally. Jack and Sally eventually get Nina to agree to give Jack a chance in the daddyhood department and the big Learning to be a Dad adventure is on.
Jack and his giant wonder mutt Spike, who I decided to make an Honorary Cat because he is so awesome, immediately start petitioning friends and acquaintances for the full induction into fatherhood and pup rearing activities.
Now armed with seekrit new parenting skills, by the time Jack goes to pick Nina and Baby Charlotte up from hospital, Jack is fully prepared to do nappy changing, burping and cleaning up sick-ups.
Nina is majorly impressed by Jack's initial enthusiasm and nonchalant demonstration of his new expertise, but still worried about the long term forecast for happy familyhood.
Nina is desperately afraid that Jack will just wind up tolerating Charlotte because he wants a relationship with her and Nina doesn't realize that her own fears are blinding her to Jack's very real bonding with Charlotte.
Jack is certainly not a conventional dad. He talks to Charlotte just like he talks to Spike and his apprentices and he always assumes that both of them are totally understanding him and that he is interpreting their 'instinctive language' back.
It is absolutely hilarious to read, but it does seem to work and Spike has some interesting conclusions to draw regarding the care and feeding of young, funny shaped pups.
After Nina and Jack finally have a Purple Passion Re-consummation of their relationship, Nina develops mastitis and has to go to hospital.
Jack's newly acquired fatherhood skills are put to the ultimate test as he, Spike and his French polishing furniture apprentices are soon engaged in the most technically scientific formula bottle baby feeding test run ever. Along with trying to calm and settle a very fussy and unhappy Charlotte, and they come out of it with full high marks for excellence.
Charlotte isn't too happy at first with the bottle instead of mum's milk, but Jack's excellent dad bargaining and life lesson sharing pep talks save the day and everyone is soon settled up with the new routine.
Nina realizes while she is recovering in hospital that she has been very guilty of shutting Jack out emotionally, which is really the roadblock to them becoming a closely bonded family.
As soon as Nina recognizes that she is using the baggage of the past to deny herself and Jack and Charlotte and Spike a future, Nina does a great apology and then really gets herself whipped into shape.
Jack continues to go from strength to strength in the dad department and there is a lot of very funny moments when Jack becomes just as adoring and besotted about his kid as his friends are about their own.
Nina finally gets that Jack is as enthralled with parenthood as she is and she makes her grand declaration of True Love Forever and her and Jack book Sally to do the wedding right away.
Charlotte and Spike become the youngest BFF's of the household and form their own unique bond. There is a lovely and very funny little epilogue where Charlotte and Spike get a new little brother and the two of them have to go and pass on Jack's 'Dads Words of Wisdom' to the new family addition.
We leave the entire family, but especially Jack, happy and in love and plotting for another family addition, cause the more love the stronger the family for a truly sparkly, pink fluffy HPlandia HEA.
This one is utterly adorable and Jack is easily the best Dad Alpha H in HPlandia ever. He isn't lacking in the heartfelt romantic declaration department either.
Spike is pretty awesome too and you can't do any better for a fast, happy HP outing than to grab a copy of this story and have yourself a really delightful romantic time with extra funny little lessons in Jack's Dad Negotiation Skills for All Occasions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2021
An appropriate title, for once!
The H/h are already in love at the beginning of the story. They broke up with the hero expressed his disinterest in having children. Heroine never told him she was pregnant.
They meet again by chance in the maternity ward, where hero is visiting a business associate and heroine is recovering from the birth of their daughter.
The rest of the story is the hero proving to the heroine that he still loves her and that he will be a good dad.
Most of the story is about caring for/falling in love with a newborn. If you’re trying to forget your own breast-feeding woes or how sleep-deprived you are – then probably isn’t the story for you. For me, at 58, it was a fun trip down memory lane.
There is a funny 3 men and a baby scene as the hero and his two assistants try to figure out which formula will work to feed the baby. H/h were both sincere in their love for each other. Just a cute story.
The H/h are already in love at the beginning of the story. They broke up with the hero expressed his disinterest in having children. Heroine never told him she was pregnant.
They meet again by chance in the maternity ward, where hero is visiting a business associate and heroine is recovering from the birth of their daughter.
The rest of the story is the hero proving to the heroine that he still loves her and that he will be a good dad.
Most of the story is about caring for/falling in love with a newborn. If you’re trying to forget your own breast-feeding woes or how sleep-deprived you are – then probably isn’t the story for you. For me, at 58, it was a fun trip down memory lane.
There is a funny 3 men and a baby scene as the hero and his two assistants try to figure out which formula will work to feed the baby. H/h were both sincere in their love for each other. Just a cute story.
March 20, 2017
Oh my goodness, so sweet I have a toothache.
Charming couple where the heroine turns out to be the over-reactive idjit this time. Jack and Nina were dating, crazy for each other, when he states he has no use for babies. She promptly breaks up with him, moves apartments, changes job and could give the CIA lessons on how to be a secret squirrel. Turns out she was pregnant.
Jack had had indifferent parents, lots of nannies and no desire to be a parent. Nina’s backstory is her parents felt her arrival had ruined their lives, and she never wanted her child to experience the same level of indifference, blame and guilt that she did.
Serendipitously, Jake runs into into Nina shortly after she gives birth. Immediately he wants to step up to the plate for “the kid” aka Charlotte. This drives Nina crazy as she sees his nonchalance about their baby as evidence of his disinterest. Nina, please, take a chill pill and try and find a sense of humor.
Jack takes to parenting enthusiastically if blindly. He negotiates deals with his newborn daughter not realizing you can not deal with a tyrant. Yes, newborns are complete and total tyrants that take no prisoners. It's just me, me, me, id, id, id. The best scene was when Jack has to take care of Charlotte as Nina is in the hospital with mastitis. He, his two teenage assistants and his trusty dog try logic and science to decide what formula and what gauge nipple to use. It’s hysterical, incredibly sweet, totally clueless and very of typical of new dads. It reminds me of the Gary Cooper movie Casanova Brown where Coop kidnaps his newborn daughter and is appalled at how quickly she’s growing not realizing that is simply what babies do. He projects mathematically how big she’ll be at 18 and tells herDaddy will always love you no matter how big you get.
Jake makes this story. He's a big hunk of yummy goodness according to Nina, and is so head over heels and besotted with Nina it’s either sweet or depressing. He steps up to the plate with his daughter in every way that matters. HEA. HEA. HEA.
I should really give this a 3 to 3.5 star, but in terms of romance which is what I have been reviewing almost exclusively for over a year, this is tiny light of hope. The couple get a happily ever after which is well deserved for all involved including the sweet raggedy dog.
Charming couple where the heroine turns out to be the over-reactive idjit this time. Jack and Nina were dating, crazy for each other, when he states he has no use for babies. She promptly breaks up with him, moves apartments, changes job and could give the CIA lessons on how to be a secret squirrel. Turns out she was pregnant.
Jack had had indifferent parents, lots of nannies and no desire to be a parent. Nina’s backstory is her parents felt her arrival had ruined their lives, and she never wanted her child to experience the same level of indifference, blame and guilt that she did.
Serendipitously, Jake runs into into Nina shortly after she gives birth. Immediately he wants to step up to the plate for “the kid” aka Charlotte. This drives Nina crazy as she sees his nonchalance about their baby as evidence of his disinterest. Nina, please, take a chill pill and try and find a sense of humor.
Jack takes to parenting enthusiastically if blindly. He negotiates deals with his newborn daughter not realizing you can not deal with a tyrant. Yes, newborns are complete and total tyrants that take no prisoners. It's just me, me, me, id, id, id. The best scene was when Jack has to take care of Charlotte as Nina is in the hospital with mastitis. He, his two teenage assistants and his trusty dog try logic and science to decide what formula and what gauge nipple to use. It’s hysterical, incredibly sweet, totally clueless and very of typical of new dads. It reminds me of the Gary Cooper movie Casanova Brown where Coop kidnaps his newborn daughter and is appalled at how quickly she’s growing not realizing that is simply what babies do. He projects mathematically how big she’ll be at 18 and tells herDaddy will always love you no matter how big you get.
Jake makes this story. He's a big hunk of yummy goodness according to Nina, and is so head over heels and besotted with Nina it’s either sweet or depressing. He steps up to the plate with his daughter in every way that matters. HEA. HEA. HEA.
I should really give this a 3 to 3.5 star, but in terms of romance which is what I have been reviewing almost exclusively for over a year, this is tiny light of hope. The couple get a happily ever after which is well deserved for all involved including the sweet raggedy dog.
April 18, 2011
Jack's baby is a wonderful book and not a typical secret baby book. Jack and Nina were involved and in love when Jack asked Nina to move in with him, she refused and cut off all contact which Jack didn't understand. It's been 8 months but Jack still misses Nina. Jack's childhood was neglectful, his parents didn't ill-treat him, they just weren't there and he has a very warped impression about babies, he considers them monsters since all his married friends use him as a complain board. Nina's parents constantly made her feel un-wanted and when they divorced and she went to live with her grand-mother, things were better atleast she wasn't constantly held up as a mistake. So, when Nina finds out she is pregnant she doesn't tell Jack as she doesn't want what happened with her repeated. I loved how there were no recrimination in the book. When Jack found out Nina had his baby, he took it like a champ and it is hilarious to see how he went about preparing to be a dad like it was a test, going for nappy training to his friends, asking about tips on how to make kids sleep. It was fun to see Jack learning to be a father and how he compares the baby with his dog, sweet. Nina was hesitant, she loved Jack and believed he loved her but wanted Jack to know that she and the baby came as a package, that he couldn't ignore the baby, her fears were founded and I liked when Jack confronted them head-on and said that they both had scars. I loved how Jack was so understanding, he doesn't loose patience even once with Nina and her behaviour. It was fun to see how Jack spoke to the baby as if she was an adult. The book was wonderful :)
Thanks Ladyacct and Mia for the rec
Thanks Ladyacct and Mia for the rec
September 24, 2024
He must be the first H ever to compare h with his dog , ohh he actually considers his dog better and he thinks his daughter as a puppy . I fell in love with him and his adult-talk with his dog and a week old daughter .
This was a cheerful read , I had this ear-to-ear smile plastered on my face reading the epilogue .
This was a cheerful read , I had this ear-to-ear smile plastered on my face reading the epilogue .
May 4, 2019
4 Stars ~ Nina and Jack were in an exciting, loving relationship. In fact, he was about to ask Nina to move in with him, something he's never asked another woman. During a dinner party with friends, the evening was disrupted by their baby and on the way home, Jack had some choice words about bratty kids and bawling babies. There was no way any kid was going to disrupt his life. Suddenly, Nina ends their relationship; no explanation; quit her job and moved out of her apartment with no forwarding address.
Eight months later, while visiting friends and their newborn at the maternity hospital, Jack is shocked to find Nina. Nina and their baby. While he doesn't blame her after all the nasty things he said of kids, he feels incredibly hurt that she shut him out and taken all the decision making away from him. He'd been brought up by nannies and boarding schools, and all his life he'd felt like his parents had shut him out. Nina had been an accidental pregnancy baby which brought her parents to a marriage that both ended up hating and blaming her for. She'd vowed never to allow her child to feel unwanted. Jack is desperate to prove that he's father material and that they can be a real family.
I'm sure Ms. Darcy must have had such fun writing Jack and Nina's story. These two are made for each other, they just needed to learn how to open up and trust. There are some hilarious scenes with Jack and his very sober conversations with his baby daughter. This was a quick and surprisingly satisfying romance.
Eight months later, while visiting friends and their newborn at the maternity hospital, Jack is shocked to find Nina. Nina and their baby. While he doesn't blame her after all the nasty things he said of kids, he feels incredibly hurt that she shut him out and taken all the decision making away from him. He'd been brought up by nannies and boarding schools, and all his life he'd felt like his parents had shut him out. Nina had been an accidental pregnancy baby which brought her parents to a marriage that both ended up hating and blaming her for. She'd vowed never to allow her child to feel unwanted. Jack is desperate to prove that he's father material and that they can be a real family.
I'm sure Ms. Darcy must have had such fun writing Jack and Nina's story. These two are made for each other, they just needed to learn how to open up and trust. There are some hilarious scenes with Jack and his very sober conversations with his baby daughter. This was a quick and surprisingly satisfying romance.
November 13, 2011
Wow, I so didn't see in this what everyone else seemed to. The writing style was choppy and distracting. The baby was written as way too old. A few cases in point: a one week old nursing baby's messy diaper doesn't stink. By that point they are barely making messy diapers and not to be too graphic but it isn't the same sort of end result as a 6 month old baby who has started some solid food makes. Another thing: the baby responds by imitating the sounds her father makes during that 1st or 2nd week and watches everything with interest. Right...
The hero and heroine seemed one dimensional and I totally did not feel any love between them other than the author telling me they were in love. Plus for a story all about who loves the baby best, there was a whole lot of leaving the baby in her carrier rather than holding her. For example it was just odd that when they brought the baby home from the hospital the first time the heroine, who was so anxious that the baby be loved, went in to make tea since she wasn't needed to put the baby in bed. WTF? I know from personal experience that new mothers are pretty damn proprietary about their newborns. Add in that she would want to see the baby in the crib and all that she evidently had lovingly picked out and set up for her and she let the hero whom she didn't trust to care about the child go set her down in the bedroom in her car carrier? What...?
The hero and heroine seemed one dimensional and I totally did not feel any love between them other than the author telling me they were in love. Plus for a story all about who loves the baby best, there was a whole lot of leaving the baby in her carrier rather than holding her. For example it was just odd that when they brought the baby home from the hospital the first time the heroine, who was so anxious that the baby be loved, went in to make tea since she wasn't needed to put the baby in bed. WTF? I know from personal experience that new mothers are pretty damn proprietary about their newborns. Add in that she would want to see the baby in the crib and all that she evidently had lovingly picked out and set up for her and she let the hero whom she didn't trust to care about the child go set her down in the bedroom in her car carrier? What...?
January 29, 2019
"Jack's Baby" is the story of Nina and Jack.
Oh what a wonderful read!
The book begins when our H Jack is on the way to visit his friend whose wife just gave birth. He reminisces about Nina, his ex, whom he had an argument with around 8 months ago regarding babies- after which she promptly broke up with him and disappeared from the face of the Earth!
To his shock, he encounters a disheveled Nina in the hospital, and soon puts two and two together.
Nina threw Jack out of her life when she realized his attitude towards kids, just after finding out about her own pregnancy. She hid the latter from him, and chose to simply vanish..That is until she finds Jack in her room, cradling their baby Charlotte!
Thus begins a tale of trial and error between a couple who were obviously meant for each other. Both come from broken homes, and have sufficient reasons to be wary.
Here's me highlighting some plot points I really liked
-How the book had an understanding and loving hero, who never gave up trying to be with the h
-The portrayal of real issues, like concerns about post baby body, mastitis, a father's first experience with babies etc
-How the H confronted the h about her (selfish) behavior/decisions
-The h's initial antagonism towards the dog and how she came to love him (I mean, I did hate her a little for having bad thoughts about the adorable puppy)
-The developing relationship between H and Charlotte
-How both were independent and financially successful, and neither had to resort to blackmail or being a dbag as nobody was a Greek/Italian/Russian/Silician Billionaire/Trillionaire. Just normal people from humble beginnings.
-The overall very sweet ending with resolution of all conflicts
-HEA
Very worthy read!
Safe
4.5
Oh what a wonderful read!
The book begins when our H Jack is on the way to visit his friend whose wife just gave birth. He reminisces about Nina, his ex, whom he had an argument with around 8 months ago regarding babies- after which she promptly broke up with him and disappeared from the face of the Earth!
To his shock, he encounters a disheveled Nina in the hospital, and soon puts two and two together.
Nina threw Jack out of her life when she realized his attitude towards kids, just after finding out about her own pregnancy. She hid the latter from him, and chose to simply vanish..That is until she finds Jack in her room, cradling their baby Charlotte!
Thus begins a tale of trial and error between a couple who were obviously meant for each other. Both come from broken homes, and have sufficient reasons to be wary.
Here's me highlighting some plot points I really liked
-How the book had an understanding and loving hero, who never gave up trying to be with the h
-The portrayal of real issues, like concerns about post baby body, mastitis, a father's first experience with babies etc
-How the H confronted the h about her (selfish) behavior/decisions
-The h's initial antagonism towards the dog and how she came to love him (I mean, I did hate her a little for having bad thoughts about the adorable puppy)
-The developing relationship between H and Charlotte
-How both were independent and financially successful, and neither had to resort to blackmail or being a dbag as nobody was a Greek/Italian/Russian/Silician Billionaire/Trillionaire. Just normal people from humble beginnings.
-The overall very sweet ending with resolution of all conflicts
-HEA
Very worthy read!
Safe
4.5
August 7, 2021
If you want to read this book prepare a shot of insulin first because there’s so much sweet that it’s hard to bear.
Nina and jack have been dating for six months when she finds out she’s pregnant. That very evening, before she can tell him the happy news, he makes some nasty remarks about babies and about never wanting one. They quarrel and of course she leaves him without telling him she’s pregnant.
Eight months later he sees her in a hospital and finds out she’s just had a baby. His daughter.
Jack never got over her and is still very much in love with her, and wants to marry her as soon as he sees her again. He’s surprised that he’s got a daughter but he wants the h and his baby to be a family.
The h was rejected and neglected by her own father and is afraid that the hero could treat their child the same way, but Jack is a dream man and will prove her he love them both.
This hero was the best man ever.
Sweet and caring both to her and to his daughter.
Never complaining.
Never mean or angry even when she shut him out of her life.
He also love dogs…
He’s perfection.
The heroine was selfish and I didn’t like her even if I can understand why she was afraid that he rejected his baby and asked her to have a termination.
But when he made everything in his power to show he was a good father I didn’t understand her doubts.
He was more that she deserved.
He was better that her.
And the end with the babies and the dog made me cry.
What a cute and sweet book.
Nina and jack have been dating for six months when she finds out she’s pregnant. That very evening, before she can tell him the happy news, he makes some nasty remarks about babies and about never wanting one. They quarrel and of course she leaves him without telling him she’s pregnant.
Eight months later he sees her in a hospital and finds out she’s just had a baby. His daughter.
Jack never got over her and is still very much in love with her, and wants to marry her as soon as he sees her again. He’s surprised that he’s got a daughter but he wants the h and his baby to be a family.
The h was rejected and neglected by her own father and is afraid that the hero could treat their child the same way, but Jack is a dream man and will prove her he love them both.
This hero was the best man ever.
Sweet and caring both to her and to his daughter.
Never complaining.
Never mean or angry even when she shut him out of her life.
He also love dogs…
He’s perfection.
The heroine was selfish and I didn’t like her even if I can understand why she was afraid that he rejected his baby and asked her to have a termination.
But when he made everything in his power to show he was a good father I didn’t understand her doubts.
He was more that she deserved.
He was better that her.
And the end with the babies and the dog made me cry.
What a cute and sweet book.
August 29, 2019
I struggled with this one and while it maintained it's light and fluffy tone throughout, I couldn't get with the flow and the mc's particularly the h managed to irritate me.
November 5, 2021
Very cute and low-stakes.
April 8, 2021
I adored the journey of these characters. This book is super cute, with a hero who learns to embrace unwanted fatherhood, and a heroine who learns to trust the hero with her heart and child. I truly enjoyed watching these two, and several scenes made me laugh out loud from the heroine's reactions to the things the hero was doing, and all in a good way. I recommend this book.
March 13, 2015
This was ok. It took me awhile to get through it. I agree with Jacqueline that the child was written more like a six month old than a newborn. I also could not warm up to the heroine. I felt she was overly judgmental. The hero deserved better. The best character was the dog, Spike.
May 19, 2011
sweet story. A sort of fairy tale but really funny! I fell in love with Jack chatting with his dog and his daughter!
August 14, 2018
4 stars for hero and Operation Bottle-feed.
August 31, 2019
The heroine totally ruined the book! 👎
September 5, 2018
Lettura carina, scorrevole e poco impegnativa ideale per chi vuole passare il tempo senza impegno.
May 11, 2019
This was actually a sweet read. Wow jack was absolutely lovely. Not a typical harlequin hero.
March 5, 2020
Vintage's review here put into words how I felt about this book, though I gave it more stars than she did.
I agree that the h, Nina, was annoying at times, but I loved how Jack was determined to get Nina back, despite "the kid's" interference.
I agree that the h, Nina, was annoying at times, but I loved how Jack was determined to get Nina back, despite "the kid's" interference.
October 13, 2018
I found this book quite frustrating because of the heroine. Sure, she had a past that encouraged her to act the way that she did but I found everything about her actions annoying. Starting from hiding her pregnancy from the father to pushing him away and hiding her illnesses.
It was fine at first and I made peace with the fact that the heroine decided that the hero doesn't want to learn about his baby's existence all on her own. I dislike people who think they know best for everyone but I moved past it. But the entire book is just her deciding that Jack won't make a good dad and acting accordingly. Meanwhile, he's busy turning his life upside down to accommodate every whim and fancy of the heroine. I am glad that he finally spoke up at the end but the heroine should have grovelled.
That's right, this is the first book ever where I actually wanted the heroine to grovel.
What saved the book for me was the absolute gem of a hero. He was so good to everyone and he's definitely a dreamboat. Read only if you are in the book to put up with the heroine.
It was fine at first and I made peace with the fact that the heroine decided that the hero doesn't want to learn about his baby's existence all on her own. I dislike people who think they know best for everyone but I moved past it. But the entire book is just her deciding that Jack won't make a good dad and acting accordingly. Meanwhile, he's busy turning his life upside down to accommodate every whim and fancy of the heroine. I am glad that he finally spoke up at the end but the heroine should have grovelled.
That's right, this is the first book ever where I actually wanted the heroine to grovel.
What saved the book for me was the absolute gem of a hero. He was so good to everyone and he's definitely a dreamboat. Read only if you are in the book to put up with the heroine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2022
Jack's Baby was about Jack Gulliver and Nina Brady.
Jack and Nina had been a couple until one night after having attended a dinner party with friends. During the visit, according to Jack, a baby had "wrecked the dinner party". His comments to Nina about that afterward had started an argument between them after which "Nina had gone off her brain and dumped him, then and there. No comeback. Total wipe-out". But that hadn't stopped him from missing her still after 8 months. From past experience with his parents, and listening to some of his friends bemoaning the effects of babies on their sex life and marriages, Jack had all but determined babies weren't for him.
When a friend and his wife had a baby boy, the friend convinced Jack to stop by the hospital to view his new son, much to Jack's irritation. However, while there, he suddenly ran into Nina for the first time since she had rejected him. But rather than being happy to see him, he saw fear in her eyes, and she disappeared before he could do more than say her name. Wondering who she knew who could be in the maternity ward, he went to visit his friends, only to have the wife say something that made him think back to Nina...and realize that there was a chance she had given birth to his child. After congratulating and excusing himself, he went in search of her.
Nina, having hidden from Jack in hopes he had not made the connection and had left when visiting hours were over, returned to her room...only to find Jack there and holding their daughter, Charlotte. Recovering from a near-fainting spell, she was informed by Jack that they would be getting married. He didn't ask her what she wanted, he just informed her of what would be taking place as fast as it could be arranged. Her friend, Sally, seemed to side with Jack instead of her about getting married, only in her opinion, it would be easy to divorce him if the need arose.
However, Charlotte couldn't get over Jack's original feelings of never wanting to be a father...and the fact that he kept referring to the baby as "the kid" rather than her name, or even calling her his daughter or their child. It was "the kid" and nothing else. He would "accommodate the kid". He had no problem blaming the way Nina held him at arm's length on "the kid"...things he felt "it could be the kid confusing Nina, distorting what was perfectly plain and straightforward to him".
He even believed that "the kid was a side product of what they felt for each other". Jack was determined to make Nina lean on him for support and advice so that she would be more likely to give in to his wants and needs...to make her "want what he wanted". He even believed that, once they could have sex again, he "was sure everything would be fine between them".
Because of Nina's childhood experience with her parents and her grandmother, she didn't give her trust very easily. Then there was Jack's likening their baby to a dog he had adopted from the shelter. She didn't like that comparison either.
The more time he spent around Charlotte and Nina, the more he began to realize how needy babies were. When Nina got sick and had to go to the hospital...guess what happened? The worst-case scenario for Jack. He got stuck with "the kid" for a day or two...and the nights...with no help from Nina...and he started to flip out. He soon realized he could not rely on his friends to take care of Charlotte because Nina would see it as a cop-out, for he had already told her no nannies for his "kid"...ever. Unfortunately, his way of handling the situation was to get stern with the newborn and tell her, “Listen up, kid. You and I need to come to an accommodation." Accommodation? With a newborn? Who was this guy kidding?! How did Charlotte respond? "A full-blooded scream..." Served him right! Oh! The humor that came from reading his attempts to feed the baby from bottles!! I won't spoil it, but O.M.G. the hilarity that came from it!!
This book was more a rom-com than a plain romance novel. Sure there was angst and a touch of drama, but it was more funny than serious. I didn't really see much chemistry between the two main characters since the book started somewhere in the middle of their relationship, and the passion was very muted. It seemed to be more about two people who loved one another finding out they were going to be parents and...working on how to BE parents together. It was definitely more about the baby than it was about Jack and Nina.
Jack was a closed-off character, hurt by his parents' lack of affection and attention, he seemed to be under the impression that all parents were like that with their children...and that babies were "little monsters" who came between a man and a woman's ability to have a good time that wasn't interrupted by a child's needs.
Nina also had a bad childhood, but her character was one that was kind of multi-faceted. She didn't want to be with someone who didn't want children, but when she found a man who had thought that way but then changed his mind, she didn't want to be open with him either. She was too afraid of being hurt...and her child being hurt in the process.
While it wasn't the normal romance novel one would expect, it was a very nice change of pace. It's never a good idea to get stuck with the regimental "norm" and forget to try something new (although this was NOT a new story). Because of the difference in this book, I determined, for me, it was worthy of a five-star rating and the chance to be added to the Keeper for the Shelves collection.
Jack and Nina had been a couple until one night after having attended a dinner party with friends. During the visit, according to Jack, a baby had "wrecked the dinner party". His comments to Nina about that afterward had started an argument between them after which "Nina had gone off her brain and dumped him, then and there. No comeback. Total wipe-out". But that hadn't stopped him from missing her still after 8 months. From past experience with his parents, and listening to some of his friends bemoaning the effects of babies on their sex life and marriages, Jack had all but determined babies weren't for him.
When a friend and his wife had a baby boy, the friend convinced Jack to stop by the hospital to view his new son, much to Jack's irritation. However, while there, he suddenly ran into Nina for the first time since she had rejected him. But rather than being happy to see him, he saw fear in her eyes, and she disappeared before he could do more than say her name. Wondering who she knew who could be in the maternity ward, he went to visit his friends, only to have the wife say something that made him think back to Nina...and realize that there was a chance she had given birth to his child. After congratulating and excusing himself, he went in search of her.
Nina, having hidden from Jack in hopes he had not made the connection and had left when visiting hours were over, returned to her room...only to find Jack there and holding their daughter, Charlotte. Recovering from a near-fainting spell, she was informed by Jack that they would be getting married. He didn't ask her what she wanted, he just informed her of what would be taking place as fast as it could be arranged. Her friend, Sally, seemed to side with Jack instead of her about getting married, only in her opinion, it would be easy to divorce him if the need arose.
However, Charlotte couldn't get over Jack's original feelings of never wanting to be a father...and the fact that he kept referring to the baby as "the kid" rather than her name, or even calling her his daughter or their child. It was "the kid" and nothing else. He would "accommodate the kid". He had no problem blaming the way Nina held him at arm's length on "the kid"...things he felt "it could be the kid confusing Nina, distorting what was perfectly plain and straightforward to him".
He even believed that "the kid was a side product of what they felt for each other". Jack was determined to make Nina lean on him for support and advice so that she would be more likely to give in to his wants and needs...to make her "want what he wanted". He even believed that, once they could have sex again, he "was sure everything would be fine between them".
Because of Nina's childhood experience with her parents and her grandmother, she didn't give her trust very easily. Then there was Jack's likening their baby to a dog he had adopted from the shelter. She didn't like that comparison either.
The more time he spent around Charlotte and Nina, the more he began to realize how needy babies were. When Nina got sick and had to go to the hospital...guess what happened? The worst-case scenario for Jack. He got stuck with "the kid" for a day or two...and the nights...with no help from Nina...and he started to flip out. He soon realized he could not rely on his friends to take care of Charlotte because Nina would see it as a cop-out, for he had already told her no nannies for his "kid"...ever. Unfortunately, his way of handling the situation was to get stern with the newborn and tell her, “Listen up, kid. You and I need to come to an accommodation." Accommodation? With a newborn? Who was this guy kidding?! How did Charlotte respond? "A full-blooded scream..." Served him right! Oh! The humor that came from reading his attempts to feed the baby from bottles!! I won't spoil it, but O.M.G. the hilarity that came from it!!
This book was more a rom-com than a plain romance novel. Sure there was angst and a touch of drama, but it was more funny than serious. I didn't really see much chemistry between the two main characters since the book started somewhere in the middle of their relationship, and the passion was very muted. It seemed to be more about two people who loved one another finding out they were going to be parents and...working on how to BE parents together. It was definitely more about the baby than it was about Jack and Nina.
Jack was a closed-off character, hurt by his parents' lack of affection and attention, he seemed to be under the impression that all parents were like that with their children...and that babies were "little monsters" who came between a man and a woman's ability to have a good time that wasn't interrupted by a child's needs.
Nina also had a bad childhood, but her character was one that was kind of multi-faceted. She didn't want to be with someone who didn't want children, but when she found a man who had thought that way but then changed his mind, she didn't want to be open with him either. She was too afraid of being hurt...and her child being hurt in the process.
While it wasn't the normal romance novel one would expect, it was a very nice change of pace. It's never a good idea to get stuck with the regimental "norm" and forget to try something new (although this was NOT a new story). Because of the difference in this book, I determined, for me, it was worthy of a five-star rating and the chance to be added to the Keeper for the Shelves collection.
April 18, 2011
One of the funniest HP books I have read. This was a really good book by this established author and I wouldn't mind more of the same.
May 29, 2011
It felt more like a novella than novel to me. Still, it was cute and it had 2 elements I really like: kids and dogs.
Love Charlotte's lil speech in the end about respeck..aw!
Love Charlotte's lil speech in the end about respeck..aw!
July 6, 2021
So as a Jill, I would have no problems tumbling down the hill after the Jack in this story. However, I’ll just dab some Obsession on my husband and make do 😂.
If you are looking for an evil ow, supportive om, revenge seeking hero, an emotionally bankrupt hero, then this book isn’t for you. I still thought the story moved pretty quickly without the addition of the usual tropes found in these books. It gave my liver a break as well, because unlike the story I read yesterdayTemporary Wife I felt no need to imbibe with this one.
This book is low angst. These 2 do love each other. The H’s aversion to children causes the newly pregnant h to run away without telling the H about the pregnancy. The story opens where she has just given birth. The hero is visiting a friend who has just given birth and stumbles upon the h. He wastes no time in taking responsibility for his child. As Stmargarets commented in her review, the title of the book fits the story. This is not just about the 2 lovers, but it is about a man falling in love with his newborn child and proving that he is up for the challenges. (Some of the challenges in the book are handled in a funny way!) Other reviewers have pointed out that the baby acts more like a 6 month old not a 6 day old(they are correct in this). In addition to this the h and H have sex within 2 weeks of her giving birth. Not only is this usually not the case for a myriad of reasons(soreness, tiredness, or the fact that you just shot a 7lb baby out of your hoo-ha and can’t even think of doing that again) it is also a recommendation from a dr to wait longer. Now, if you are going to have problem with these inaccuracies, then don’t read this book. When I read these HP books, I often treat them as fantasy, so I can USUALLY ignore the obvious errors and just go with it. This book also gets its first star from me for the dog Spike. Seriously, I am a sucker for animals.
Vintage has given a very good overview of the story. Click on this link:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Boogenhagen has given a very very thorough review with spoilers. Depending on if you like spoilers before or after, I would click on this as well: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
If you are looking for an evil ow, supportive om, revenge seeking hero, an emotionally bankrupt hero, then this book isn’t for you. I still thought the story moved pretty quickly without the addition of the usual tropes found in these books. It gave my liver a break as well, because unlike the story I read yesterdayTemporary Wife I felt no need to imbibe with this one.
This book is low angst. These 2 do love each other. The H’s aversion to children causes the newly pregnant h to run away without telling the H about the pregnancy. The story opens where she has just given birth. The hero is visiting a friend who has just given birth and stumbles upon the h. He wastes no time in taking responsibility for his child. As Stmargarets commented in her review, the title of the book fits the story. This is not just about the 2 lovers, but it is about a man falling in love with his newborn child and proving that he is up for the challenges. (Some of the challenges in the book are handled in a funny way!) Other reviewers have pointed out that the baby acts more like a 6 month old not a 6 day old(they are correct in this). In addition to this the h and H have sex within 2 weeks of her giving birth. Not only is this usually not the case for a myriad of reasons(soreness, tiredness, or the fact that you just shot a 7lb baby out of your hoo-ha and can’t even think of doing that again) it is also a recommendation from a dr to wait longer. Now, if you are going to have problem with these inaccuracies, then don’t read this book. When I read these HP books, I often treat them as fantasy, so I can USUALLY ignore the obvious errors and just go with it. This book also gets its first star from me for the dog Spike. Seriously, I am a sucker for animals.
Vintage has given a very good overview of the story. Click on this link:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Boogenhagen has given a very very thorough review with spoilers. Depending on if you like spoilers before or after, I would click on this as well: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
July 8, 2021
3.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️This book brought back memories of when I brought my first baby home from hospital. That first night was awful. I had same problems as heroine so I could understand her feelings. Loved the way the H transformed during the book. It was just a sweet book! Loved the dog too and I'm not really a dog person.
December 27, 2018
3.5 stars.
Not bad, not completely my cup of tea either though.
Easy to read...also easy to put down.
Got to the end, and didn't struggle to pick it up, so I'm counting that as a good thing.
Nice ending :)
Not bad, not completely my cup of tea either though.
Easy to read...also easy to put down.
Got to the end, and didn't struggle to pick it up, so I'm counting that as a good thing.
Nice ending :)
February 11, 2021
Very choppy book. Not much happens. I completely understand the heroine's decision after the hero was against kids. But then poof the hero is the perfect father...okay. I say skip. Not very romantic or memorable or fun.
January 18, 2018
Sinceramente, me aburrio y apenas llegue a la mitad
July 5, 2018
Lovely story. I understood where they were both coming from. The ending was absolutely gorgeous and funny.
July 28, 2018
4.5 stars!!! Super cute story!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews